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American Gem Mining Syndicate Records, 1901-1935

Overview of the Collection

Creator
American Gem Mining Syndicate
Title
American Gem Mining Syndicate Records
Dates
1901-1935 (inclusive)
Quantity
2.5 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 310
Summary
The American Gem Mining Syndicate was a Philipsburg, Montana, sapphire mining company. Records include interoffice correspondence (1903-1935), general correspondence (1902-1929), court papers (1906-1915), employment records (1912-1930), financial records (1904-1930), legal documents (1903-1907), organizational records (1901), and production records (1911-1914). [Maps were transferred to Library Map Catalog].
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The American Gem Mining Syndicate was incorporated on August 10, 1901, by David Jankower, owner of several Philipsburg area sapphire mining claims; and Auguste B. Ewing, Paul A. Fusz, Moses Rumsey, and Charles D. McLure, St. Louis, Missouri, businessmen who had extensive holdings in Philipsburg area mines. The main corporate offices were in St. Louis. The company was capitalized at $300,000, with Jankower initially owning all but four of the shares. Among the broad powers claimed by the company were purchasing and developing mining claims, building water flumes, and maintaining lapidary and stone cutting facilities. The basic aim of the company was to mine and market the sapphires from several mining claims in Sapphire, Anaconda, Myers, and Wildcat gulches on Rock Creek southwest of Philipsburg. Sapphires were first discovered in the Rock Creek drainages by gold prospectors in 1892. The claims were purchased by the American Gem Mining Syndicate in 1903. The bulk of the output was shipped to the company's factory in Geneva, Switzerland, run by Eugene Deschusses, for use in Swiss watches. Smaller amounts were used for industrial bearings and for jewelry. In 1912 the company built a 30 mile long flume to provide water for hydraulic mining of the sapphires. The company mined sapphires commercially until 1926. After that natural sapphires began to be replaced for industrial use by artificial sapphires. The company sold the property in 1936 to Charles Carrp and J.W. Kaiser, and ceased its legal existence on August 10, 1941.

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Content Description

Records consist predominantly of interoffice correspondence (1903-1935) between the mine offices in Philipsburg and the home office in St. Louis. Correspondents include David Jankower, general superintendent; John R. Lucas, Montana agent for the company; and corporate officers Paul A. Fusz, Charles G. Ewing, George Zehnder, and L.M. Rumsey Jr. In addition there is general correspondence (1903-1929) with the Swiss factory, foremen at the mines, contractors building the flume, government agencies, and others. Court papers consist of an appeal of a United States Land Office order. Employment records include time sheets and time checks (1912-1930). Financial records include a letterpress volume (1906-1912) containing a variety of records; and scattered bills, freight bills, orders, etc. Legal documents (1903-1907) consist of mineral applications and an affidavit of lease. Organizational records consist of articles of incorporation (1901) copied from records of the Secretary of State's Office. Production records include reports (1912) on flume construction and reports (1911, 1914) on shipment of sapphires.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

by series

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information:

available upon request

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

  • Interoffice Correspondence

    • Description: Home Office (correspondents include Paul A. Fusz, David Jankower, George S. Zehnder, John R. Lucas)
      Dates: 1903-1908
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1-12
      Location: Interoffice Correspondence
    • Description: Home Office (correspondents include Paul A. Fusz, George S. Zehnder, John R. Lucas, Lewis M. Rumsey Jr., Charles G. Ewing)
      Dates: 1909-1917
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1-15
      Location: Interoffice Correspondence
    • Description: Home Office (correspondents include Charles G. Ewing, Jesse B. Mellor, Dan Smith, W.T. Terrell, Leigh Wyman, Joseph C. Yob)
      Dates: 1918-1935
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1-10
      Location: Interoffice Correspondence
    • Description: Home Office (telegrams)
      Dates: 1906-1930
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 11-12
      Location: Interoffice Correspondence

  • General Correspondence

    • Description: Alexander Milburn Company
      Dates: 1916-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 13
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: American Spiral Pipe Works
      Dates: 1913-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 14
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Anaconda Copper Mining Company
      Dates: 1914-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 15
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: A (corresondents include American Concentrator Company, American Forestry Association, American Wood Pipe Company, E. Amerine, Percy Anderson, R.W. Angevine, W.J. Attwood)
      Dates: 1906-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 16
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Oral J. Berry
      Dates: 1912-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 17
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Britton and Gray, Attorneys
      Dates: 1908-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 18
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Frank D. Brown (includes Henderson Mining Company, Charles D. McLure Gold Mines, Basin Gulch Syndicate)
      Dates: 1903, 1906
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 19
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: B (correspondents include Baker Iron Works, Mary I. Baker, Thomas T. Baker, Lewis Barnes, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Big Blackfoot Milling Company, Peter Breen, W.F. Brunne, Buffalo Steam Pump Company, F. Burmaster)
      Dates: 1906-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 20
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Cheatham and Blakeslee (includes C.W. Cheatham and E.H. Blakeslee, re building flume)
      Dates: 1912-1916
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 21
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Continental Oil Company
      Dates: 1907-1917
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 22
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: E.A. Cradle, surveyor
      Dates: 1906-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 23
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: C (correspondents include B.E. Calkins Company, Carbic Manufacturing Company, D.A. Carey, J.J. Carmichael, M.E. Craddock)
      Dates: 1907-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 24
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Daly Bank and Trust Company
      Dates: 1904-1917
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Deer Lodge County offices
      Dates: 1906-1917
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 2
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Eugene Deschusses (Geneva, Switzerland)
      Dates: 1903-1917
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 3
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: DeForest Don
      Dates: 1910-1911
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 4
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Downing's Foreign Express (re shipping sapphires to Switzerland)
      Dates: 1902-1916
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 5
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: D-F (correspondents include John H. Dalton, Denver Engineering Works, Denver Fire Clay Company, E. Donlan, Perien S. Dudley, Edison Phonograph Works, E. Erikson, A.A. Fairbairn, Flint Creek Telephone Company, Jacob Franzman)
      Dates: 1903-1917
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 6
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Granite County offices
      Dates: 1906-1921
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 7
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: G (correspondents include General Electric Company, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Gorham-Revere Rubber Company, Great Western Machinery Company)
      Dates: 1908-1918
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 8
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: H-I (correspondents include R. Hardesty Manufacturing Company, Herbert Hartley, Henry Heil Chemical Company, William E. Hidden, R.J. Hoffma, E.I. Holland, A. Hollingsworth, A.M. Holter Hardware Company, W.T. Hoskinson, C.W. Hunt Company, Edwin T. Irvine, Mike Iverson)
      Dates: 1903-1923
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 9
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: J.M. Jamieson
      Dates: 1906-1912
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 10
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: J-L (correspondents include Japanese Labor Association, John B. Johnson, Jones and Johnston, Ed Kahoe, Keuffel & Esser Company, Fred R. Kneip, Howard E. Law, Lewis Jewelers Supply Company, Thomas Long, Lorado Gold Mines and Mills Company, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, Lyster Brothers)
      Dates: 1903-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 11
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Missoula Mercantile Company
      Dates: 1906-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 12
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Montana Industrial Accident Board
      Dates: 1915-1929
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 13
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: W.E. Moore, company attorney
      Dates: 1906-1916
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 14-15
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Cyrus J. Morgan
      Dates: 1906-1916
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 16-17
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: M (correspondents include Ernst F. Maehl, D.N. McDonald, Dan McGillis, Catherine McGurk, Sally Mellon, George Metcalf, Arthur A. Miller, C.P. Miller and Company, Montana Fish and Game Commission, Montana Secretary of State, Montana State Boiler Inspector, W.M. Montgomery and Company, Mountaineer Welders Supply Company)
      Dates: 1903-1924
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 18
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Northern Pacific Railway Company
      Dates: 1905-1906
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 19
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: N-O (correspondents include National Tank and Pipe Company, New York and New Jersey Lubricant Company, New York Cordage Company, Northern Handle Company, Nott-Attwater Company, E. Osland)
      Dates: 1907-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 20
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: W.L Packer
      Dates: 1912
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 21
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: W.W. Pennington
      Dates: 1910-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 22
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: P (correspondents include Al Peterson, Philipsburg Stock Association, Pierce's Gold Separator and Amalgamator, C.N. Pullar)
      Dates: 1907-1925
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 23
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: William Queener
      Dates: 1908-1916
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 24
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: R (correspondents include G.E. Rasmussen, W.H. Reid, R.J. Riley, V.H. Robinson, Thomas S. Rodgers, L.M. Rumsey Manufacturing Company, Joseph T. Ryerson and Son)
      Dates: 1903-1912
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 25
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: A.H. Sandin
      Dates: 1910
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 26
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Joseph Sorenson
      Dates: 1906-1913
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 27-29
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: S-T (correspondents include S.R. Seelos, S.C. Snavely, Ralph Stanfield, Stearns-Roger Manufacturing Company, Strassberger and Baker, E.E. Thibault, G.W. Thomas, Twin City Equipment Company)
      Dates: 1903-1925
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 30
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Union Carbide Sales Company
      Dates: 1912-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: United States Forest Service (includes timber sale applications, grazing permits, reports of timber cut, etc.)
      Dates: 1906-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 2-4
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: United States General Land Office and local land offices
      Dates: 1904-1916
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 5
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: United States Surveyor General
      Dates: 1906-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 6
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: United States government offices (various)
      Dates: 1911-1912
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 7
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: U-V (correspondents include United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, United States Steel Products Company, Valley Mercantile Company [re flume builders])
      Dates: 1906-1925
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 8
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: Walker Commercial Company (re employee accounts)
      Dates: 1906-1913
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 9
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: N.D. Warner, Contractor (re flume)
      Dates: 1912
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 10
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: W-Y (correspondents include Western Employment Agency, Western Iron Works, Western Montana National Bank, Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, Willard Storage Battery Company, Conrad Wipf, Forest Wyman)
      Dates: 1903-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 11
      Location: General Correspondence

  • Court Papers

    • Description: United States Land Office affidavits and appeal of order
      Dates: 1906, 1912-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 12
      Location: Court Papers

  • Employment Records

    • Description: Time sheets and time checks [scattered]
      Dates: 1912-1930
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 13
      Location: Employment Records

  • Financial Records

    • Description: Accounts payable
      Dates: 1920-1921
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 14
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Bank deposits [scattered]
      Dates: 1904-1922
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 15
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Bills and invoices (local stores: scattered)
      Dates: 1911-1930
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 16
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Bills and invoices (out-of-town suppliers: scattered)
      Dates: 1916-1930
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 17
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Bills and invoices (Walker Commercial Company: employee accounts, scattered)
      Dates: 1906-1921
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 18
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Financial reports (includes reports of sapphires shipped, orders for supplies, etc.) [letterpress volume and loose sheets]
      Dates: 1906-1913
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 19-20
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Freight bills / bills of lading
      Dates: 1916-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 1
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Inventory of machinery
      Dates: 1913
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Invoice lists [scattered]
      Dates: 1912-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Orders for supplies
      Dates: 1906-1916, n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 4-5
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Taxes
      Dates: 1911-1924
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 6
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Miscellaneous (includes telephone reports, lists of supplies, lumber supplied, accounts, labor costs of different operations, wage rates, livestock on hand)
      Dates: mostly undated
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 7
      Location: Financial Records

  • Legal Documents

    • Description: Mineral applications; affidavit of lease
      Dates: 1903-1907
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 8
      Location: Legal Documents

  • Organization

    • Description: Articles of incorporation [photocopied from Secretary of State's records]
      Dates: 1901
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 9
      Location: Organization

  • Production Records

    • Description: Flume construction by E.E. Rhudy and G.E. Rasmussen
      Dates: 1912
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 10
      Location: Production Records
    • Description: Sapphires shipped and on hand
      Dates: 1911, 1914
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 11
      Location: Production Records

  • Transfers to Other Programs

    • Description: List of maps transferred to Library Map Collection
      Dates:
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 12
      Location: Transfers to Other Programs

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • ASSAYING
  • Ditches
  • FLUMES
  • Industrial safety
  • Mines and mineral resources--Montana--Granite County
  • Sapphire mines and mining

Geographical Names

  • Clocks and watches--Switzerland
  • Granite County (Mont.)
  • Philipsburg (Mont.)


April 21, 2015

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