New Mine Sapphire Syndicate records, 1898-1958
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- New Mine Sapphire Syndicate
- Title
- New Mine Sapphire Syndicate records
- Dates
- 1898-1958 (inclusive)18981958
- Quantity
- 2.5 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 74 (collection)
- Summary
- The New Mine Sapphire Syndicate was a British-owned company which operated the Yogo sapphire mines in Judith Basin County, Montana. Records consist of incoming (1914-1934) and outgoing (1904-1931) correspondence between mine manager Charles T. Gadsden and syndicate offices in London; directors' minutes (1914-1930); stockholders reports (1915-1933); financial records; organizational materials; and miscellany. Also included are two letterpress books of outgoing correspondence (1924-1931) concerning Gadsden's mink raising business.
- Repository
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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 - Access Restrictions
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Collection open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical Note
In 1879, gold discovered on Yogo Creek in the Little Belt Mountains of central Montana brought new settlers who established a camp they called "Yogo." The small town quickly grew to several hundred people, but by 1883 few prospectors remained. Two of those prospectors, Jake Hoover and Frank Hobson, discovered a new strike in 1894 and convinced Lewistown banker S.S. Hobson, and Chicago veterinarian, Dr. J.A. Bouvet, to finance work on their claims. Sluicing efforts of the following year proved unsuccessful, but a continual showing of "blue stones" (or sapphires) and favorable reports on the stones from Tiffany's of New York prompted a new partnership. In 1898, the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate was formed with headquarters near Utica, Montana. S.S. Hobson served as vice president, and Mathew Dunn and George A. Wells, both Great Falls residents, served respectively as president and secretary-treasurer. By 1901, an English marketing firm, Johnson, Walker and Tolhurst, had bought out the American partners. That same year Charles T. Gadsden, a native of Berkhampstead, England, who had worked at Yogo for ten years, became resident manager. He continued in charge of the workings until his death in 1954. The British operations proved extremely successful and the company returned high dividends to its stockholders. In 1914, the rival Yogo American Sapphire Company sold out to the English syndicate ensuring them a monopoly of Yogo sapphires. During World War I, the London-based company operated on a small scale. However, following the war, a series of events forced the closure of the mines. Beset by currency difficulties, double taxation from Britain and the U.S., and severe property damage from a July 26, 1923, cloudburst, the business faltered. In 1927, operations ceased and repair work was put off indefinitely. In 1956, the British syndicate sold its operations to a group of Montana businessmen including Thomas P. Sidwell and E.K. Cheadle, both of Billings. Estimates of the worth of Yogo sapphires mined during the years of profitable operation range from three to four million dollars, with an individual sapphire bringing as much as $1,600. Yogo sapphires were especially valued for their uniformity of color.
Content Description
The records consist primarily of letterpress books containing outgoing correspondence (1904-1931) of Charles T. Gadsden, mine manager. Two volumes contain his personal correspondence (1924-1931) dealing with mink-raising activities. In addition, there are minutes (1914-1930) of directors' meetings; stockholders' reports of proceedings, and minutes (1915-1933); and general correspondence (1914-1934) from syndicate officials in London.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.
Preferred Citation
[Item description and date]. New Mine Sapphire Syndicate records, 1898-1958. MC 74. [box and folder number or oversize folder number]. Montana Historical Society Research Center. Archives. Helena, Montana.
Administrative Information
Return to TopDetailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
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Interoffice Correspondence
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Description: London office to Utica officeDates: 1904, 1914-1945Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1-7
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Description: Utica office to London office: letterpress bookDates: 1924-1930Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
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Description: Utica office to London officeDates: 1932-1934Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
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Incoming Correspondence
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Description: A-O (correspondents include Anaconda Copper Mining Company, E. Mitchell Gunnell, Johns Manville Corporation re history of Yogo sapphires, Montana Board of Equalization, Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners, Montana School of Mines, Oscar Heyman and Brothers)Dates: 1922-1942Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
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Outgoing Correspondence
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Description: Letterpress booksDates: 1904-1924Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1-3
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Description: Letterpress bookDates: 1924-1931Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1
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Description: Letterpress booksDates: 1905-1920Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2-3
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Description: Letterpress books: Charles T. Gadsden personal (re mink raising business)Dates: 1924-1931Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1-2
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Description: MiscellaneousDates: 1914, 1931-1934, 1948, 1956Container: Box/Folder 4 / 3
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Court Papers
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Description: Thomas P. Sidwell vs. The New Mine Sapphire Syndicate and Charles T. Gadsden complaint, respondents' brief, brief of appellantDates: 1951-1954Container: Box/Folder 4 / 4
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Description: Maude Margaret Gadsden vs. New Mine Sapphire Syndicate appellant's brief, judgment, miscellaneousDates: 1958Container: Box/Folder 4 / 5
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Financial Records
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Description: Balance sheetsDates: 1918-1928Container: Box/Folder 4 / 6
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Description: JournalDates: 1925-1952Container: Box/Folder 4 / 7
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Description: LedgerDates: 1927-1949Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1
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Description: Miscellaneous (includes analysis of ores, returns for net proceeds tax, ledger account sheets, list of debts)Dates: 1907-1955, undatedContainer: Box/Folder 5 / 2
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Legal Documents
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Description: Land patent application of Frank E. WrightDates: 1898Container: Box/Folder 5 / 3
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Description: Title opinion; report on attachments; liens; mortgagesDates: 1951, 1959Container: Box/Folder 5 / 4
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Organization
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Description: Annual reports to county clerks and recordersDates: 1915-1920, 1956Container: Box/Folder 5 / 5
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Description: Articles of incorporationDates: 1898Container: Box/Folder 5 / 6
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Description: Minutes: directors' meetingsDates: 1914-1930Container: Box/Folder 5 / 7-9
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Description: Minutes: stockholders' meetingsDates: 1915-1919, 1927-1928, 1932-1933, 1948Container: Box/Folder 5 / 10
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Description: Reports to stockholdersDates: 1916-1918Container: Box/Folder 5 / 11
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Photographs
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Description: List of photographs transferred to the Photo Archives.Dates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 5 / 12
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Miscellany
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Description: Blueprints of equipment [some material in OVERSIZE FOLDER available in map case]Dates: 1902, 1922Container: Box/Folder 5 / 13
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Description: Blueprints of equipment [Map Case]Dates: 1902, 1922Container: Oversize Folder 1
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Description: Historical sketch of company; prospectus [both items are incomplete]Dates: 1922, circa 1928Container: Box/Folder 5 / 14
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Description: Letterheads, notes, etc.Dates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 5 / 15
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Clippings
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Description: "Sapphires of beauty found in America," Compressed Air MagazineDates: 1930Container: Box/Folder 5 / 16
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Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Miners--Montana
- Mines and Mineral Resources--Montana
- Mink farming--Montana
- Sapphire Mines and Mining--Montana
Corporate Names
- New Mine Sapphire Syndicate (creator)
Geographical Names
- Utica (Mont.)
- Yogo (Mont.)
