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Frank L. Sizer papers, 1878-1909

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Sizer Frank L. (Frank Leonard), 1856-1942
Title
Frank L. Sizer papers
Dates
1878-1909 (inclusive)
Quantity
5 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 120 (collection)
Summary
Frank Sizer was a Helena and Butte, Montana, mining engineer. He managed the Whitlach-Union, Spring Hill, Eclipse-Argo, and Gould mines; worked for Canoll and Martin; and served as a consultant to William A. Clark in his Colusa Parrott law suit and his purchase of the Rosario Mine in Mexico. Collection (1878-1909) includes correspondence, financial records, legal documents, diaries, scrapbooks, clippings, and notebooks.
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
Access Restrictions

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.
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Biographical Note

Frank Leonard Sizer was born in Illinois, in September 1856. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1878, and then traveled to Leadville, Colorado, to begin a career as a civil engineer. Sizer arrived in Helena, Montana Territory, on March 3, 1882, to serve as the chief clerk for the surveyor general's office. After leaving the surveyor general's office, Sizer assumed a series of positions including engineer with the Sun River Canal Company constructing an irrigation system (1884); general manager of the British-owned Empire Mining Company at Eldorado Bar (1886-1888); partner in Sizer and Keerl (James S.), a Helena mining engineering firm (1890-1897); consulting engineer to Helena mining brokers, Canoll and Martin; and chief of the irrigation division of the Department of Agriculture for Washington (1893), a position he received largely because of the support of T.C. Power. In private practice, Sizer maintained an office in Helena's Pittsburgh Block and an office in Butte, where he enjoyed a long business relationship with William A. Clark. In 1900, Sizer testified as an expert witness in the famous Colusa Parrott Mining and Smelting Company v. Anaconda Copper Mining Company case in which Clark filed suit against Anaconda for exploitation of adjoining veins. During 1901, Sizer spent nearly a year at the Rosario Mine in Chihuahua, Mexico, in the employ of Clark. In May 1903, as a result of his examinations there, Sizer recommended the purchase of Rosario Mines, Limited, to Charles W. Clark, William Clark's son. Sizer also had interests in many other mining ventures through the years including the April Fool properties (in Nevada), Moonlight Mine (at Silver Star), Eclipse-Argo Mining Company (at Canyon Ferry), Gould Mining Company, Missouri and Montana Gold Mining Company, Whitlatch Mining Company, and Spring Hill Mining Company. The Whitlatch-Union Mine at Unionville, developed by James W. Whitlatch, was the first gold quartz mine discovered in Montana. In 1904, Sizer examined the mine and, impressed with its potential, he traveled East with mining broker, H.N. Canoll, to find funding to purchase the property and to finance the sinking of a new shaft. Canoll and his partner, A.W. Martin, obtained a lease to the property from the National Mining and Exploring Company and then transferred their options to the newly formed Whitlatch Mining Company. This firm was largely funded by a group of Chicago businessmen including Jacob Bauer, Charles Minshall, and Joseph, Edward, and Louis Mohr. Martin remained an officer in the Whitlatch Mining Company, but Canoll sold his interests in 1905. Sizer served as the company's general manager and devised plans for a 30-stamp mill, electrical plant, and a cyanide processing plant. Late in 1906, the Whitlatch Mining Company attempted to buy some adjoining property, the Spring Hill Mine, which belonged to the Pittsburgh and Montana Copper Company. When the Whitlatch firm could not raise funds for the purchase, the property was obtained by a new company, the Spring Hill Mining Company, organized by James T. Stanford of Great Falls and George L. Ramsey. After lengthy negotiations, the Whitlatch Mining Company ceased operation and in 1907 agreed to lease its property to the Spring Hill Mining Company. Sizer became the general manager of the Spring Hill operation which also mined the Whitlatch and the Twilight Group. The properties were worked for less than two years, producing a limited tonnage of low-grade gold ore, and the venture was never financially successful. In 1909, Frank Sizer, his wife Linda, and their children, Randolph, Margaret, Miriam, Patricia, and Milton, moved to California. Sizer died on July 11, 1942, at the age of 85.

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Content Description

This collection is arranged into four subgroups. The largest portion of the collection contains Frank L. Sizer's incoming and outgoing correspondence, school notebooks, diary, reports, legal documents, scrapbook, and miscellaneous financial records, all of which serve to document his various activities and associations (1878-1909). The remaining materials in this collection are organized by three of the mining companies for which Sizer served as general manager: Rosario Mines, Limited; Whitlatch Mining Company; and Spring Hill Mining Company. The letterpress book for 1882-1884 has been microfilmed (Microfilm 140). An additional letterpress book containing the letters of Frank L. Sizer for the period of February 13-June 17, 1905 has also been microfilmed (Microfilm 287). The original 1905 letterpress book is privately owned, and is not contained in this collection.

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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. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged by subgroup and series. Some material housed in Manuscript Volumes. See inventory below for more information.

Location of Collection

6:2-7

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

  • Frank L. Sizer

    • Incoming Correspondence

      • Description: Allis- Chalmers Company
        Dates: 1905, 1907-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
      • Description: A-B (correspondents include Sidney P. Allen Investments; American Metal Company, Ltd.; American Mining Review; American Ore and Reduction Company; American Smelting and Refining Company; Andrews and Markham Investment Securities; A.S. Arthur Company; Barker and Wilson Civil and Mining Engineers; H.W. Bearman; L.B. Bell; William P. Bonbright and Company; Butte Electric Supply Company)
        Dates: 1903-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
      • Description: C-F (correspondents include Carson Hydraulic Mines, Ltd.; William A. Clark; Conrad-Stanford Company; Continental Oil Company; Copper King Mining and Smelting Company; Custer Consolidated Mines Company; Lee J. Davis; De La Vergne Machine Company; Diamond Drill Contracting Company; Dodge Manufacturing Company; Dyer Mill Company; Engineering News Publishing Company; Erie City Iron Works; Federal Mining and Smelting Company; Foster and Curran; Fulton Iron Works)
        Dates: 1903-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
      • Description: G-L (correspondents include C.S. Goodwin; Gould Mines Company; Great Falls National Bank; Greenleaf and Bacon; Hallidie-Painter Tramway Company; George B. Harford and Company, Inc.; H.K. Hedges; Helena Hardware Company; Helena Packing and Provision Company; Harper, MacDonald and Company; A.E. Hobart; The Holthoff Machinery Company; Iron Mountain Tunnel Company; Jeffrey Manufacturing Company; Kanouse and Collins; M.P. Knight; F.C. Lincoln)
        Dates: 1903-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
      • Description: Mine and Smelter Supply Company
        Dates: 1903
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
      • Description: M-O (correspondents include Allen C. Mason; T.B. Miller; Mining and Scientific Press; Mining Magazine; Missouri River Power Company; Montana Consolidated Mining Company; Montana State School of Mines; National Battery Company; National Coal Dump Car Company; National Metal Company; New Jersey Foundry and Machine Company; The Ohio and Colorado Smelting and Refining Company; Ore Concentration Syndicate; Ore and Metals)
        Dates: 1903-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
      • Description: Pelton Water Wheel Company
        Dates: 1903
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
      • Description: P-V (correspondents include Park-New Era Mines; Pittsburgh and Montana Copper Company; Platt Iron Works Company; William F. Quade; G.C. Richards; Shaw Eclipse Rock Drill; Court Sheriff; Small Brothers and Company; Smith, Moncure and Gordon; Henry C. Smith; Joseph F. Spellman; Horace J. Stevens; Louis Straus and Company; Union Bank and Trust Company; United States Sulphide Smelting Furnace Company; S. Van Gilson)
        Dates: 1903-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
      • Description: Western Mining Supply Company
        Dates: 1906
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
      • Description: Carl C. Whetstone, lumber
        Dates: 1905-1906
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
      • Description: W (correspondents include P.C. Waite; David C. Walker; Weed and Kennedy; Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing Company; Wonham-Magor Engineering Works)
        Dates: 1903-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
    • Outgoing Correspondence

    • Diaries

    • Legal Documents

      • Description: Big Spring Water Ditch Company articles of incorporation; mortgage deed
        Dates: 1883, 1889
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 2
    • Maps

      • Description: Colusa Parrott Mine maps (1 book)
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 3
      • Description: Colusa Parrott Mine maps
        Dates: undated
        Container: Volume 1
      • Description: Rarus, Michael Devitt, Snohomish mines maps (1 book)
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 4
    • Writings

      • Description: College notebook
        Dates: 1878
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 5
      • Description: Notebook: miscellaneous
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 6
      • Description: Surveying notebook
        Dates: 1896
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 7
    • Miscellany

      • Description: Manufacturers' advertisements
        Dates: undated
        Container: Box/Folder 6 / 8
    • Clippings

      • Description: Scrapbook of mining clippings: Colusa Parrott case; Rosario Mine; etc.
        Dates: 1900-1903
        Container: Box/Folder 7 / 1
  • Rosario Mines, Limited

  • Whitlatch Mining Company

    • Interoffice Correspondence

    • Incoming Correspondence

      • Description: Allis-Chalmers Company
        Dates: 1905 1906-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 9 / 9-10
      • Description: American Smelting and Refining Company
        Dates: 1905-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 9 / 11
      • Description: Anaconda Copper Mining Company
        Dates: 1904-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 9 / 12
      • Description: A (correspondents include Allen P. Ely and Company; The Allentown Rolling Mills; American Briquetting Machinery Company; American Electric and Controller Company; American Process Company; American Spiral Pipe Works; American Wholesale Brokerage Company; The Montana Anchor Fence Company; The Atlas Car and Manufacturing; Austin Manufacturing Company)
        Dates: 1904-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 9 / 13
      • Description: B (correspondents include Bernard Bandler; Bernard Bandler and Son; Bankers Trust Company; Barbour, Hare and Holter; E.T. Barnum; S.B. Bell; Bergstrom and Shallman; Robert Sloane Bickford; Big Blackfoot Milling Company; Big Five; Birdseye Mercantile Company; Blake-Denison Weigher Company; Boston and Great Falls Electric Light and Power Company; Bowers Rubber Works; Bradley Engineering and Machinery Company; F.W. Braun Company; Brown-Spear-Sloane Company; J.C. Buckbee Company; The Burt Manufacturing Company; Butte Electric Supply Company; Butte Electric and Power Company; Byron Jackson Machine Works)
        Dates: 1904-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 9 / 14
      • Description: Cerberite Powder Manufacturing Company
        Dates: 1905
        Container: Box/Folder 9 / 15
      • Description: C (correspondents include Caird and Hawksworth; A.S. Cameron Steam Pump Works; Cannon and Gordon; C.T. Carnahan Manufacturing Company; Carney Coal Company; Carstens and Earles, Incorporated; Chapman Valve Manufacturing Company; Chicago House Wrecking Company; Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company; Chrome Steel Works; The Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company; Colorado Iron Works Company; The Colorado Smelting and Mining Company; The Colorado Tent and Awning Company; Commercial Union Assurance Company Limited; The Compressed Air Machinery Company; Conrad Stanford Company; F.W. Cook Machinery; William L. Creden; Crocker-Wheeler Company; Cullen and Dudley; The Cyanide Plant Supply Company)
        Dates: 1904-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 9 / 16
      • Description: Dearborn Drug and Chemical Company
        Dates: 1905
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 1
      • Description: Denver Engineering Works Company
        Dates: 1904-1905
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 2
      • Description: Diamond Drill Contracting Company
        Dates: 1904-1906
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 3
      • Description: D-E (correspondents include Paul Dickinson; N. Dougherty; E.I. Du Pont Company; Enterprise Lumber Company)
        Dates: 1905-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 4
      • Description: Fairbanks, Morse and Company
        Dates: 1904-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 5
      • Description: Frost Manufacturing Company
        Dates: 1905
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 6
      • Description: F (correspondents include The First National Bank of Butte; Fowler and Stoddard; W.B. Franklin and Company; Fredrick and LaChapelle; Fulton Iron Works)
        Dates: 1905-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 7
      • Description: General Electric
        Dates: 1905-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 8
      • Description: G-H (correspondents include Gallatin Valley Milling Company; The Gardner Electric Drill and Machinery Company; The Garlock Packing Company; Goldsmith Brothers; Gorham Rubber Company; Gould Mines Company; J.G. Graham Mining Machinery; Granite Securities Company; Green Campbell Consolidated Gold Mining Company; Greene, Tweed and Company; Harron, Rickard and McCone; Henry Heil Chemical Company; Clayberg and Horsky; Helena Meat Company; Helena Power Transmission Company; Henshaw, Bulkley and Company; J.F. Holbrook Company; The Holland Company; Harry E. Hunt)
        Dates: 1904-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 9
      • Description: Ingersoll-Rand Company / Ingersoll-Sergeant Drill Company / Rand Drill Company
        Dates: 1905-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 10
      • Description: I-K (correspondents include A.L. Ide and Sons; Illinois Steel Company; Johnson Iron Company; Johnston and Chapman Company; Jones and Jacobs; The S.M. Jones Company; Joshua Hendy Machine Works; The Judson Dynamite and Power Company; W.K. Kenly Company; Kimplen Crusher and Pulverizer Company)
        Dates: 1904-1906
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 11
      • Description: Liquid Carbonic Company
        Dates: 1905
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 12
      • Description: L (correspondents include James H. Lancaster Company; Landis Machine Company; A. Leschen and Sons Rope Company; Lewis and Clark County; The J. Geo. Leyner Engineering Works Company; The A. Lietz Company
        Dates: 1905,1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 13
      • Description: Missouri River Power Company
        Dates: 1904-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 14
      • Description: Montana Electric Company
        Dates: 1905-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 15
      • Description: M (correspondents include Macomber and Whyte Rope Company; Main Belting Company; Allan Mason; Afred May; McConnell and McConnell; Robert McMurdy; The Mechanical Rubber Company; Merralls Machinery; Merralls Mill Company; Merrell Manufacturing Company; T.B. Miller; The Mine Smelter Supply Company; Mining and Scientific Press; The Mining World; Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company; Mitchell Engineering and Machinery Company; John Mohr and Sons; The State of Montana; The Montana Mining Company; Charles C. Moore and Company Engineers Incorporated)
        Dates: 1904-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 16
      • Description: N-P (correspondents include National Consolidated Mining Company; The National Incorporating Company; Paul J. Neff; Nevada Machingery and Supply Company; North Western Lumber Company; The Olson and Christian Company; Pacifica Tank Company; The Phoenix Wire Works; H.H. Pigott; Charles F. Porter; Power and Mining Machinery Company; The Preslar-Crawley Manufacturing Company; Henry A. Prince)
        Dates: 1904-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 17
      • Description: Rubens Fischer Mosser and Rigby
        Dates: 1905-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 18
      • Description: R (correspondents include The Real Estate Trust Company of Philadelphia; The Reeves Brothers Company; The Roberts Car and Wheel Company; John A. Roebling's Sons Company; The Roessler and Hasslacher Chemical Company; L.D. Rosenheimer; J.A. Ross; Fred J. Rowlands)
        Dates: 1905-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 18
      • Description: Schieffelin and Company
        Dates: 1904-1906
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 20
      • Description: H.M. Smith Jr.
        Dates: 1906-1907
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 21
      • Description: Sturtevant Mill Company
        Dates: 1905-1906
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 22
      • Description: S (correspondents include The L.H. Supply Company; St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company; H. Von Schon; Seligman V. Meyer; The C.H. Shaw Pneumatic Tool Company; Sheridan Coal Company; John H. Simpson; Jerry H. Sullivan; Slipp-Butler Company; The Snow Steam Pump Works; Joseph F. Spellman; Stetson and Post Mill Company; Stromberg-Carlson Telephone Manufacturing Company; Sullivan Machinery Company)
        Dates: 1905-1906
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 23
      • Description: Morris St. P. Thomas
        Dates: 1905
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 24
      • Description: Thomas E. Tutt Estate
        Dates: 1905
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 25
      • Description: W.S. Tyler Company
        Dates: 1906,1908
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 26
      • Description: T-V (correspondents include Taylor Brothers Company; A.C. Torbert and Company; Trail Creek Coal and Land Company; John A. Traylor; Trent Engineering and Machinery Company; J.B. Trevathan; Henry Troemner; O.V. Troop; Union Bank and Trust Company; Valley Iron Works; H.A. Van Horne; Vulcan Iron Works)
        Dates: 1904-1906
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 27
      • Description: Western Mining Supply Company
        Dates: 1904-1905
        Container: Box/Folder 10 / 28-29
      • Description: Western Montana Flouring Company
        Dates: 1905
        Container: Box/Folder 11 / 1
      • Description: Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company
        Dates: 1905-1906
        Container: Box/Folder 11 / 2
      • Description: W (correspondents include The Watt Mining Car Wheel Company; W.B. Wedell; The Well an-Seaver-Morgan Company; The Wesco Supply Company; The Western Elaterite Roofing Company; Western Forge Company; White Enamel Refrigerator Company; Lucius Whitney; Gilbert Wilkes and Company; Wisconsin Bridge and Iron Company; S.A. Worrester; Henry R. Worthington)
        Dates: 1904-1908
        Container: Box/Folder 11 / 4
      • Description: H.P. Young
        Dates: 1905,1906
        Container: Box/Folder 11 / 5-6
    • Financial Records

    • Organizational Records

    • Reports

  • Spring Hill Mining Company

    • Incoming Correspondence

      • Description: A-W (correspondents include Allis-Chalmers Company; F.W. Braun; Butte Electric Supply Incorporated; Continental Oil Company; The Denver Fire Clay Company; Harper, Macdonald and Company; Helena Hardware Company Incorporated; Ingersoll-Rand Company; Missouri River Power Company; The Montana Electric Company; Pacific Tank Company; Rocky Mountain Chemical Company; K.A. Schiertz; The W.S. Tyler Company; Western Mining Supply Company; Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company)
        Dates: 1907
        Container: Box/Folder 12 / 3
      • Description: A-H (correspondents include Allis-Chalmers Company; Butte Electric Supply; Great Northern Railway Line; H.G. Vogel Company; Handy and Harman; Hardinge Conical Mill Company; Harper, Mardonald and Company; Harron, Rickard and McCone)
        Dates: 1908
        Container: Box/Folder 12 / 4
      • Description: I-N (correspondents include Illinois Zinc Company; Ingersoll-Rand Company; Francis Church Lincoln; Little Rockies Exploration Company; Missouri River Power Company; T.D. Tuttle; The Montana Electric Company; Montana State School of Mines; R.K. Neill; New York Belting and Packing Company)
        Dates: 1908
        Container: Box/Folder 12 / 5
      • Description: P-Y (correspondents include Pacific Ore Testing Works; H.H. Pigott; Pittsburgh and Montana Copper Company; The Reliance Gauge Column Company; Ricketts and Banks; The Roessler and Hasslacher Chemical Company; Rubens Fischer and Mosser; Smith,Moncure and Gordon; Joseph F. Spellman; Sturtevant Mill Company; The W.S. Tyler Company; William Wallace Jr.; Western Mining Supply Company; Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company; Yellowstone Park Association)
        Dates: 1908
        Container: Box/Folder 12 / 6
      • Description: Allis-Chalmers Company
        Dates: 1909
        Container: Box/Folder 12 / 7
    • Outgoing Correspondence

    • Financial Records