My great grandfather David Lyman Blacker (1829-1911) and his partner, John Keating, were quite busy with their mining prospects in the fall of 1871.

I came across a wonderful article from The New North-West, Deer Lodge City, Montana, dated October 28, 1871, which details their endeavors.

Below are a few excerpts.

FROM KEATINGVILLE.

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Mining and Other Items.

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Editor New North-West:

QUARTZ.

     In a former letter I gave you a sort of birds-eye view of the county-seat of Jefferson, and then promised an account of the quartz interest of this locality in the next issue, which, consequent upon a change of base. I have failed to do until the present. At this time even only the lodes most prominent and developed can be noticed, for were I to undertake a full account of all the leads staked and surface-developed in this vicinity, the list would be too lengthy for publication.

THE KEATING LODE.

For one of the owners of which the town of Keatingville received its name, has probably gained a wider notoriety than any other mine in the district, not because of its excessive valuation, but its name and thorough development. The discovery was made in 1866, by Mr. John Keating and David Blacker, its present owners, and worked with arastras until the spring of ’70, when the Postlewait mill was purchased and put up and reduction commenced in earnest, and since June of ’70 its 15 stamps have continued to hammer away almost incessantly, not a day having been lost for want of ore. Two levels have been run in this mine, one at 100 feet and another at 172 feet depth, which have been worked north of discovery shaft 370 feet and south of it 600 feet, taking out a body of ore which has averaged $20 per ton from a crevice varying in width from 20 inches to 2 ½ feet. The mill is under the superintendence of Mr. Saulsberger, has a capacity of 25 tons per day, and has paid $9000 to $10,000 per month from the date of starting up. Mr. Geo. Richards, to whose courtesy we are indebted for much valuable information, has charge of the development, and is prosecuting the work with most encouraging success. Keating & Blacker are also owners of the

OHIO AND LEVIATHAN MINES,

Which have given incontrovertible evidence of hidden treasures. The Ohio has a 70-feet shaft on No. 1 south, and has been worked to that depth, uncovering a 3 feet crevice of No. 1 ore. They are at present driving in a 250-feet level and letting the ore rest awhile.

     It is said the Ohio yields $50 per ton, and is finer gold than the Keating. The Leviathan has a 180 feet shaft, the ore from which has paid upwards of $50 per ton. Messrs. Keating & Blacker, both hard working, substantial men, have delved year after year in Colorado and Montana under the most adverse circumstances after the goal which has at last been reached in their present locations, and for their indomitable perseverance and pluck, deserve the thanks of every one who has the interest of the Territory at heart. The firm give employment to nearly 100 men.

THE LEFT-HAND LODE,

Situated in close proximity to the Keating, is owned by Messrs. Clancy & Davis, and not a man who is familiar with the past history of never varying hard luck with which the efforts of the former have been attended, but will join us in congratulating Judge Clancy upon his present prospects. The Left-Hand was discovered in January 1871 by the present proprietors and the ore from Discovery from the top to 25 feet down yielded $21 per ton. They have since stoped out 150 tons from the top to 25 feet down, which run $35. Within the past two months a second 60 feet shaft has been sunk and connected with discovery by a 200 feet level. The present developments on the Left-Hand indicate it will prove one of the richest mines in the Territory. The crevice averages only 20 inches, but descend the shaft, take a lighted candle and hold it to the vein and you will find it fairly freckled with free gold – an artery of wealth coursing the hill from east to west, and running up to within 50 feet of the Keating, which runs northerly and southerly. Keating & Blacker had the Left-Hand in litigation as a spur of their lode, but the suit was amicably adjusted before trial, and the mine development continues to progress.

Source: The new North-west. (Deer Lodge, Mont.), 28 Oct. 1871. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038125/1871-10-28/ed-1/seq-1/>