Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company

The Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company was a mining operation in Walkerville, Montana founded in 1878. Its headquarters were in Salt Lake City, Utah.

From the description of The Alice Gold and Silver Mine records. 1880-1906. (University of Utah). WorldCat record id: 535343456

In 1875, Marcus Daly purchased mining property north of Butte, Montana Territory, for four Walker brothers in Salt Lake City, Utah. Three years later, the Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company organized, with Joseph R. Walker as president and Marcus Daly as superintendent of the Walkerville operations. In 1880, Daly withdrew from the Alice and bought into the Anaconda Mine. Walker served as president until his death in 1901 when his brother, Matthew H. Walker, succeeded him. During these formative years, the Walker brothers invested in new machinery and enlarged the Alice's production capacity. The company constructed a 60-stamp mill, considered at the time to be the world's largest dry crushing and chloridizing mill. These technological improvements proved that, in addition to silver bullion, base ores could be economically mined. This was a particularly significant development after the Silver Panic of 1893, when silver prices fell and the Alice management sought profits through the extraction of zinc. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company acquired majority control of the Alice Company in 1910, and in 1930, the Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company was dissolved.

From the guide to the Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company Records, 1877-1930, (Montana Historical Society Archives)

In 1875, Marcus Daly purchased mining property north of Butte, Montana Territory, for four Walker brothers in Salt Lake City, Utah. Three years later, the Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company organized, with Joseph R. Walker as president and Marcus Daly as superintendent of the Walkerville operations. In 1880, Daly withdrew from the Alice and bought into the Anaconda Mine. Walker served as president until his death in 1901 when his brother, Matthew H. Walker, succeeded him.

During these formative years, the Walker brothers invested in new machinery and enlarged the Alice's production capacity. The company constructed a 60-stamp mill, considered at the time to be the world's largest dry crushing and chloridizing mill. These technological improvements proved that, in addition to silver bullion, base ores could be economically mined. This was a particularly significant development after the Silver Panic of 1893, when silver prices fell and the Alice management sought profits through the extraction of zinc.

The Anaconda Copper Mining Company acquired majority control of the Alice Company in 1910, and in 1930, the Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company was dissolved.

From the description of Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company records, 1877-1930. (Montana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 154692553

The Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company was founded by the Walker Brothers in 1878, with Joseph R. Walker serving as President. Later, Matthew H. Walker (originally treasurer, then Vice-President) became President. The mine was located in Walkerville, Montana Territory. The mining company was incorporated on 16 May 1880 in Utah. In 1906 a controlling interest in the mine was purchased by the Butte Coalition Company, and then in 1910 sold to Anaconda Copper Mine. By 1930 the Alice Gold and Silver Mine Company had been dissolved.

The Walker family emigrated to Utah in the 1850s from England. Arriving in Salt Lake Valley in 1852, the Walker brothers developed large commercial, banking, and mining interests. Due to an investment in new machinery, the production capacity of the mine increased and the company constructed a 60-stamp mill, which was the largest dry crushing and chloridizing mill at the time.

From the guide to the Alice Gold and Silver Mine records, 1880-1906, (J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)