| called the Bozeman Pass. The area south of the interstate
highway (on a map) is home to many coal mines of the era. Coal was
used to make coke, which was used in the smelting of the copper from the
world's largest copper mine in Butte, MT. Some of it was used by
the Northern Pacific Railroad for their steam engines. The copper
and gold mining operations used up so much timber to reinforce the mine
walls that firewood became scarce, so residents also bought coal to heat
their homes. Timberline had a school and even had a Silver Cornet
Band which toured the state, giving concerts. It says,"
Timberline once supported a population of three hundred families.
Miners came from England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Italy,
Sweden, and Denmark. A few Chinese immigrants cooked at the
boardinghouses. Miners from Montenegro achieved local notoriety
for their famous pork and beer parties." |
