Collection consists predominantly of Robert A. Bell's correspondence (1907-1917) with potential investors or purchasers of his mining properties, with mining investment brokers, with managers of his properties, and with family members. In addition there is considerable correspondence with various people concerning his Aransas Pass, Texas, properties. Bell maintained close ties with several of his sisters and brothers and their children and corresponded frequently with them. He also corresponded with his son Viley concerning the management of the East Pacific and Eagle's Nest mines. Bell had a long-time interest in spiritualism and astrology and corresponded with several practitioners and counsellors. Bell did not maintain separate sets of correspondence for his different operations, so these are interfiled. In addition to the correspondence, Bell's personal papers include financial records, including a journal and a ledger (both 1899-1903), tax records, and banking records; legal documents; reports on various mines; and miscellany. There are subgroups for several of Bell's mining companies. The B and G Consolidated Mining Company subgroup includes minor financial records (1898-1910); an affidavit by William Brown concerning the value of the mine; and organizational records, including articles of incorporation (1898), minutes (1898-1899), and a blank stock certificate. The Bellmont Oil Company subgroup includes legal documents (1915-1917), stock certificates (1916) and a prospectus (1916). The East Pacific Mining Company subgroup includes interoffice correspondence (1899-1901) between mine managers L.P. Benedict and C.K. Tibbetts and company president Robert A. Bell. The correspondence during the spring of 1900 includes considerable discussion of relations with the local union of the Western Federation of Miners. In addition, there are assay reports; financial records, including a cash book, a journal and a ledger (all 1899-1903); legal documents; organizational records including articles of incorporation (1903), bylaws, and a stockholder list; production records, including ore returns from several smelters, and a statement of ore shipments from 1887 through 1902; and reports, including prospectuses and several reports on the mine. The James-Bell Concentrating Table Company subgroup includes outgoing correspondence (1898-1900); minor financial records; articles of incorporation (1897-1899); and a patent statement by Ulysses S. James. The Montana-States Mining Corporation subgroup contains financial records, including a journal and a ledger (both 1909-1913), and payroll vouchers (1912); legal documents (1911-1917); maps; organizational records, including articles of incorporation and a stockholder list; reports on the Eagle's Nest Group of Mines; and clippings. (Photographs were removed to Photo Archives.