USA > Arizona > The resources of Arizona; a description of its mineral, farming, grazing and timber lands; its rivers, mountains, valleys and plains; its cities, towns and mining camps; its climate and productions; with brief sketches of its early history etc > Part 10
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The Blue Monday adjoins the Ingersoll Consolidated. The claim has been opened by two shafts, each 200 feet in depth, besides which there are 300 feet of other openings. The average value of ore shipped has been $83 per ton, silver, while twenty tons of select ore has yielded $156 per ton.
The Randolph is owned by a non-assessable company, in- corporated under the laws of Illinois. The mine has been opened by three 100-foot shafts, and by over 1,000 fect of drifts, cross- cuts and other underground workings. It is estimated there are over 200,000 tons of ore in sight in this mine. The ore is not of high grade, but is easily reduced, and with proper man- agement should pay. About 300 tons of select ore has milled at the rate of $40 per ton. The claim is now lying idle, but it is certain that such a valuable property will not long be allowed to remain so.
The Contact is a fine-looking property, lying in a formation between lime and porphyry. The main shaft is down 170 feet, showing a vein about three feet wide, which gives assays from $40 to $100 per ton. There are 400 tons of ore on the dump, and work is going on regularly.
The Ingersoll is west of the Tombstone Mining Company's properties, It has produced large quantities of ore that milled $100 per ton. The vein is a strong one, and the mine has been opened to a depth of over 400 feet. Complete hoisting machinery has been put in, and the work of development goes steadily on.
The Sydney is west of the Grand Central, and has been opened to a depth of 150 feet. Work is carried forward regu- larly, and it is supposed the Grand Central vein runs through this property, and will be struck at a certain depth.
The Big Comet is cast of the Rattlesnake. There is a forty- foot shaft on the ledge, showing the vein to be from two to three feet in width, which assays $60 per ton, silver.
The Mamie is about three miles west of Tombstone, on the road to Charleston, and has produced some of the richest ore taken out in the camp. There is a shaft on the property 250 feet deep; and the claim is further opened by drifts and levels. The ore is a chloride and carbonate. A lot of fifty-threc tons lately worked at a custom mill, yielded $4,000. The property is now being worked under a lease. In the neighborhood of the Mamie are a number of claims which have produced rich ore, and on which a great deal of work has been done. Among the most prominent are the Juniata, Bonanza, Blue Jacket, and several others.
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The Stonewall is a strong vein, situated on the western edge of the ore belt. It has been opened to a depth of over 300 feet; has a total of 3,000 feet underground workings; and shows a strong, well-defined ore body, which has yielded about $75 per ton. This claim has turned out over $300,000, and is one of the finest properties in the camp.
On the western line of the district there are a number of fine- looking properties, upon which but a limited amount of develop- ment has been done. The formation here is granite, and the ledges have every appearance of permanency. The most promi- nent are the Monitor, Merrimac, True Blue and Argenta. The Monitor has a five-foot vein, of free milling ore that will go $30 per ton, silver. It is opened by a shaft 120 feet deep. The Merrimac shows four feet of ore, some of which has milled $60 per ton. The Argenta is west of the Monitor, and is a strong and regular vein four feet across. Assays have gone as high as $600 per ton, silver. There is a shaft eighty feet deep.
Near the San Pedro river there is a group of mines which have produced very rich ore. The Bradshaw is the principal claim of this group. It is opened by several shafts, and has yielded over $50,000, but is not being worked at present. The Bronkow, the first location in the district, is in this neighbor- hood. It is notable only for the number of men who have been killed in the contest for its possession-some seventeen having met with violent deaths from this cause.
BISBEE, the great copper camp of Cochise, is in the southern end of the Mule mountains, about thirty miles directly south of Tombstone. The copper-bearing belt embraces an arca of about five miles in length by from two to three in width, and is situ- ated on a spur which strikes casterly from the main range. The large ore bodies are found in lime and quartzite, but there is also considerable porphyry. The camp is easy of access, the ores are of high grade and easily reduced, and there is abundance of wood and water.
The Copper Queen is the leading mine of the camp, and one of the great copper mines of Arizona. It was discovered in 1877 by Hugh Jones, and re-located in 1878 by George Warren, Ray, "Kentuck" Edelman and others. They gave an interest to George Anschutz for doing the assessment work, in 1880. In the same year Warren bet his interest on a foot-race and lost it, the winner being G. W. Atkins. In 1881 James Reilly bonded the mine for $28,000. It was purchased by the company who now own it, and who have since developed it into the valu- able property it now is. The original discoverer, Jones, gave it up, as he could see nothing in sight but some "copper-stained" rock, and Warren threw away a fortune in a drunken frolic. The mine has once changed hands for $1,250,000, and to-day could not be bought for double that amount.
The mine is opened to a depth of over 300 feet, and by many
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levels, cross-cuts, drifts, etc. The ore body at the 300-foot level is found to be 150 feet in length and eighty feet in width. The ore occurs in immense chambers in the limestone. It is com- posed of carbonates and oxides, and carries sufficient fluxes for smelting. The quantity of ore extracted up to September Ist has been over 65,000 tons, worth $3,000,000.
The dividends have been $1,000,000. The present daily out- put of ore is 100 tons.
The daily output of bullion is twelve tons, 96.5 fine. The bullion has a fineness equal to the best Lake, and is three-fourths of a cent higher in the market than any other Arizona product. Two smelters, with a combined capacity of 100 tons daily, have been put up near the mine, and the ore is being hoisted on an incline and dumped on the smelting floors. The present inflow of water in the mine amounts to 125,000 gallons daily, which is raised by a pump with a capacity of 500,000 gallons every twenty- four hours. The company use Cardiff coke, which is brought in wagons from the Arizona and Sonora railroad, some twenty-five miles distant. The number of men employed is about 150. The Queen is one of the great mines of Arizona, and gives assur- ance of continuing for years a regular dividend-paying property.
The Atlanta is south of the Queen, and paralleled to the latter. It shows some rich ore on the surface, and it is supposed the ore body of the Queen pitches into the Atlanta ground. A tunnel has been driven on the claim 300 feet, from the bottom of which a shaft will be sunk to tap this ore body. Work is carried for- ward steadily.
The Copper Prince is situated west and partly paralleled to the Queen. Although but little work has been done, it shows a large and rich ore body. The Copper Queen Company claimed this was a part of their vein, and brought suit to prevent the Prince people from working it, but the courts decided against such a claim, and it is expected this valuable property will now be worked on a large scale. It is certainly one of the finest-looking prospects in the camp.
The New York is one mile east of Bisbec. It joins the Mam- moth, and is a portion of that immense ore body. The outcrop shows 127 feet in width, and assays go from five to sixty per cent. copper, and as high as $100 in silver. The ore is self- fluxing, carrying iron, lime, etc. There is a fifty-foot shaft and several openings, showing good ore everywhere.
The Mammoth is about one and a half miles south of Bisbee. It is opened by two forty-foot shafts, and shows a strong vein in both. It is said the ore will average sixteen per cent.
The Neptune is about 3,000 feet southeast of the Queen. It is explored by a shaft seventy-three feet deep, and carries cop- per grance ore of a high grade. Work has lately been resumed on this property, and the outlook is most encouraging.
The Uncle Sam and the Hayes are owned by the company
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who control the Neptune. The former has a shaft 1 50 feet deep, with a fine dump of rich ore. The Hayes has been opened to a depth of forty feet. Both claims are fine-looking prospects.
The Black Jack is near the southeast end of the Neptune. It shows a strong body of high-grade carbonate ore, and has two shafts, forty feet each. The Copper King adjoins the Queen on the west, and is one of the finest prospects in the camp. Although but little work has been done, it shows rich ore wher- ever opened. The property is at present idle, pending the issue of a suit for its possession.
The Iron Clad is an immense outcrop of hematite iron ore, carrying copper. It adjoins the New York, and gives promise of becoming a valuable property.
The Hendricks is southwest of the Queen. It has a tunnel fifty feet, and also a fifty-foot shaft. The ore is a carbonate of lead, carrying silver. This is the first claim north on the silver and lead belt which extends west of the copper belt and runs paralleled with the same. Several locations have been made upon it. The ore carries about thirty per cent. lead.
The Copper Monarch, Empire, Belle Isle, Rucker, Delamack, Galena, and numerous other fine copper prospects are in the Bisbee camp. There are few places in the Territory which offer better opportunities for the investment of capital.
About seven miles east of Bisbee are a group of silver-bearing ledges, the most prominent being the New Eldorado. It is opened by an incline shaft 100 feet deep, and shows a small vein of rich chloride ore which yields from $100 to $500 per ton.
COCHISE district is situated in the northern spurs of the Dragoon mountains adjacent to the line of the Southern Pacific railroad. It has a good supply of wood and water, and one of the most delightful climates in the Territory. The principal mine in the district is the Peabody. The claim is in the low rolling hills, seven miles north of Summit Station, on the South- ern Pacific railroad. The ore is copper-bearing, but it also carries some silver. A smelter has been erected, and has been in operation for over a year. Regular bullion shipments are made, and the mine is thoroughly opened by shafts, drifts, levels, etc. The company are a close corporation, and not dis- posed to give any information in regard to their business.
Eight miles east of Summit station, and a few miles south of the track, is situated the Golden Rule gold mine. It is con- trolled by an Eastern incorporation who have opened the prop- erty by several shafts, drifts, etc. The deepest workings at present are about 150 feet. The vein is a strong and well- defined one, and the ore is said to be high-grade and easily reduced. Six miles from the mine, in the Sulphur Spring val- ley, the company have erected a ten-stamp mill, which will soon commence operations. The situation and surroundings of this
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company are all that could be desired, and the prospects for a successful mining venture are very flattering. There are many other fine prospects in this district well worthy of inspection by those seeking opportunities for investment.
Winchester mining district is west of Cochise. Some very rich ore has been found here and considerable work has been done. At present operations have been temporarily suspended.
DOS CABEZAS .- This district is situated in the Chiricuhua range, in the northeastern part of the county, and a short dis- tance south of the Southern Pacific railroad. The camp has abundance of wood and water, and every natural facility for ore reduction. The ledges are large and regular, carrying gold and silver. A ten-stamp mill has been erected in the district, and has turned out a good deal of bullion. The Silver Cave, Juniper, Silver Cave South, Murphy, Bear Cave and Greenhorn are the leading claims. The first-named contains three veins, running from seven to three feet wide, which have yielded $35 per ton, gold. The Juniper shows a four-foot vein, select ore from which goes $150 per ton, gold and silver. Although under- going a temporary depression, Dos Cabezas will yet become a prosperous camp.
The Huachucas and also the Whetstones, are rich in gold, gold, silver and copper, and possesses in abundance those im- portant factors in mining operations, wood and water. Although no great amount of work has yet been done in the Huachuca range, the development is sufficient to show the merit of its mines. The Black Bear is a fine copper property, which has been opened by some shallow workings. The ore is of high grade, and the ledge a large one. In what is known as Hart- ford district, in the northern end of the range, there are some very promising prospects. With every facility for mining and milling, and with an unrivaled climate, the Huachucas will yet become the scene of an active and profitable mining industry.
TURQUOISE district embraces the southern end of the Dragoon range, and is about eighteen miles north from Tombstone. There is plenty of water and sufficient wood for all necessary purposes. The ores are smelting, and yield from $40 to $300 per ton, silver. The Mono is a strong vein, averaging about three feet wide, and assaying about $80 per ton. There are over 600 feet of shafting and drifting on the property. The Defiance shows a large ledge of carbonate ore, which assays $75 per ton, silver. The Dragoon, Belle, Bodie, Star and Challenge are fine prospects. With large veins of ore, casily reduced, and an ad- mirable situation, Turquoise district offers a fine opening for the investment of capital.
CALIFORNIA DISTRICT,-This district is in the Chiricahua mountains, twenty miles south of the Southern Pacific railroad. The camp is well wooded, and there is a plentiful supply of water. The ores are a galena and carbonate of lead, carrying
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silver. A smelter was erected in the camp two years ago, but, owing mainly to poor management, it proved a failure, and the district received a severe set-back in consequence. But it is sure to come to the front. It is situated near a railroad, has large ore bodies, plenty of water and wood, and will yet become a steady bullion producer. The Texas shows the most develop- ment of any mine in the camp. It has been opened to a depth of 100 feet, and by many levels and drifts. On this property the smelter was erected which is now lying idle. The Eclipse is a fine copper property, which has been exposed at several points on the surface, showing a strong vein of high-grade ore. The Hell claim has been opened to a depth of 100 feet, showing a fine vein of silver-bearing carbonate ore. The Silver Creek, Ophir, Humming-bird, Drum, Josephine and Tower Hill are among the principal claims in the district.
Yavapai county has long been noted for the great richness and variety of its mineral deposits, For years it was the leading mining region of the Territory, and before the opening of the Southern Pacific railroad the largest bullion producer. No portion of Arizona is so abundantly blessed with those two important factors in mining operations-wood and water. The ledges are regular and well-defined veins in the primitive rock, and generally free from the surface displacements, so noticeable in other localities. Silver is found in its native state as a chloride, a sulphuret, a carbonate, and in nearly every other possible condition in which the metal occurs. The great rich- ness of some of the deposits found in the county has been something phenomenal. Quantities of chlorides and sulphides, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 per ton, have been taken from many of the districts, and ores assaying from $500 to $1,000 per ton are of common occurrence.
Yavapai county has always been the leading gold producer of Arizona, and has yielded more of this metal than all the rest of the Territory combined. It is also rich in copper of a remarkably high grade, as an oxide, carbonate, malachite, glance, and as a sulphuret.
The history of mining in this county dates from the discovery of the rich placers on Weaver creek, in May, 1863, and the remarkable deposit on Antelope Peak. Those discoveries attracted a large number of adventurers to Northern Arizona ; several mills were erected, and successful progress made in working the free quartz, but when sulphurets were reached the primitive appliances at hand were not equal to the task of reducing them, and nearly all of the mills suspended operations. Bad management, together with ignorance and dishonesty, com- bined to bring about this result, and have always been a serious drawback to the progress of mining in Yavapai. But against all the disadvantages of isolation and mismanagement, the county has gone steadily forward. The value and permanency
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of the mines has been proved beyond doubt, and the completion of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad is sure to draw capital from the East and from the West. With a climate unsurpassed for salubrity, with plenty of wood, and an abundant water supply ; with rail connection to the monied centres of the continent, there is no good reason why Yavapai county should not become one of the leading bullion producers of the Territory. Some twenty mining districts have been organized in the county, of which the following are the most prominent :
PECK DISTRICT .- This rich camp is thirty miles southcast fro n Prescott in the northern foot-hills of the Bradshaw range. The finding of the famous ledge, after which it is named, was one of those accidents to which many great mines owe their discovery. In June, 1875, E. G. Peck, T. M. Alexander, C. C. Bean, and William Cole, were prospecting in the neighborhood, and had established a camp not far from the mine. Mr. Peck took his gun and went out to find a decr. Passing the immense croppings of the ledge, which now bears his name, he stopped to quench his thirst at the spring which bubbled out below them. While stooping over, his hand rested on a rock which he picked up, and found to be dark-colored and heavy. He carried it to the camp where it was submitted to a blow-pipe test, and found to be rich sulphide of silver, worth $10,000 per ton.
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Claims were at once staked off and work commenced. The first ten tons of ore taken out were sold in Prescott, for $1,300 per ton. A mill was put up and the mine worked successfully until 1879, when the original owners became involved in a law suit, which ended by the property passing out of their hands and into those of California parties. It is estimated that the mine produced over $1,250,000 during the short period it was worked. Some of the ore was among the richest ever found in the Terri- tory, and masses of chlorides and sulphides, ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 per ton, were of frequent occurrence. The formation that encloses the vein is a quartzite and a porphyry. The rich vein will average about a foot. The croppings are masses of quartzite, the rich stringers of ore being covered by the debris which has fallen over. Owing to continued litigation, the mine has lain idle for nearly four years, but the present owners have lately commenced operations, and made preparations to thor- oughly develop the property. A shaft has been sunk 400 feet, and four levels, aggregating 1,400 feet, have been opened. A fine ten-stamp mill, with a roaster attached, has been put up near the minc. The Peck is a strong, well-defined vein, and with proper management will again become one of the leading bullion producers of the Territory.
The Peck belt extends north and south for several miles, and is located all the way. The Alta is south from the Peck, and shows a foot vein of chloride ore, which has assayed from $100 to $5,000 per ton. The Evening Star is south of the Alta. It is
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opened by several shafts and drifts, and shows ore similar to the latter, and equally as rich. The Fares claim is still farther south and shows a strong vein of carbonate and chloride ore assaying high in silver. The Asa Buffum is north of the Peck location, and has produced ore that went $1,000 per ton. The Kautz is also a northerly extension, and is opened by a tunnel, 100 feet in length. The Alexander and many other locations are on the Peck vein, north of the original location. But little work has been done on any of them, although some rich ore has been taken out. South from the Peck claim locations have been made for several miles.
Scarcely half a mile east of the Peck a large parallel vein occurs, and is known as the Silver Prince. The Prince has pro- duced over $150,000, the ore being nearly of the same character, and almost as rich as that of the Peck. The mine is opened by several shafts and drifts, and by a tunnel over 600 feet in length. The vein is a strong one, the rich ore bodies occurring in pockets and chimneys. It is now the property of a New York company.
The Black Warrior is south from the Prince, and is supposed to be on the same ledge. It is a large and well-defined vein, showing an ore body from two to three feet in width. The ore is different from the Peck and Prince, being composed of sul- phurets, galena, native and antimonial silver, which gives an average yield of over $100 per ton. The mine is the property of the company who own the Prince. Work is being pushed forward vigorously. The vein is opened by a shaft to a depth of nearly 300 feet, and by tunnels. It is one of the finest prop- erties in the county. The ore is now being reduced at the Tuscumbia mill.
South of the Warrior, and presumably on the same ledge, are many locations which give a favorable showing for the amount of work done. The Doyle, Lone Juniper, and a dozen others are in this locality. North of the Prince are the Curtin, New York, and many other locations, on some of which considerable work has been done. The Peck district has every advantage in the way of wood and water, and a fine climate.
TIP TOP-This camp is about fifty miles in a southeasterly direction from Prescott, and about forty-five north of Phoenix, in the southerly spurs of the Bradshaw range. Discovered and form- ed in 1875, it has been worked continuously ever since, and ha's produced more bullion than any district in Yavapai county. It has been the best chloriding camp in the Territory, and many a poor miner has made a "stake" from working the small but rich veins which abound there. The formation is a micaceous granite, and the veins, though small, are well-defined and regu- lur. Chlorides, carbonates, sulphides, and sulphurets are mainly the qualities of the ore.
The Tip Top, the principal mine of the district, was dis-
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covered in 1875, and has been worked steadily ever since. The property was purchased from the original locators by a Califor- nia company, who have taken out over $2,000,000. The size of the vein runs from ten to eighteen inches, and is found solidly imbedded in the hard country rock. The ore is a sul- phurct carrying large quantities of ruby silver, and giving an average yield of over $200 per ton. The ledge has nearly a northerly and southerly direction and crops on a high, narrow divide. It is opened by a working shaft, now down 800 fect, and by several drifts and adit levels. From the surface down there has been no apparent change in the size of the vein or the grade of the ore. About 100 men are steadily employed. New hoisting works have lately been put in place. On the Agua Fria, about nine miles from the mine, a ten-stamp mill and roaster have been erected, and have handled the ore very satis- factorily. If we judge from the bullion yield, the Tip Top must be accounted the leading mine in the county. Its production has been nearly double that of any other, and it promises to pour out its silver stream for many a year to come.
The Crosscut is west of the Tip Top some four miles. It crops boldly, is traceable across the country for several miles, and is the largest mine in the district. It is located ncarly all the way, and shows some promising claims, among which are the Foy, with a two-foot vein assaying from $50 to $200 per ton. This claim has a shaft, 180 feet, and several shallow cuts. The Pearl, south of the Foy, is a large ledge of good milling ore. It has been sunk upon to a depth of sixty feet. The Seventy- six is a small vein of rich chloride ore, as are also the Silver Mu- seum, El Dorado, Camp Cole and Argus. These claims are now being worked profitably, the ore being shipped to reduction works outside the Territory. The Virginia No. 2, situated on Tula creek, four miles from Tip Top, is another small but exceedingly rich vein, which has produced a great deal of ore worth over $1,000 per ton. There are many other fine prospects, well worthy of mention, many of which are paying their owners good wages.
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