USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > Men of achievement in the great Southwest Illustrated. A story of pioneer struggles during early days in Los Angeles and Southern California. With biographies, heretofore unpublished facts, anecdotes and incidents in the lives of the builders > Part 13
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BANNER-SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
up to the present time, there has probably been more gold and silver-lead mining in Mo- have county than in any other county in Arizona. And more than that, more discoveries of value are being made in Mohave county than in any other, except it be in the Bradshaw Mountains, in Ya- vapai county. The San Fran- cisco mining district, in the western part of the county, is one of the districts that has become prominent within the last two years. In it are the Gold Roads, the Leland, the Black Mountain, the Cedar Valley, the German-American, and some others. This district, called by some the Boundary Cone dis- trict, commences at the southern end of the Colorado River range of mountains. The Gold Roads, which has been opened up largely by Los Angeles capital, has one of the most completely-equipped mills in the Territory, $300,000 having been spent by Messrs. Posey and Bayly in bringing the property to its pres- ent state of development. Although the mill has been'
STAGING TO THE MINES.
Smelting Company, another Los Angeles enterprise, organized by the well-known Spokane mining oper- ators, Capt. C. Henry Thompson, Col. W. W. D. Tur- ner of Le Roi fame, and others. The mines operated by this company are among the most historic in that district and were worked at a profit 40 years ago, when labor cost $10 per day and supplies were pro- portionately high. The company is expending a large amount of money in developing the property and it shows evidence of great promise.
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
SOUTHERN NEVADA.
Leaving Mohave county, Arizona, and crossing the Colorado River at Camp Mohave, you land in that portion of the State of Nevada which forms the acnte angle of Lincoln county, north of which but a few miles is the Searchlight district, discovered by Ben Macready of Los Angeles. It is one of the most promising among new camps of this southwestern region. The area of the mineral belt, of which the town of Searchlight is the center, is about 640 square miles. Throughout the whole of that large section there are good prospects for mines.
The northern limit of the district is about ten miles south of El Dorado Canon, which is about twenty miles north of the town of Searchlight; the southern boundary of the district is about twenty miles south of Searchlight. Over it all the surface is the typical desert, abounding in yucca, Spanish bayonet, grease- wood, cacti and the usual desert herbage. There is
FIVE-STAMP MILL ON THE AURORA MINE, LOWER CALIFORNIA.
SCENES AROUND ALAMO CAMP, LOWER CALIFORNIA -- PROPERTIES OF THE AURORA MINING COMPANY.
THE GOOD HOPE MINE, SEARCHLIGHT DISTRICT, NEVADA.
no surface water except at Granite Springs, eighteen miles north of the town of Searchlight. Water is also to be had at Summit Springs, three miles to the east ; at Malapi Springs, twelve miles west; at Piute, twenty-five miles southwest; also at Newberry and Cottonwood Springs, about sixteen miles to the south- east. The sinking of shafts in mining properties has shown that water is abundant at a depth of about 400 feet.
Viewed geologically the general formation of the district is igneous, containing many varieties of porphyry, granite and volcanic rocks. The entire district gives evidence of having been subjected to considerable volcanic disturbance, more especially in the portion between the camp and the Colorado River. In the immediate vicinity of Searchlight Camp the formation is almost entirely porphyritic, some granite protrusions appearing in an irregular manner to the north and east. In this formation have been found
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
the most valuable gold deposits, all free-milling and exceptionally free from refractory elements. Surface disturbances have in places mixed the gangue to a THE "DIAMOND ILITCH." depth varying from fifty to one hun- dred feet, causing unevenness in the width and dip of the veins, yet in no case has there been found other than improvement in size and values as depth is at- tained. Take, as instances, the Copper King and Golden Treasure claims, owned by the Quartette Min-
being obtained at the mine workings. Owing to a labor strike inaugurated last June little work has been done. The strike is now over, the Quartette and other compa- nies in the district having procured a sufficiency of non- union labor to permit of the resumption of work on a scale as large as that which was being done prior to the time when the labor strike was declared. Among other properties that are being developed are the Southern Nevada, the Good Hope, the Cyrus Noble, the Parallel, the Searchlight, and others.
The Sandy is another district in this southern por- tion of Nevada in which are several valuable gold properties, notably that of the Nevada-Keystone Com- pany, a Los Angeles organization. For the last year or more the Nevada-Keystone has been a regular shipper of gold bullion, and has produced
THE FOUNDERS OF RANDSBURG CHARLES A. BURCHAM, JOHN SINGLETON AND F. M. MOOERS.
ing Company. These had a surface showing of three feet in width, with values not exceeding $1.60 gold per ton, whereas at a depth of 500 feet the lead has broad- ened out to over thirty feet, with values of $17 gold per ton, and all free milling ore.
The property of the Quartette Mining Company, a Boston organization, is the leading one of the Search- light district. On it there has been expended about $400,000, but as it has established for itself a value many times greater than this sum the money has been well invested. This company has a mill of twenty stamps on the Colorado River with a railway to it from the mines. It has also recently erected another stamp mill at the mines, the water necessary for it
$100,000. The property is equipped with mill and cyanide plant, and extensive improvements are now being made, which will greatly increase its monthly production. The Nevada-Keystone has a record of $380,000 produced some years ago, and its former owi:ers thought it was " worked out." Under the direction of Carl F. Schader, a successful operator and mining engineer of Los Angeles, it has within the past few months produced over $100,000 in gold, and values increase with depth.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
Immediately west of Lincoln county, Nevada, is San Bernardino county, in Southern California. San
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
Bernardino is of such vast extent that it would require an article of many thousands of words to properly deseribe its many mining districts and mines in them. The districts in which the most mining is being done are the Vanderbilt, Providence Mountains and the New York Mountains, in the northeast part of the county ; the Ludlow district, in the central por-
VIEW OF THE MINE.
tion, and at Johannes- burg, which latter forms part of the Rand dis- trict, extending into Kern county. The Van- derbilt is one of the older mining districts of San Bernardino county, pos- sessing a number of val- uable mines. In the " SHIFT' READY FOR WORK. New York Mountains, the Giant Ledge Gold and Copper Company is doing the most work. It has a large property which is being intelligently developed. with large ore bodies blocked out. The company is having an aerial tramway constructed from its mines to its mill site, preparatory to making arrangements for the reduction of its ore. In the Providence Mountains, south of the New York range, are some well-defined gold ledges that are being developed, while on the southwest slope of the range are some large deposits of iron ore, which, when transportation is provided, will prove valuable.
In the Ludlow district are the Roosevelt, the Chase. the Bagdad and other mines. The chief property is that belonging to the Bagdad Mining and Milling Company, composed chiefly of eastern capitalists, among whom are Senator Chauncey M. Depew, J. N. Beckley, of Rochester ; E. Van Etten, of Boston ; Ben- jamin E. Chase and J. H. Stedman, of Rochester, with
E. H. Stagg, at the mines, general manager. These men are possessed of large means, and have developed their property in a large way, building a railway from the mines to a junction with the Santa Fe Railway, thereby permitting them to ship their ore direct to their fifty-stamp mill at Barstow. The Bagdad Com- pany recently acquired by purchase the Chase mines, which adjoin the Bagdad property. The com- pany ships an average of 100 tons of ore a day to the Barstow reduction works, the ore averag- ing $25 in gold per ton.
Adjoining the Roosevelt and Bagdad proper- ties and extending along some of the most richly- mineralized ground of the district, to the Chase mines, a mile and a half distant, lie the Sierra Grande properties, recently acquired by former United States Senator Stephen M. Dorsey, and others. Active preparations are being made for the immediate development of the property, and extensive expenditures are being made.
East of Ludlow dis- triet and south of Danby, on the Santa Fé Rail- way, is the Old Wom- an's Mountains district, in which are several gold and silver properties. Southwest of that range
THE RANDSBURG BONANZA, THE FAMOUS YELLOW ASTER MINE.
and on the Riverside county line, is the Dale district, in which mining has been done during the last ten years, but which has only recently begun to attract attention. In this district are such properties as the Capitola, the O. K., Ivanhoe, Brooklyn, Virginia Dale, and many others that could be mentioned, all of which have, under development, shown fine ore bodies carrying values in
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
gold, but which have hitherto been handicapped by a lack of sufficient milling to reduce them, and as the camp is not blessed with railway facilities, it has been impossible to ship the ore. The lack of water has been partially overcome in the laying of a pipe linc through which water is furnished to some of the mines, but there is not enough of it to furnish all with water. As evidence of the enormous richness of some of the ore in the Dale district, a streak that was un- covered in the Capitola claim may be mentioned which gave returns at the rate of $137,000 gold per ton. Some of the ore was sent to Los Angeles to be assayed, in order to see whether an assay made at the mine of a piece of the same ore would be corrob- orated by the Los Angeles assayer, and it was.
The southern portion of Inyo county is, through the fact of its being tributary to the city of Los Ange- les, embraced within this southwestern region. The general formation is sim- ilar to that of the north- ern part of San Bernar- dino, which it adjoins. The Panamint district of luyo county was in days gone by famous for its rich silver mines. At present the principal mini- ing is being done in the Ballarat district, one of the chief properties being the Ratcliff mine. In the Angus range, west of Bal- larat, Los Angeles parties are developing a large property; there is also a good deal of work being donc in the Slate range, south of Ballarat.
SANTA FE BRIDGE OVER THE MOJAVE RIVER,
In San Diego county, mining is chiefly confined to the extreme eastern part, bordering on the Colorado River. The best-known mines are the Golden Cross, near Hedges, which have been worked for many years and are still producing in the neighborhood of $11,000 per month, but that amount is much less than the production of some eight or ten years ago. The ore is low grade, carrying not to exceed an average of $3.60 gold per ton. There is a very large accumula- tion of tailings at the mine, which are now being cyanided, with fairly good results.
Another large property in that part of San Diego county is the property of the California King Gold Mines Company, at Picacho. This company has a railway connecting the mines with its milling plant on the Colorado River, distant four and one-half miles. The crushing capacity of the mill is 1000 ton's daily. but the tankage capacity is yet insufficient, not more
than the equivalent of 300 tons a day. The plant was constructed for straight cyaniding. It is built in three units and can be made available to crush 1200 tons of ore every twenty-four hours. There is a bin capacity of 2500 tons, and there are ten cyanide tanks of 250 tons each. As a cyaniding proposition the plant is one of the best equipped on the Pacific Coast.
·
The Julian and Banner are two other districts in San Diego county in which mining is being done, but to a limited extent only. Ore bodies are not lacking, but men with sufficient means to open them do not seem to be on hand.
Kern county has the largest gold mine in the South- west, and, for that matter, one of the largest on the Pacific Coast-the Yellow Aster, in the Rand dis- trict. The Yellow Aster Company is a close corpora- tion, and is owned and controlled by John Singleton, C. A. Burcham and Dr. Rose L. Burcham. The prop- erty is in every respect one of the most perfectly cquipped on the Pacific Coast, having two stamp mills-one of thirty. stamps, the other of 100 stamps-its own water plant, which includes a pumping station and sev- eral miles of pipe linc, af- fording an ample supply for all purposes. The mines are electrically lighted, every possible improvement and conven- ience to facilitate work and keep down expense being provided. It has a good record of production, and a future that is rich with promise of increasing production for years to come.
To attempt a list of other mines in the Rand dis- trict would necessitate making it a large one, there being some hundreds of properties in the district that are undergoing development. The Rand, like the Searchlight district, has recently passed through troublous times from labor strikes, but there, as in the other district, the labor strikers went after more wool, but came back fleeced. The mine operators refused to treat with the labor unions ; little by little the miners left camp, and at the proper time their places were supplied by non-union men. From now forward the Rand district will be one of the most flourishing in the Southwest.
There is one other mining district in Kern county that cannot be overlooked-Mojave district, in the western part of the county. While it was well known
,
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
to many mining men that the district contained many rich deposits of gold-bearing ore, yet not much atten- tion was given them, and but little upon them done. The principal reason for this was that which prevails in so many other mining camps-lack of water for mining purposes. Were it otherwise, Nature might be properly accused of being over-liberal. The ore bodies were deposited, but man was left to provide ways and means for furnishing the water necessary to the extraction of the gold and other metals from the ore. In the Mojave district the properties on which the largest development has been done and
Southern California, during the past twelve months, that are indicative of their existence in sufficiently large quantity as will pay to open the deposits on' a commercial scale. Among these precious stones are spodumene (kunzite,) jacinth, chrysoprase and tour- maline. Of kunzite (named after Dr. George Kunz, president of the New York Mineralogical Club,) some very excellent specimens have been found in San Diego county, so good that they have received the indorsement of the more prominent jewelers of New York. The stone is of delicate lilac color, resembling that of pale amethyst. In addition to its being an at-
VIEW OF TIJE BAGDAD, ROOSEVELT AND CHASE MINES IN THE RICHI BAGDAD DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA.
which are being successfully operated, are: The Exposed Treasure, Queen Esther, Karma and Echo, the latter having been opened up by G. H. Hooper of Los Angeles. All of these properties are equipped with machinery and reduction plants, and, now that they have water, are proving that the ores of the Mojave district can be profitably worked.
tractive gem stone in color and luster, it possesses the peculiar property of fluorescence. Prof. Basker- ville, of the University of North Carolina, who has taken much interest in this new gem, states that " after being exposed to ordinary sunlight, the power of fluorscence is apparent, and that also upon exposure to the Roentgen rays for a period of five minutes a piece of kunzite will absorb sufficient radiance to pho- tograph itself upon a piece of sensitive paper if left in a dark room, remaining slightly self-luminous for some minutes." This will form a portion of Cali-
Another branch of mining that is assuming some proportions in this southwestern region is that of precious stones, and which is fittingly reserved as the conclusion of this article. There have been some dis- coveries of gems in San Diego and Riverside counties, . fornia's mineral exhibit at the St. Louis Exposition.
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
THE GOLD ROADS MINE.
T HE list of Arizona mines published two years ago contained no mention of the Gold Roads. This great property was then an undeveloped prospect, and the millions of gold which are hidden in its veins were then unknown. For a number of years the prospectors of King- man, Arizona, had camped upon the 200 acres comprising its holdings, never dreaming that beneath their feet was one
IN THE SAN FRANCISCO MINING DISTRICT.
of the richest of Nature's depositories. Indeed, in the latter '60's soldiers stationed at Fort Mojave, about fourteen miles from the property, prospected the neighborhood and never stumbled on to the future gold producer. And now the Gold Roads is a young mine. Its production dates from the second of June of the past year, at which time the mill commenced operations.
The history of the discovery of the Gold Roads mine reads like a fable from some fairy tale. Out in Arizona it is an old story of how an old Mexican prospector, down on his luck, secured a $12 grubstake from Henry Lovin, at that time sheriff of Mojave county, and while on his way over the range to the flats of the Colorado river, he camped on the ridge and kicked up a piece of float that looked good; of how the old Mexican and his grubstaker each realized $25,000 cash for the property, the sale of which was negotiated through a local mining promoter.
The Gold Roads Mining and Exploration Company was organized by Messrs. O. P. Posey, William Bayly and Clar- ence MeCornick, all of whom are among the best known mining operators in the West, and who have been closely identified with extensive mining interests for many years. While these gentlemen acquired possession of the property in September, 1901, it was not until July, 1902, that the present company was formed. The property which was acquired is situated between the summit of a ragged range of hills and the valley of the Colorado river, which is less than ten miles distant in an air line. It lies twenty-five miles southwest of Kingman, Arizona, and an equal distance northeast of the Needles, California. A flourishing little camp has grown with the development of the mine, and at present the pop- ulation is close to 400. The total acreage of the company is something over 225 acres, comprising the following claims :
the Silver Dollar, Gold Dollar, Gold Dollar Extension, Houghton, Gambler, Robbin, Tip Top, Climax, Gold Roads, Lime Road and Billy Bryan.
The Gold Roads is pre-eminent in more respects than one. One of the most interesting and modern features in con- nection with it is its machinery equipment. In both the mine and mill the most modern and perfect mechanical effects have been secured. It is lighted throughout with electricity, and is in every respect a modern mine. The engine-room at the mill houses ten gasoline engines with a combined horse-power of 342, while a 54-horse-power engine is in use at the mine to supply power for the hoist. Crude oil is used for fuel, and something like 650 gallons are required daily. This has proven to be a most inexpensive and thoroughly satisfactory fuel, and indeed, were it not for its use, it is safe to say the mine could not be operated profitably without railroad connections.
The Gold Roads is operated through a double compartment shaft which has been put down 325 feet. Three levels with extensive drifting has been done, and ore is being milled from all parts of the various levels. The shaft will be carried to a depth of 500 feet, and lower levels be run as soon as it is expedient. The shaft is equipped with a double cage, or rather a skip, into which the ore cars are emptied on the various levels. The skip is self-operating, and upon reach- ing the surface is automatically dumped into the crusher, from which the ore is emptied into the bins over the first tunnel. In detail the development consists of a 209-foot drift to the west on the 100-foot level, and a 269-foot drift to the east. Both are with the ledge, which runs 20 degrees north of east. On the second level, the east drift extends 185 feet, and the west drift 248 feet. Immense amounts of ore have been knocked down in all the levels, especially the third level, where the drifts extend 230 feet in cach direction from the shaft. As the ore body shows an average width
FIRST SHAFT-HOUSE ON THE GOLD ROADS.
of twelve feet throughout the workings, some idea of the quantity of ore blocked out may be gained.
Without an exception the plant is one of the most com- pletely equipped mines and mills in Arizona. Not only is the mill well arranged to insure the economical handling of
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MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
ore, but the machinery installed is the latest and most approved pattern. The ore reaches the mill by a 1400-foot track from the mine, and is dumped into the mill bins, which have a capacity of 200 tons. From the ore hins the ore works by gravity through the entire process, no handling being necessary. Passing between two sets of revolving coarse rolls it is crushed until it passes through a quarter- inch mesh. From there, when the condition of the ore requires it, it passes through two sets of revolving driers, and then into finishing rolls, 40 x 60 inches in diameter. The ore then passes through Colorado impact screens, the first being a 16 mesh, and the second a 25 x 40 mesh. Classification of the ore is made while it is in suspension in the screens,
city, and the Colorado Iron Works of Denver, Colorado.
Water for the camp, which is known to the postal authori- ties as Acme, Arizona, is pumped from Little Meadows, three miles distant, where there are natural springs which have been used by travelers over the old trail for the past forty years. A large pumping plant is maintained at Little Mead- ows, and the water is forced through a two-inch pipe over a 750-foot rise and down to the camp at the rate of twenty gallons per minute, which is ample to supply the camp, mine and mill. In the event of a larger amount of water being necessary, it could be secured from the same source.
In predicting the future of the Gold Roads, it is only nec- essary to take into consideration a few facts to establish
A
(I) GOLD ROADS MILL. (2) ORE BINS AND TRAM. (3) WATER TANKS.
(4) HOIST.
and the fines that are taken out amount to less than 10 per cent. of the output of the mill. The slimes are taken out by a series of suction pipes and are deposited in hins that have been placed in the canyon below the mill. After the cyanide tanks have been partly filled with coarse pulp, the slimes are then taken and placed on top, forming a blanket, and the leaching begins. There are sixteen of these immense tanks, and the distributing is done by a Robbins conveyor. The machinery for the mill, which is in charge of Fred Bailey, a millman of wide experience throughout the West, is modern in every particular, and was designed for the Gold Roads company by the Llewellyn Iron Works of this
the fact that as a producer and dividend payer the mine is still in its infancy. Of the 225 acres of rich mineral land owned by the company, less than 10 per cent. has been exploited, and of the veins and ore bodies exposed but a comparatively small portion has averaged less than the body it is now working upon. In the radius of the present development is virgin ground of sufficient extent to occupy the attention of the company for ycars to come. What the future has in store for the Gold Roads no one can definitely tell, but to foresee continued and increasing greatness for the mine does not require the scientific vision of an expert.
MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT.
G. H. HOOPER.
G. H. HOOPER is a native of New Hampshire, but at one year of age was taken by his parents to New York State, where he was edit- cated and grew to manhood. When still in his teens he accepted a position with the Dixon Crucible Com- pany of Jersey City, one of the largest concerns of its kind in the United States. The company owns its own mines of graphite in the northern part of New York State, and for thirteen years Mr. Hooper mined and refined all the domestic graphite used at the Jersey City plant, and he is yet retained by the company as its consult-
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