SANTA RITA PLACERS,
PIMA COUNTY
These placers are situated in what is known as the Helvetia District,
about 55 miles southeast of Tucson. The principal mining camp in the
district, known as Greaterville, is at an altitude of 5,000 feet above
sea-level. About three miles west of the town in the Santa Rita Range is a
peak known as Old Baldy, which is one of the highest in Arizona, being about
10.000 feet above the level of the sea. The hills and mountains are covered
with oak, pine, and cedar, and the climate is delightful. These extensive
placer diggings are very rich, and although they have as yet only been
worked in a primitive manner, have yielded several hundred thousand dollars
worth of gold. The lack of water prevents them from being worked to any
great extent, except during the rainy season, when quite a large number of
miners are busily engaged in washing the dirt. The Santa Rita Quartz and
Placer Mining Co., have considerable ground which pays well for working. The
district also contains many quartz ledges, which are being developed, and
show rich ore. From three to six miles northwest of Greaterville are
extensive and rich ledges of
copper ore, which when developed will no doubt yield a large amount
of metal.
SILVER, YUMA COUNTY
This district lies in the western part of the county, and is bounded on
the west by the Colorado River and on the south by Castle Dome District. The
great heat and scarcity of water have undoubtedly been great drawbacks to
the development of the mineral resources of this section, but owing to the
rich discoveries which have been made, all difficulties will in time be
overcome, and the Silver District forced to yield up its hidden treasures of
gold, silver and copper. The Red Cloud is the most remarkable mine in the
district. The croppings present a solid body of
silver ore, standing up to the height of forty feet, and are
200 feet in length, and twenty feet in width, asssaying from fifteen to
4,000 ounces of silver to the ton. The average of the whole mass is about
$100 per ton.
It is said that three miners who arrived in Yuma with no other capital than a shot gun, which they put up as security for supplies, went into this district, where on the mesa at the foot of these croppings, they discovered in the soil, nuggets of pure native silver, of which they gathered in a few days, $9,000 worth, and also located the ledge, which they sold for a handsome sum. The croppings are being taken down by means of a wide cut running lengthwise of the whole ledge. An incline shaft has been driven down on the hanging wall, 170 feet in depth, all in ore. At 130 feet a crosscut shows the ore thirty feet in width, and as good as at the surface. A vertical working shaft is now being sunk. The present production of the mine is reported to be $50,000 per month. The Iron Cap mine has a shaft down 200 feet; the vein at this depth is fifty feet wide, and said to be of the same character as that of the Red Cloud. The Chicago Company has large interests here, and is making arrangements to commence work. The Silent is a silver mine, on which a large amount of prospecting has been done in shafts, inclines and crosscuts. On the 193-foot level is a large body of low-grade carbonate, carrying a narrow vein of high-grade ore. The incline shaft is down 278 feet, at which depth ore is found which gives 200 ounces of silver to the ton. The Emma, on the same ledge, is extracting ore from a three-foot vein on the fifty foot level. The Kiara is a silver mine of most excellent prospects. The croppings on this mine are wide and rich. The crosscut at a depth of thirty feet, shows twelve feet of cerrusite carbonate ore which is said to give eighty dollars per ton. Silver Glance is being prospected and opened by a tunnel, which is now in 100 feet. This mine shipped some assorted ore to San Francisco, which yielded $1,000 per ton. The Black Rock and Pacific are represented to have large quantities of good ore in sight. The shaft in the Black Rock is down 100 feet. The Princess, Yuma Chief, Waco and Wilmington are also considered valuable locations. In this district are also found some immense ledges of lead ore, carrying more or less silver.
SILVER BELL, PIMA
COUNTY
Some years ago, an English company erected a smelter in this section and
worked the copper ores of a mine called the Young America, but the
enterprise did not succeed, and the ground was abandoned. New discoveries
have been made, and a district recently formed. It is situated in the
northern part of the county, about fifty miles from Tucson. The ores are
gold, silver and copper. The veins are numerous, well defined and large. The
Abbie Waterman is a silver mine of great promise, which is being vigorously
prospected by the owners, Messrs. Gates, Knox and Murphy. They also own
several of the adjoining mines. The Amelia, owned by P. Woods, is being
prospected by a tunnel. It has a fine vein of carbonate ore. The Monarch
shows a vein of copper silver glance, from five to twenty feet in width.
There are many other silver locations, on which prospectors are now engaged,
and from which ore is being extracted, but perhaps the greatest activity is
in the copper group of mines around Pelton. The Old Boot, Blue Coat, and
Southern Beauty, are described as forming a mountain of copper ore, similar
in character to the Great Copper Queen mine at Bisbee. These mines belong to
the Huachuca Mining and Smelting Company, of which Messrs. Scott, Zeckendorf
and E. N. Fish are the principal owners. This company has a smelting
furnace, and keep a large force of men at work. W. B. Scott is
Superintendent. The Arizona, Pima and Mountain Chief are also copper mines,
reported to show large bodies of good ore. A good many men are now employed
at this camp, which gives it a busy, thriving appearance.
SILVER MOUNTAIN,
YAVAPAI COUNTY
The following information in regard to this locality is taken from the
columns of the Arizona Miner: "Silver Mountain is situated about fifty five
miles south of Prescott and twelve miles south of the Tiger. Running
directly through the center of the mountain from north to south is the
Mammoth, one of the largest mineral -bearing ledges yet discovered in
Arizona. This monster vein crops out boldly for a distance of more than
three miles in length, and measures all the way from fifty to three hundred
feet in width, bearing both gold and silver throughout its entire length and
breadth. From the croppings, ore giving high assays has been obtained. Lying
parallel with the Mammoth, on the east, is the Excelsior, a vein 50 feet in
width, carrying good ore. On the west is the Great Western, owned by Kelly &
Hutchins, an immense ledge of fine mineral-bearing rock. Northeast of the
Union claim lies the Mountain King, which is evidently an offshoot from the
Mammoth, and is at least two hundred feet wide. There are several other
large veins in Silver Mountain in the vicinity of the Mammoth, notably the
Snow Ball, Huff, and the Buell."
SWISSHELM, COCHISE
COUNTY
The district is situated between Sulfur Spring and White River Valleys,
in the southeastern part of the county, about fifty miles by wagon road from
Tombstone. The first locations were made in 1878, since which time
considerable prospecting has been done. The formation is generally
limestone and
quartzite.
Galena ores of the smelting varieties prevail, some assaying
as high as 200 ounces of silver to the ton. On the mountains is some timber,
principally a small growth of oak and juniper. Water is generally scarce,
although in the White River Valley is a small stream which rises and sinks
in different places. The altitude is 4,700 feet. The climate is pleasant,
with cool nights and refreshing breezes in the summer. The principal
locations are the Mammoth, Mountain Queen, Mountain Chief, and Whale, all of
which have yielded rich ore.
THE SIEREITAS, PIMA
COUNTY
This district is situated about thirty-five miles from Tucson, and is
reached by a good road over a level country, most of the distance. Water is
found at a depth of ten or fifteen feet, and sufficient can now be obtained
for prospecting purposes. Wood is abundant, the mountain sides being covered
with a heavy growth of live-oak timber, while the mesas are thickly covered
with mesquite and paloverde. The formation is
slate, limestone and quartzite. The ledges are numerous and
well-defined, with clearly marked walls, and are seen cropping out from the
mesa with as much regularity as in the hills. The numerous remains of
smelters and
arastras, some of which have been recently utilized, show that at no
remote date, this district was the center of active mining operations. The
Mexican miners were probably driven away by the Apaches. Mr. Hughes owns
some mines which are being steadily developed, and producing some very rich
ore. The Continuacion, owned by Brichta, Meek & Co., has been opened in
three places on the ledge, showing good ore in each shaft. The vein is four
feet wide, enclosed by slate walls, the ore being argentiferous galena,
carrying a streak of high-grade copper ore. Many other locations have been
made, some of which are being vigorously developed and yielding good ore.
TIGER DISTRICT, YAVAPAI
COUNTY
This district, situated in the southern portion of the county, is bounded on
the north by Walnut Grove, and on the south by Humbug District. The first
mining operations were in the placer diggings, which were discovered about
twenty years since. Soon afterwards quartz ledges were also discovered and
prospected to a considerable extent. The Tiger mine, from which the district
takes its name, was discovered in 1871, and for a time vigorously worked,
yielding ore of a high grade, which was sent to San Francisco for reduction.
In 1877 a three-compartment shaft was sunk, and good hoisting works and a
mill erected. Since then it has produced a large amount of bullion. At
present work on the mine is suspended, but no doubt will soon be resumed,
when the camp will again present a lively appearance. In this district is
located the Bradshaw Basin Mill, which is at work crushing ore from the
surrounding mines. Mr. C. C. Bean, of Prescott, is the agent. In the
neighborhood of the Tiger Mine are many other promising ledges that will no
doubt soon be developed. The climate of this section is delightful, and wood
and water abundant.
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