Arizona citizen., 1875-09-18
THE SANTA RITA PLACERS.
Present HistOry-DetSiIs of Work and Yields.

Their Discovery and Past and
 Present HistOry-DetsiIs of Work
 and Yields.
 SANTA RITA MONUNTAINs, SMITH
 MINING DISTRICT, September Il, 1875.
 EDITOR CITIZEN: I will attempt a
 brief sketch of this new mining dis trict, as it is of general interest to your readers. It is situated in the eastern slope of the Santa Rita mountains,
 about thirty-fve miles southeast of Tucson It was discovered one year ago by Alvah Smith, prOspector of several years of experience in Arizona.
 He first found ledge of fine looking
 quartz and brought a sample to Tucson
 and exhibited it to several parties. He
 xSsliS.SSiau no encouragement to prospect
 i2 1Sfther, and being in reduced cir
 cumstances, he was unable to go ahead
 at that time. In December following
 he left this section and went to Silver
 City. New Mexico, where he met D. B.
 Rea, Esq., to whom he reported the discovery, and was by him induced to return and further prospect the dis covery. He was joined by P. J. Hand. They set out and reached the mines in
 February, when they soon discovered several other lodges in the same local ity, all of which gave favorable assays in gold and silver. About month later, while this party was prospecting the ledges, they found gold in the gravel just below ledge, which led to some exploration on their part and resulted in finding gold in paying quantities in every gulch making down from the main mountain containing lodges. A rocker was procured and a practical test made by these men, on what is now known as Sucker Gulch, and which yielded them over $500 in dust the first month. This mining was done by raising and packing the gravel of mile, on burrOs tO water, and the labor was done by two men and a boy. This led others to adopt the same course, from which this newly discovered camp has grown to population of $50 to 400 persons, who have been busily engaged since the first of June in working here under disadvantages incident to want of water; and most of whom, notwithstanding, have made some clear money, and have prospects with the scant supply of water which will keep them working for long time to come and yield them sure and steady returns SeveraI make from $10 to $15 per day. Mug gets as high in value as $120 have been picked up, The gold in all gulches is of coarse, granular nature, and con- sequently easily saved by the rocker without the aid of quicksilver.
 The gold bearing belt seems to be about five miles in width, and as to the length, it has not yet been positive " ascertained. At first it was suppos- sed by the coarseness and ragged char acter of the gold, that it was confined to the gulches, but prospecting has developed the fact that it extends down into the lower flats some four miles below where heavier bodies of gold bearing gravel are found paying from $15 to $25 per ton-this average being taken from one claim, last week, on one of these lower flats. From surface to bedrock is about ten feet deep, giv- ing bed of gold bearing gravel of three to four feet in thickness, with coarse and heavier gold than in the up- per deposits The flats vary from 100 to 15O feet in width, and as far as pros pected across give yield as before stated. These flats or shallow canyons, run down from eight to ten miles be fore reaching the level of the valley be- low, and present an encouraging field for the pr0spector, Many lodges have been taken up in the district, but owing to the easier mode of getting money out of the placers, they have been neg lected for the time being; but doubt less a little prospecting would develOpe fine gold and silver bearing veins. These mines are but just begun to be and as far as developed, certainly show enough placer gold in sight to command more enterprise.
 To utilize them properly is now the question: The system of water con- centration is the one engaging the miners consideration. Small springs in the heads of the gulches, furnish the only supply. In the higher ridges of mountains there are never failing springs and streams that with an out lay of some capital, could be utilized to work greater part of these dig gings. A survey has been made this week, which gives this result: Now, the estimate made gives 1900 inches off water. In the months of December, January, February and March, the will be greatly increased by the falls of snow This is an enter prise our citizens should thoroughly as no field now presents so sure and steady return for labor, as these placers. Hundreds of acres of gold bearing gulches and flats are here to be worked, that will throw thou sands to the miner; and the surface on the hills prospects well for some nasty process of working. The dry process If concentration will soon he tested |