Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1876-05-06
Local Mining News.

Local Mining News.
Mr.. NJ McKenna has been in town
from the Santa Rita Placers, during
the past week and reports that the dig
gings are still yielding considerable
gold. The want of water is the great
drawback. Given plenty of water and
the Santa Rita gold fields would wake
this section up generally. If there is
a good rainy season the coming sum-
mer, there will be such showing from
the placers, and their great value will
be SO clearly established, that capital
will come forward to obtain water IN
future by artesian wells or by bringing
1t in from distance. There is no way
of getting at how much gold Is taken
out even now. One Car ascertain how
much gold the larger claimants take
out, approximately, but there are small
parties scattered here and there over &
range of twelve miles, constantly tax
ing out COLA in greater or less ouantl-
ties and Of which no note is made. The
MeXicans take out considerable gold
by dry washing. There are a number
Of claims which were very rich and
which upon their discovery were mere
ly "gutted," the richest parts near the
surface only having been taken out.
These claims are being worked over by
the Me1icans, who are getting big pay
out of them. This has been particularly
the case with the old claim of Harshaw
Il Burrows. On this, one man recently
made sixty dollars in one week by
washing the tailings over. There
have also been several nuggets taken
out Of this claim, varying from one to
seven ounces in weight. Many of
those familiar with these placers are of
the opinion that when water sufficient
can be had, the hill digglngs will prove
the richest of all. Fred Hughes Is
still working his hill claim and doing
very well. The weather is very pleas
ant as yet, the days being none too
warm and the nights just cool enough
to sleep comfortably. Quite a number
of miners left the diggings or account
Of the Indians bieaklng out bat most
of the men have returned, leaving their
families in Tucson. The miners scarce
ly look for rain before July.
Mr.. G. II. Morse who was here on
a short visit from the Santa Ritas q
week ago gave us an interesting ac-
count of his experience in the placers
and we were CAD to learn that while
he had encountered the same obsta-
cles as others from difficulty in obtain
ing water, he has nevertheless met with
considerable success in mining there
and was glad that he had found his
way to these parts. He ne, er mined any
at all before he went to the Santa Ritas,
but he found all that was necessary
was to work hard and keep down ex-
penses as far as possible and to lead Il
sober life. Still there are others who
have worked hard and lived close
ly and temporarily and yet have made
but little or nothing there. Their ex-
penses have been necessarily large, and
they have had worse luck than others
about water. These latter, however,
have as much faith as anyone IN the
richness OF the placers and propose
sticking to their claims until the water
comes and their fortune turns.
We omitted to mention an Item of
90 ounces of dust which was brought
in last week from the Santa Rita pla-
GERS and purchased by E. n Fish & Co.
There has been sold In Tucson, as
far as we can learn, gold dust from
these placers, during the past week,
to the amount of 80 ounces or about
1890 worth, purchased by Zeckendorf
Brothers, Lord & Williams, S H.
Drachman, L. NJ. Jacobs s. Co., and
Wood Brothers.
Zeckendorf Brothers have this week
put workmen on their mining claim
on the northeastern slope of the Santa
Catarina mountains and will properly
open the mine This claim attracted
considerable attention at the time OF
its discovery, from the evidence of its
former working in olden times and
supposed richness. The present work
ing will determine its value.
Mr.. Samuel Hughes, Jr., returned
last Saturday from the Globe district
and vicinity, and is full of praise of
the exhibit in those parts He has
located what be considers valuable
claim and in the course of time viii
develop it.
Arrivals and Departures.