Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-12-13
MINING IN ARIZONA.
The lalenciana Mine in the Black
Canon District, Yayapai County..-
Its History and Present Condition.

canon UlSlrlcl. 1aNhpil l0unt!.--
Its History and Present Condition.
The san Francisco Mining and Scieati-
fc Press gives the following extracts
from the recent report Of Mr.. Henry
a. Bigelow, Of Prescott, Arzonia, to
the president Of the California and
Arizona mining and real estate agency,
in regard to the Valenciana mine, in
Black Canon district, Yavapai county,
Arizona:
The mine is about forty miles south
east Of Prescott, and sixty miles north
OF Phoenix, near the stage road between
the TWO towns. The vein is in the great
gold bearing slate belt which traverses
the country east of Prescott and the
Sierra Prieta and Bradshaw ranges OF
mountains in which are many clusters
Of gold veins known as tho Black Hill
mines, the Bigbug mines, the Black
Canon lin which the Valenciana is the
most conspicuous and the New River
and the Cave Creek mines.
The Black Canon mines were first dis
covered in 1864 BY Mexicans who were
working placers IN Turkey Creek, on
at once built arastras and worked the
mine for two years, during which time
they extracted, according to Peralta's
books, over $35 COO in gold.
Three times the Apaches stole from
the Peralta party all their horses and
mules, and harassed the miners so much
that they abandoned the mine, which
then laid unworked till 1870, when Il
party Of Americans worked it for sever
III months, taking out about ST. 900 by
arastras, until the silver excitement
lured them away.
During the present year Pcralta 4 Co.
worked three tons from the mine, which
paid in the Phoenix mill a triile over
500 per ton-selecting ore from the
bottom Of the old workings.
The ledge runs nearly north and
south, and crops out boldly above the
surface for, several hundred feet, where
the principal work is done, showing at
intervals for 5000 feet. The main shaft
style, hy benches, to about so or 100
feet, and is not timbered, not being in q
safe condition for work. The main
opening is made where the vein is TWEEN
ty feet thick, and the quartz has been
taken out from wall to wall ana thirty
feet along the vein. A vast quantity Of
ore is in sight. The second-class ore on
dump is estimated ut 250 tons, which
will pay from SD to $15 per ton. The
quartz in chimney in the shaft for about
200 feet in length on surface will mill
$50. The walls Of the vein are soft slate,
and the veins run down nearly perpen-
dicular ard show every indication of
permanency. The quartz is Of u
grayish white, III which gold
shows plainly, and through the
richest portions are copper stains, III
which not 80 much gold is visible. "A
good site for u mill can be had on Tur-
key Creek anywhere within q mile or
two from the mine, from which to the
creek the hauling would be down hill.
AT the mine there is no timber. All
along the creek. however, there Is a good
growth of cottonwood, willow and ash,
suitable for iirewood. A heavy growth
Of pine timber crosses the mountains
six miles west of the mine. Lumber
and sawed timbers can be bought mt the
mills in Prescott for $50 per 200. The
Niger, Brown, Gillespie, Swilling, Ma
son and other gold mines, which have
been worked by arastras in years past,
are near the Valcnciana. Mr.. Bigelow,
i'll conclusion, states that of all the facil-
tiles of access and working considered,
he regards the Nalenciana mine MS one
Of the most desirable gold mines yet
discovered in Yavapai county.