The weekly Arizona miner., 1879-04-18
BIG BUG MINES.

W. H. Seamans, who is writinga series of articles for the Mining and Scientific Press. San Francisco, has the following in regard to the mines of Big Bug, Yavapai County:
 The principal mines centering upon Big Bug creek are the Eugenia, Orion, Middle sex, Wormsers, Pride of Big Bug, and Rock Island, which are on one continuous ledge prospected and worked to some extent for 5000 feet. This may be called the upper ledge, on the south side of the divide already mentioned, of the range north of the creek. Lower down and nearer the creek is another ledge running parallel tothe upper one, and plainly traceable for 5000 feet. On this ledge are located the May and Grace, Amity, Isapella, Isabella Extension, Lucia and Crown Point. Higher up, but still on the southern slope and little to the east. will be found the Big Bug mine, st. Ursula. Over sight, Vulcan and Ironsides. The St. Ur- sula seems to be continuation of the Big Bug ledge, the others apparently parallel iedges. over the uivide, on the north side pf the range, are located the Ticonderoga, Independence, Galena and Dividend. These are all gold mines, and the Big Bug, Euge- mia, Orion, Anity and Isabella, have been worked to a considerable extent and large amount of bullion taken out. The Big Bug ore assumes some peculiar forms, running into very dark color nearly as black as anthracite coal, and abounding in beautiful quartz crystals and iron cubes. The VuI- can is an iron-capped mIne and abounds in copper and free gold. The Rock Island shows a strong ledge of white quartz but has not been opened to any great extent. The mines on the lower ledge are of decom- posed quartz permeated with iron stains. In fact iron, in various forms, is a promi- nent feature in most of these mines.
 Still further north, where the range drops away into the valley of the Agua Fria, are located the Kit Carson, Silver Flake, Silver Belt, Ida May, Agua Fria and Agua Fria North.
 These are all silver mines. The Silver Belt is opened by a shaft to a depth Cf more than 100 feet, and by several drifts on differ ent levels. The vein is small but rich in sulphurets and horn silver, and strong in galena. The ore is being worked at the Agua Fria smelter, about three miles from the mine, where plenty of water is obtain able at ali seasons of the year. Most of the other mines of this group have been we'll opened, but little or nothing is being done dpon them at present. Both sides of the di- vide appear to be scanned with mineral bear ing veins, their general direction being northeast and southwest.
 The mines on Big Bug Creek were operat- ed during the era of Indian hostilities by Hitchcock and Gray, and to illustrate the enormous expense incurred in working them at that time, 1t is said that B cents q pound represented the average price chdrg- ed fer everything in the nature of supplies, whether it was flour, beans or bacon. ten. stamp mill which they built there cost them was told, S75,OO0. A better one could be put there to-day for less than SlO,600. Tho miners in those days were kept constantly on the alert by Indian raids, and many a bold pioneer and ventursesome prospectoi
 met his death al the hands of the willy say age and now sleeps in some nameless grave on mountain side or in deep canyon
 They were brave, hardy men, the advanc, guar,l of civilization, and little thought they would so soon be followed by the stage coach and mail, then Iby the railroad with it drawing room cars and the telegraph with its lightning messages, opening up thes' rough and rugged hills and isolated valleys to all the world.