Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-06-04

.e darkness. Knowing we were Tn th a hands of our friends we felt no fear aL' a were landed at the mouth oi tine gram l. crOsscut so often heard of FOrty-six fee 't Ofore, they say, we passed through, hold O ing alOft orr dripping candles to see tn n glIttering masses and streaks of pure a metal. May be the tallOw in our hand y changed to Aladdin lamps and all tn, B sparkling We saw was not silver. Neve | mind-we saw enough that was genuine | and convincing and from this on oui e faith is pinned to the Gunslght. In tht D light of the vision revealed 1t seemed . the easiest thing in the worll tU be q l millionaire and We instantly resolved tC l become one. As preliminary step we , accepted all the choice specimens offered and returned as we always did from 5 our wanderings with h. nds and pockets ; so loaded down that we resembled min- iature quarries. Although far from be- ing an authority on ores, our unpracticed eyes could not fail tO discern the pro- digal mineral wealth of this mine which
 exceeded all we had imagined and kept
 us wondering by what necrOmancy of
 natureit was all brought about. A vast
 amount of work has been accomplished
 here during the last two years and now
 all seems ready for the erowning glory
 of 40 or 50-stamp mil. When first it
 plants its iron feet to tread out the pre- ciuus metal, may we be there to see.
 During our stay at this point We made
 trips to the most important mining prop
 critics in the locality. Starting in q
 sOutherly direction and following half
 around the mountain, We visited the
 Atlanta, Westward, Morning Star Ex-
 tension, Crescent and Red Buck mines. All bad some W TX done and were prom
 ising well On the top of the hill, lying
 between the Gunsight on the one side
 and the Morning Star -xtension on the
 other, IS the Morning Star mine. But
 what interested us most was the mineral
 bed lying in the opposite direction. This
 mine is opened to the depth of 200 feet
 and will soon be sunk deeper. The big
 dump around the mouth of the shaft
 contains much rich ore. It is easily
 worked and some of 1t has tho porous character of lava. Mir. Turner, of our
 party, Is treasurer ot the M. B. Co. and ! came on largely to visit the mine in which he IS a heavy investor and ex- pressed himself as much pleased at the | inspection.
 A climb up the steep rocky mountain
 side to the highest peak on which min
 eral monument stands was in order, and | up We went zigzaggIng our way to the | top. It proved long pull and a hard
 pull bus it paid for the effort in the pros
 pect it afio ded, 337j feet above sea level and some 12O0 above the plain below with vast stretches of country in all directions. Back over our route the the eye travelled and rested on the fa- miliar outlines of the Santa Catalinas. On one hand We overlooked a portion of Sonora, on the other the Castle Dome district towards Yuma. We fingered over the prospect and watched the sur set in golden glory and then made haste to decsend before being caught in the fast gathering twilight. The last day of our stay We devoted to a visit to the Aio mines, lji miles distant. on the way to Gila Bend. 1t was gratifying visit an ! We now feel that the trip would have been incomplete with the Ajo left out. It Is a strange, weird scene that meets the first gaze of the visitor. Desolate all the more because of the many evil dences of the busy hands and busy feet in former days. It is an immense basin perhaps of a square mile, with it's lap filled with copper. Many, many shafts We gave up trying to sec them all-have been opened over the property and piles of ores of various colors and shadings left on the surface. It IS claimed that copper is found here in all its forms and as we walked about We picked up specimens both beautiful and valuable. We came across piles of partially reduc- ed ores and as we looked upon them as well as the quantities of ores mine we could but wonder what calamity had come upon this spot to suddenly check its industry. Dams of solid masonry across a ravine to make a water-tank, well containing from thirty to forty feet of water, substantial mill foundation, magazine, buildings, and the railroad, only 4j miles away, makes the induce ment to began work at this point seem irresistible and the wonder Is why this property remains idle SO long. One moro event and we will close our visit to the G. A happy occurrence took place in the striking of water at the new well, couple of miles distant, at a dept of 1S3 feet. A signal was given from the well, by firing a cartridge of giant powder, and was answered from the mine in the same manner. Soon there was passing to and fro of inter ested men who rejOice1 that the water ( question was so easily solved. Now it was known that water was tO be had on the spot by sinking few hundred feet and the welcome news was forwarded to the Company at Philadelphia. No omore hauling now of water by ten mile trip when it could be had in four miles.
 Change comes to all things and so it
 I L. e. Ia dld so, leaving behind us regret for the severing Of pleasant associations. We received nausht but kindness at the Gunsight and have especially to thank Messrs. Caldwell, Chalfant, White and Russell for c0urtesies received. Our ride home was made ID 2l days. By a cut of we left out Cababi and so savei ten miles. Our first night out, at Cover ed Wells, We met J. B. Allen returning home from business trip to Tucson. Col. Chalmers Scott. Engineer $. P. R. R., also came to the well for water and spread his blankets for the night. He said he was making two surveys from his road to the Gunsight. one from Gila Bend, the other from Icacho. Our last night, as was our first out, was spent at Dobb's We'll In the morning we had a mirage, completing our last unqualified desire in sightseeing. Reached our doorin Tucson at F N. after an absence of 1Ol, days. Did t pay? Yes,for me. but not for you reader. unless you are willing torough it, get tanned aud tired and feel the sights and experiences l | have related fair condensation.