Arizona weekly enterprise., 1888-06-02
The Casa Grande District. Kansas City Record.

MT. J. A. Conlee, who is widely known throughout the West as a sue cessful mine superintendent, passed through the city this week on his re- turn from Chicago, where he placed a valuable mining property. The mine in question is called the Fl Plomo and is located near Sonora, Mexico. The price paid was $3C0,000, a large amount, but not too much if state ments concerning the richness of the mine are true.
 NIr. Conlee is superintendent of the Monarch group of mines, owned by Messrs. Stein, Whiteside, Nesbitt and White of this city. This group is sit uated in the Casa Grande district, Arizona, and as reports of the good qualities of the Monarch have been floating around for some time, a Rec ord man sought Mir Conlee with view of learning the exact state of the mine and gaining information on the mining situation in general.
 Speaking first of the mining out look this spring" said MT. Conlee, q may safely say that it is easier to pro cure money for investment in mining properties than 1t has been at any period for 20 years past. Only year ago it would have been a sheer waste of time and energy to attempt to place property in Chicago. I have four orders now in my pocket for gold mines, that came to me unsolicited while in the city the early part of the week. Last year at this time an ex- pert representing the best mining prospect in the West would,have haen | laughed at had he attempted to sell 1t in Kansas City. Look at the score of mines owned at this point today The truth Is that capital is to-day seeking investment in good mines, and, with square dealing, there is no reason NSy the interest should not increase rel ularly as time passes"
 After such an extended experience in mining throughout all parts of the West, why was it that you selected Arizona as the theater of operations?" was asked.
 Readily answered. 1 consider Ari- zona, and especially the Casa Grande district, the most promising field in all the metal producing states or ter ritories. It's true the ores are low grade and the country is almost 8 ] desert in many places, but these dis advantages are offset by the immense masses of free milling orc that are 1 found at the surface of the ground and in veins that will average 200 feet in width. When we bear in mind that this ore will run at least $10 to the | ton, is as easily accessible as cutting a passage for railroad through a hill, and Is mined and milled at marvel ously low figure, you may judge that that there Is money made in handling it.
 "The Casa Grande district has not yet been thoroughly prospected but pay ore has been found along a line twenty miles in length. I recently located claim 5000 feet from the Monarch, which is upon the same lode I named it the "Kansas City" and have great faith in its future. The Silver King and Vekol are the most prominent mines of the district. They have been paying dividends for years. The Silver Reef, Jack Rabbit, Wall Street, Orizaba, Reward and Queen of Sheba group are all being worked successfully. The Monarch, Leona and Mastodon are owned in Kansas City, are all frst-class proper ties. The Monarch has a tunnel 200 J feet long and cross cut of so feet at the hundred foot level. We are trying at the 200 foot level to find the walls new. The Monarch is like the Home skake mine in character and in magni- sl tgde of ore bodies is fully equal to that ff i gteat mine A twenty stamp mill has been ordered and we will push the Work as fast as possible. The ores near the surface are free milling, but as the depth increases sulphides and -ores containing pyrites of iron make their appearance and call for the use of the shelter As the Southern Pacific road runs directly through the district there is no difficulty in pro- curing transportation to smelters Some of the ores are are sent to Kan sas City for treatment"
 The Home5;ake mine, which Mir Conlee assisted in opening yeus ago was fully described by tim Tn the con versation that followed. Since 1878 il has been paying at the rate of $5,00( per day. The ore is low grade, free milling, averaging $4.50 yer ton. The cost of mining and milling was stated to be S1.50 per ton. MT. Conlee is O the opinion that the Monarch vii prove fully equal to the HomestakC and will be one of the great producers of our country.