The Arizona sentinel., 1895-06-15

l There Is no section of the United
 States, or probably of the earth,
 more rich in mineral wealth than
 the county of Yuma. All the
 country north, east and south of
 Yuma, lies directly within the
 main gold belt that commences in Alaska and ends in Mexico. From
 the San Bernardino mountains,
 in California, to the Sonora bound
 ary line, the mountains and hills
 are exceptionally rich i'll the
 precious metal, as though demon
 strating the theory often advanced
 that the richest gold mines are found bordering the beds of ex-
 tinct oceans. The great Colorado
 desert was once an inland sea, cut
 off centuries and perhaps ages ago
 from the main ocean leaving it's
 waters to evapocate in this intense
 heat. ThroughOut all the country
 bordering the desert, including this
 section, rich mines are being con=
 stantly discovered, and some of
 recent location are already produc-
 ing immense profits. In this
 neighborhood of Yuma, claims ex- ceedingly rich on the surface are daily being located, and all signs portend great mining boom for this county which will cuIminate as early as the coming fall in an inroad of much capital. Experts are arriving every week and mines are being bonded at more than heavy prices. It seems wonderful to believe that all this mineral wealth has been lying at our very doors for so many years without 8 taker, but, as stated in a previous article, the tendency of prospectors is to go a long distance off into strange lands rather than to seek for mines in a country as old as Yuma county and so accessible. The greater the distance, the hard ship, and the danger, the greater the fascination for the prospector. Distance seems indeed to lend en- chantment to the view.
 So it is that this country is al- most virgin field for the mine hunter, and now with the few hundreds searching in it's mountains its mineral secrets are still in effect secrets, for thousands upon thousands might 5ewandering through the rock ribbed Businesses of our mountain ranges and their presence be almost unknown, so vast is the extent of country.
 It is the purpose of the Immi- grafton Commissioner to devote a large number of articles to the resources of the county, describing separate properties as we'll as possible with existing in- and it is proposed to first take up those mines that lie ( within a radius of a few miles of Yuma, being comparatively recent discoveries. It is of great i'm portance that those interested in { mining districts in remote portions 'f the county, give what informa- jon they can to the commissioner. This town is filling up with would be purchasers of mining property md applications are constantly, ,eing made to the commissioner or facts concerning prospects, mines, and districts.
 One of the most recent discover es consists of a group of mines ,ituate Tn the Gila range about ,wenty five miles from Yuma. The group is composed Of the following hines: La Fortuna, Half Moon, Bachelor, Sunset Christmas Gift, New Years Gift, Alta, Arizona and mines, owned by c. W. Thomas, Laurent Albert, Peter Farrell and w. H. Halbert. The irst four mines are on the same edge; the Christmas Gift, New Years Gift, and Alta parallel the edge on the north, and the Arizona ,n the south. The Expectation, ! large iron-capped ledge, lies Lbout 500 feet south of the main group
 These mines lie some 15 miles southeast from Blaisdell station ,n the Southern Pacific railroad