Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1896-08-08


sisting of Prof. VIM. P. Blake, director
Of the School of Mines at the Univer
sity of Arizona, Brewster Cameron anG
Leo Goldschmidt. returned yesterday
from three weeks visit to Northern
Sonora, in the vicinity of La Csmpsns
and FL Grupo mines, 10 the Altar dis
trict, Mexico. 100 miles southwest Of
Tucson.
The gentlemen who accompanied
Prof. Blake Oh this trip are enthusiastic
in their praise Of his charming person
atty. A months outing with the pro.
lessor ia not only q rare social treat
but literary feast. 1t does not seem
within the range OF human effort, Oh
within the narrow compass of one hu-
man life, that any man should have &C.
oomplished the results that the Brit.
tanica Encyclopedia, Supplement to the
9th edition, credit to Professor Blake,
but one cannot spend q month with
him on the road, in the camp and on
the mountains, at his 10th year of age,
without discovering those rare qualities
that led the French government to con-
fer on him the ribbon of the Legion of
Honor, in recognition OF his investiga-
tions and discoveries, and which moved
President Grant to select him to exam.
inc into and report upon the resources
of Ssnto Domingo when our great col
dier-statesman sought the annexation Of
that fertile island for strategic and com.
merciel purposes. 1t is to the lasting
credit Of the University of Arizona that
a man OF his worldwide renown has
been made director OF its school of
mines.
Prof. Blake, while en- route to Sonora.
called the attention of his companions
to some curious natural phenomena. As
they approached Ell Grupo he remarked
upon the noticeable change of temper.
AZURE, the thermo meter being CONSIDER
ably lower. He also noted the great in
crease of verdure and the thicker grow To
Of trees. He attributes the more lux
urisnt plant and tree growth to the
breezes from the Gulf OF Lower Cali.
fornia, which prevail as far inland as
Ell Grupo, causing heavy dews at night.
The climate is soft. balmy and salubri-
Gus. Ga the 18th of July, ut O'Clock
in the morning, it was so cool that fire
10 the superintendent Office at E.
Grupo felt very comfortable. The alti
tude there is only 400 feet higher than
at Tucson, yet every night the party
slept under heavy blankets.
A careful study OF the rich mineral
resources ct Northwestern Sonora was
made by Prof. Blake during the time
he was manager OF Ell Grupo Mining
company, 10 1895. prior to bis election
ss Director of the School OF Mines; and
be made, during q recent visit to Sono-
terestIng geological and mineral forma-
tions which have excited the admiration
OF every scientific man who has visited
that locality since Humboldt first COM
mented upon the marvellous richness of
it's mineral deposits.
La Campana and FL Grupo mines
have both been discovered and develop
ed within the past two or three years,
but several other mines in the vicinity,
that are also owned by Gen. Manning
and associates. were worked for years
prior to the discovery Of gold in Cali
fornia, and long before any OF the pres
ent owners were born. One of these an
cient mines, the "Abundsucia," at Ell
Plomo, furnished all of the lead carbon
stes that were required to smelt the
rich gold and silver ores of Northw west
srn Sonora. The lead ores from this
famous mine. which appeared in the
form of great kidseys 10 the ledge, we're
packed out of the lower levels on in
clines upon the backs OF Mexicans and |
Indians. When the California gold |
craze reached Sonora the owners of the |
A bundsncia mine abandoned it for the |
rich placer fields OF the Golden State. |
All of the dyifts on the lower levels of |
he mine are now covered with |
pat gusno from three to four feet |
deep; and it was necessary to smoke |
1ut the countless thousands of bats |
hat now inhabit the mine before Pro- |
lessor Blake could enter the lowest |
evels to examine the character and ex-
;ent OF the ore in the drifts. 10 all the
aces and roofs OF the drifts, at the |
bodies OF valuable ores, silver, lead
md gold. The aneients worked this i
nine exclusively for the lead ores,
which carried the silver. The gold
,res, which comprise the chief part of
he ledge matter. were thrown upon
he wasts dump or left 10 the mine.
Professor Blake horn-spooned and pam
ested these discarded ores and found
rec gold in quantities sufficient to
make their milling extremely profitable.
rbe deposit Of lead ore In this mine is
o great that if has given the name
lei Plomo" to the camp and town in
which it is located; but the discovery
4 Professor Blake reveals such q vast
valuable quantity Of free gold ore that
be Abundancis now bids fair to become
g famous in our time for its gold as il
vas in other days for it's lead.
Professor Blake also visited another
ncient mine, near FL Plomo, known
8 the "San Manuel" Photographs
AIKEN by Mr.. Goldscbmidt show this to
% q stupendous ledge. Il towers I'D
Ike q mountain cliff. The ores from
his mine we're 30 rich in free gold to O
epth of eighty feet that they were
scked to the "rrep,p twenty-five miles
q the backs OF burros to a stream of
'atsr, where they were worked at an
nmense profit in primitive arrastras.
he ancients stopped the free ore on
9th sides OF the main shaft to distance
I several hundred feet. The srrastrss
reduced thousands OF tons OF tailinRs,
obtaining more or less pyFitee, which
i'd at the Tren until the discovery
! Al / &