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


shait at eighty feet, and there is a wide
ledge of solid bronze to the depth OF
ITO feet, that runs high in gold. This
is the deepest opening in the mine, blu,
the geological I'D mineral or.nation:
| clearly indicate that this vein goes to
great depths.
The average person takes but little
interest IN lodges OF ore, however rich
or we'll defined, unless they happen to
be the fortunate owners; but no person
cap fail TO be dsepIy interested in @
mining property that is equipped with
q complete plant, IN full operation.
There is music in the roar of a stamp
mill to any man who has ever engaged
in the mining business. For this rea-
son the gentlemen who have just re.
turned from Sonora feel a greater iu>
terest in Ell Grupo and La Campana
than in any of their other mines visited
as they have erected 10 stamp mill
upon each Of these properties.
The site of Ell Grupo mill is one OF
the most beautiful spots conceivable.
1t is directly over Bsboquibari Peak,
100 miles southwest of Tucson. 1t is
on high knoll. at the junction OF
three picturesque arroyos. A reser-
voir of sixteen feet of a water, enough
to run FL GrupO mill night and day for
six months, has been impounded by
throwing a high embankment across
one OF these arrOyos. From the wide
varandah OF the Superintendent house
this great reservoir OF water glistens
like the crystal surface OF mountain
lake. The mesas, foothills and sur
rounding mountains are covered to
their very SUBMITS with grass and YER
dure. In the far distance the Bsbo-
quibari Peak looms high above all
other elevations. being the landmark
for northwest Sonora as it ia for
southw west Arizona. In such spot,
picturesque beyond description, Is the
mints of any kind, much less Of remark
able richness; yet the mines at Ell
Grupo deserve favorable men ton among
the few remarkable mines OF Sonore.
Early in 1894 Gen. Manning and as
sooiates bought oDe-half interest 10 FL
Grupo mining claims from Sr. ]. Nj.
Zspeda for $3.50. They then employed
American miners to systematically de-
velop the property. Large deposits OF
rich ore were immediately opened up,
and the fret shipment netted $500.
They then bought the other half in
terest for s22,5OO and paid Zepeda that
cum out Of the earnings of the proper
ty. They then erected a 10 stamp
gold mill, with concentrators. Suisse
quently they added pans and settlers.
The plant at Ell Grupo, which was built
from the earnings of the mines, is now
as complete as any in the state OF Sono-
ra. Its daily earnings, from 12-hours
run on third class ore, is more than dou-
BILE the sum first paid for oue-half in
terest in the mines. The water supply
being now secure, the mill will hereafter
be run day and night, almost thrilling
the present earnings CT the property.
Sixteen hundred feet of development
work has been done upon Ell Grupo
mines, uncovering sufficient ore to run
the mill night and day for five years.
Development work on this mipe is being
pushed with vigor by thirty five miners
who are working night and day shifts
Until General Manning and associates
ed Ell Grupo as ''the apple Of the eye,"
but it is different now, for La Campo
ma hss, within few months, been trans
formed from mere prospect into one of
the great free gold veins of the world.
Its groupings, from one to twelve feet
high and from three to seven feet wide,
can be plainly traced on the surface for
a distance Of more than five miles.
Openings at number OF places show
that 1t is contact vein lying between
quartzite and granite. The vein is al
most vertical. It's trend Is north and
south. There are evidences throughout
it's entire length, on the surface as well
as at the $50 foot level, that it will go to
enormous depths. The groupings are
of such uniform value that all within
reach have been run at O
profit through 10-stamp development
mill, erected on the property. Wherever
the ledge has been opene5-iu all the
tunnels, shafts and drifts-fres gold
shows in the horn spoon and pan. The
lowest sample ever taken across the en-
tire ledge sssayed 81 in gold per ton.
Several large chimneys Of ore have been
encountered on the fifty and 100-feet
levels that milled from $40 to $50 per
ton, gold. The 150-foot level shows
even better ore. The mill runs show
values slightly above the assay tests
thus confirming the uniforms value of
the entire ore body. The entire ex-
the ore furnished the mill from develop
ment work alone. Not pound OF ore
has been stopped. The workings all chow
a ledge of friable quartz from three to
seven feet In width, beautifully mineral
zed, with q soft gouge on both sides OF
the vein from two inches to one foot
thick. 1t is an ideal ledge for economi-
:sl working. sHd when the working shaft
which is now being sunk, reaches the
)OO-foot level, two miners can extract
enough ore to supply ten stamp mill.
rhe mill 10 directly under the working
shaft, about eeventy-fiv feet below its
mouth, 80 that the ore hoisted out of
he mine can be dumped directly into |
he mill bins. 1t never need be touched |
BY hand after it leaves the lowest level |
II the mine. The we'll is fifty feet dis
ant from the mill. As far as the eye |
IAN reach in every direction, there lie |
orest of ironwood, mesquite and palo |
7erde.
Only 1850 feet of work has been done
IN La Capmana mine, yet the configura-
ion of the veiu is such that the shafts, |
lrifts and tupnels have blocked out |
ufficlent ore to supply 5O-stamp mill
or years to come. Twenty-three min
re are working night and day, further
developing the mine. 1t is, in the opIn-
on Of Prof. Blake, the mother lode of
sonora. The owners are confident that
he only mining property in Sonora
hat can rival La Csmpans in magnitude
md value is the Minas Prietas, which
vas recently sold to an English syndi-
ate for two million dollars.
The investments of Gen. Manning
nd associates st Ell Grupo, Ell PIomo
nd La Csmpana, including the cost of
he two 10-stsmp mills only amount to
lie, 200. The great results achieved
Nth this small expenditure of money
re wholly due to the business sagacity
nd economical management of Gen.
isnniDg.
Tnis was Mr.. Cameron's first visit to
be mines since their investments were
,ads 10 Sonora. This business, which