Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-03-07
ARlzoNA,s GOLD MINE.


Bome Of the Famous Strikes Made In and
About Phenix.
Some famous gold strikes have been
made at Phenix. A. Z. On a hill which
from distance looks to be very pointed,
but which is really fat topped, is the
famous placer district of Rich hill Here
few years ago some one found nuggets
Of gold ON the very top Of the rough,
rugged mountain. Placer claims were
staked out, and large camp sprang up
as if by magic. Pint cupfuls of rich
nuggets were picked up in day and
fortunes were made. But it did not last.
The deposit seemed to he local, and as
it occurred on the very top of the noun
tain there seemed to be no ledge from
which it could have come save barren
seam Of CLASSY quartz which cropped ont
at one point, writes a correspondent.
The old miners theorized on the matter
and came to the conclusion that the rich
deposit was the debris of some great pock-
ct of ore that had been in the ledge near
by, but at higher point, and that ero-
sive action of past ages had worn it
away, leaving the gold on the top of the
hill. That was many years ago. and to-
day few Mexicans exc out poor liv-
ing there ON the hilltop. getting few
good nuggets occasionally and always
gold dust.
Near by the Rich hill is the Weaver
district district rich in gold few
years ago, but worked cut Eastward
from these two regions and down along
the main gulch and in the side rayines
OF the Hassayampa is region famed in
early days more for its danger than its
richness. Westward along the base of
the mighty piles of granite is a gulch
cutting deeply into the mountain side.
This is Fools gulch. Recently few
belated gold hunters stumbled on a
ledge there that looked good, and pro-
ceeding to develop little they found
fine ore. In few months they sold
their two claims for $40, 200. A very
lively camp is there now
On the top of the mountain from
which FOOLS gulch issues is the Yarnell
mine. 1t looks to be a different climate
and different region to climb the moan
tain from the gulch to the Yarnell In
the valley below the characteristic fora
of the arid region abounds - various
members of the acacia family, the creo-
sote wood, or greasewood, several varie-
ties of yucca and the ever present sage.
On the mountain above are scrub oak,
Juniper, spruce, cedar and some pine.
Such is the influence of altitude.
Across the valley that lies far below
is the great bonanza Congress. This
mine was one Of Dennis Mays discov-
cries. May dug so or so feet of shaft
and ran few levels to expose the ledge.
He struck ore rich enough to pay haul
ing overland to Prescott, a distance of
70 miles by wagon road and then ship
ped to smelter at El Paso. That dem
onstrated the value of the property and
a buyer was soon found in the person of
that enterprising and successful western
capitalist, Diamond Joe Reynolds. De
velopment was Immediately begun and
a 40 stamp mill constructed, with con
contractors. The ore is sulphide of iron
and gold, or iron pyrites, known in the
early days of placer mining as fools
gold. But today almost any mining fool
knows its value, and 20 carloads
month of its concentrates now leave the
Congress for an eastern smelter The
first concentrates were hauled to Pres
colt and shipped from there. The own
ers of the mine had long projected
railroad that should take out of the re-
gion the products of the mine and also
go farther south and tap the Great Salt
River valley at Phenix. Part of this
line, from Ash Fork to Prescott, was
constructed during Diamond Joe's life
time. After his death the executors and
others combined to finish the work, and
less than year ago the rails We're laid
into PheDix. Since that time the Con
gress mine, now owned partially by 9TH
ers, has been worked with large force,
and it is daily milling 100 tons of ore,
while the potassium cyanide process
treats an equivalent amount of the tail
ings or residue from the mill.