Arizona republican., 1897-09-24
CLIFTON CAMP.
Graham CounIty's Best Mining Dis
 trict-An Interesting Place.

Graham Counyty's Best Mining Dis
 trict-An Interesting Place.
 Clifton. Ariz., Sept. 22.-(Special correspondence of The Republican, -T'he more one investigates this sec ton of Arizona the more he wonders that this district and others are not brought into greater prominence in the financial centers of the globe. With observations taken in few months travel 1 ann convinced that the territory presents more substan- tial opportunities for investment in mining than the much Vaunted dis tricts of Colorado and elsewhere. If our people would send copies of pa pers published in their own territory to localities where money awaits an opportunity to be placed to good ad- vantage, they would advance their own interests and that of Arizona.
 Clifton does not convey the same impression that other mining towns do. The unsightly slag dumps are not exposed to view and business seems to have assumed more of the settled ways that come to towns that have passed beyond the embryo state. Once you locate with mine host Abra- hams of the Clifton hotel you feel that you want to stay right along. MT. Abrahams has faculty of mak- ing you feel at home. His house is so we'll kept that you come to regard it as the bright particular spot in your acquaintance with the hotels found in mining camps. The em- ployes are stayers, which is in evil dence of good management. It is one of the few hotels in the southwest which have introduced the electric call system, dOirg away with the an- moving rapping at doors. In yards and on the streets the ever welcome foliage meets the eye at every turn. In the eneIeSures adjacent to the homes of those able to support the luxury are fruit trees, shrubbery and garden patches. The homes of the well-to-db are attractive while in North Clifton the surroundings con- vey the idea that you are in some old settled eastern village. The main and only street ill the business sec tion of the original town, aside from the neighborhood of the Clifton ho- tel, has all of the characteristics of a mining town in the general ac- ceptanSe of the term There are the saloons with every game known to the sporting elemef1t, including the Chinese joint, where fan tan is a strong attraction, and the Mexican saloons, in which monte takes prece- dence. To cap all, frail women par ade this particular section. Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast hence some places employ musicians in order to draw, and make the associations of public re- sorts more entertaining
 Turning now to business, we find in the immediate vicinity of the works the big company store, which would do credit to a city of large proportions. Tucson or Phoenix is mot in it with this establishment, which occupies a ground floor equal to 60x160 feet. Almost every article a purchaser may desire is found, in cluding meats for the table, a butcher shop forming part of the general makeup. The postoffice occupies an important place. Fully thirty clerks are employed in the big bazaar. Price & Co.,, Hogan & Co. and Smith Bros. conduct we'll stocked general merchandise stores, these being sit uated outside of the Arizona Cop per Mining company-s properties. It is a peculiaTfty of Clifton proper. which means the property of the Ari- zona Copper Mining company, that no business is allowed within the lines that are in conflict with the company store, all such properties being leased with that proviso Some steal march but great caution is exercised to prevent a violation. which means a surrender of the lease
 Refersnce was made in the intro ductory toE Milton of the railway con- trolled by A. C. M. Co.,. limited It is a narrS gauge. and has thirty. one miles in lew Mexico, forty miles in Arizona work on the line was begun late in 1882 and completed in June, 1894, Five twenty-two tor engines, eighty-six fiat and box car: and two combination coaches com prise the rolling stock. New coache. are to be made and added to this. 4 survey was made from Guthrie to Cliff ton via the Gila and Frisco rivers but as this route meant great expos ure to freshets, the mountain rout, was chosen, which involved heav, ofades, cuts, etc., four tunnels and number Of bridges, the latter varyin, In height from thirty to eighty fee. The run is made over the mountain
 at the rate of twelve miles per hour and the valley from Duncan out tt Lordsburg is often covered at tn, rate Of fifty miles Der hour. thougf the schedule is twenty-two The pas senger traffic generally fills the eoacI each through trip. Supplies for th, A. C. M. O., limited, and its outpu of copper bullion comprise the larg est haul, while that of the Detroi- Copper Mining company contributes almost equal that or the company which controls the road Wells Ear.