Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1898-09-07
WHAT RAILROADS WILL DO.
The Building Of the Prescott & East- ern Will Give a Great Impetus 10 Mining in Big Bug
 District.

AH AfaAatta-t1 AsA
 ---- District,
 Mention was recently made in these columns of a trip by the edi
 tor. oyer the Prescott * Eastern
 Fsifroad, as far as the track is laid on +. The building of the road in itself is rather a surprise, and to the old timers of this section it can scarce be realized yet that it is reality. But equally surprising IS the impetus which its construction has already given to the mining in dustry in that section. Although the Big Bug district cannot be said to be a new one, it is yet new, so far as be;ag thoroughly prospected is concerned. Owing to its remoteness from railroad communication and the consequent inability to work anything but claims containing very high grade ore, comparatively little attention has been given to it by prospectors. Although the road lacks several miles yet of being completed to its eastern terminus, a number of prospectors have already been attracted there, and as soon as 1t becomes generally known that a virgin field for prospectors IS being opened up by it, there will be large influx there. The possibilities of that section cannot yet be even approx mated, as some of the most promis- ing properties in the district are those which have been but recently located.
 4 prominent example of this is furnished in the property which has been recently bonded by E. B. Gage and E. M. Murphy, known as the Huron group. It IS located along side oi a very prominent dyke which can be traced for miles through the country. This dyke is . right in line with the celebrated : copper mines at Jerome. and with the Swiss Girl mine in Agus Fria djslr.ct. It had been tram ped over
 by prospectors for years but had
 been ignored by them. Less than
 two yeats ago new comer came
 into the distElet and made a loca-
 ton on this dyke, or ledge Old - miners were rather inclined to make
 light of what they called the ''ten-
 derfoOi's" locatiou, but he set about
 working 1t ant soon struck
 ore in the claim SsTryiug 6 good 5. percentage oI gold 1 some cop per. Nc attention was pad to the
 latter metal but the claim vas worked as a gold cla. n and was de- veloped Tor considerable depth. Water was finally struck in the deepest workings and work was suspended, the picks and shovels being used in the work being lett at the bottom of the shaft. On re- returning several days later, he owners were surprised to find that through the action of the water their tools had been practically turned into pure copper. For the first time it dawned upon them that instead oi gold property carrying a small percentage of copper they in reality had located copper prop .eTty carrying gold in paying quanti- ties It did not take the experience e,i eyes of Messrs, Gage and Mur- pGy long 10 detect the possibilities | of ihe claims and they accordingly l took bond on them for a sum away up in the thousands. They | have established a permanent camp i and have enlarged the shaft to a | double compartment one and have day and night shifts now at work i developing the claim. The ledge l is qu ite wide and the claim gives every promise of opening up into a large property. in which event a ? nt will be erected to work the | c..
 The above is only one of the many l possibilities which the new country opened up by the construction of this railroad will afford in the loca- tioa of new properties. It is rich field fer the prospector, and those who early avail themselves of the opportunity will be the greatest benefciaries.
 4 railroad, station, known as Huron, has already been located at | the Huron group of mines, while there will be another al Big Bug and one at Chaparral GuIch, afford lpg the greatest convenience Tn the way of transportation for all mining Interests.
 The Swiss Girl group, mentioned l above as being in the same mineral belt, apparently, as the Huron | group and in line with the great 1 copper mines at Jerome, is 8 very promising copper property, contain ing eight fuil claims located con I}guouSiy upon avery strong Assure ye.n. Good ore occurs in the crop !. pings Of the two extreme end claims aud excellent sulphide ore, similar to the best found in tne United Verde mines, has been found in quantity ID the workings of the Swiss Girl mine. which lies in the center of the group. The ore ex- hibil from this pr peTty was award ed a medal and diploma at the late Worlds Fair al Chicago. The Swiss Giri group is a psrt of the extensive Bsunann copper property, from Wi ich seye-ai shipments of ore have been made in recent years. With the completion of this railroad, the BaUmann group may reasonably be to cone Tap ly to the front as bug producer.