Arizona republican., 1898-04-13
MINING IN YUMA COUNTY.
Two Big Propositions and Others
 Growing Into Prominence.

Yuma, April 11.-(Special cores pondence of The Republican )-1h hat this county will become one of the active producers of rich mineral ores there is no question. As yet La For tuna is the only camp that is particu- 1arly favored in it's relations to the S.. P. railroad, the haul being only six teen miles over a fair road, heavy sand being the main obstacle. The King of Arizona is another great mine, but it IS unfortunately seventy-five miles from the railroad and besides the diff culty of securing water has been greatly to it's disadvantage. Yuma depends to a certain extent upon the development of the mines and pros poets, not only in the county, but the Sulphur mining district on the Lower Colorado river in Mexico, and in San Diego county. just across the line. Yuma will take front place with fur ther development, better methods of transportation and the opening of the canals. She has California market in season and may even enter the Salt River valley in due course of time
 Twelve miles east of Yuma is Blais- dell station. Every evening after the arrival of the east bound train the stage with the morning and evening mail starts south to La Fortuna, sev- enteen miles distant, returning to Blaisdell at 10 a. m. La Fortuna (the fortune) is still in it's infancy, being little more than two years old as an active producer. Max Cohn, who was in the deal which meant the transfer Of the properties to the La Fortuna Gold iriD o1
 his share, I am told, and is still push ing mining as promoter in and about Yuma. MT. c. D. Lane of the famous Utica Gold Mining company of Gala wares county, Cal, owns the controll- ing interest in the La Fortuna, the balance of the stock being owned by his immediate friends, the corporation being strictly a private concern. MT. Lane has always been very proud of his Arizona Fortuna, and says he has no desire to sell, as it furnishes him too much pleasure to work a good pay ing gold mine to think of parting with the property. He has caused to be erected the very best machinery, does most extensive prospecting under ground and has built for his lieuten- ants large and comfortable quarters in order to make all feel at home, in cluding several ladies, wives of off, cials
 La Fortuna is particularly fortunate with respect to its water supply, which consist of a large pumping plant twelve miles north of the mine on the banks of the Gila river. The pipe con- nection is four inch which carries a volume of water to the reservoir of 100000 gallons capacity at the mine Failing waters are run into a pond and used when necessary.
 The mill is of the twenty stamp ca pacfty, ore being free milling gold. Amalgamation, as in most mills of it's kind, and large percentage of prec- ious metals are caught in the batteries The stamps are of unusual weight 1850 pounds each, the fifty foot run of plates below each battery being of un- usual length. The mill crushes sev- enty-f1ve tons of $25 rock per day, sav- ing over 80 per cent and affording an output of $45,000 monthly, which has been kept up since the plant was es- tablished. A considerable quantity of tailings are banked up and these wil be disposed of in the customary way, possibly after the manner of the very productive methods adopted at Con gress or the Little Jessie and accord ing to the character of the tailings.
 A 100 horse power engine, battery of four eighty horse power boilers. eight drills, compressor, double com partment shaft, double reel hoist are accessories to the stamp mill, besides Blake rock breaker, Buffalo blower for ventilation on lower levels and air hoist underground. Pumps are under ground and are on tailings pond, as also at the river as previously men tioned. Wood is hauled from the mountains for fuel
 The mine is down 600 feet, but de- velopment work has always been pushed faster than the ore has been taken out. Thus each day witnesses more in sight than on the day preced- ing. MT. R. M. Strauss of Arizona fame opened up the mine, placed the