The Florence tribune., 1899-03-11
THE RUSH FOR COPPER.
Timing Boom in Full Sway Near Flor
 ence, Arizona.
Ledges of copper-God Material Traced
 for Over Fifty Miles.
Special to The Denver News.

Special to The Denver News.
 FLORENCE, Ariz., Feb. l5.-The greatest precious mineral region in the chain of the Rockies is as yet un- touched by capital or labor. It is that portion of Arizona that lies within a radius of fifty miles of this town in Pinal county. The town was made by the famous Silver King mine, which, like many others, closed down when the boom in silver collapsed.
 Copper is going to be the basis, how ever, this time for new boom in this region. About twenty miles to the north of Florence, great virgin cop per belt commences, which extends to and beyond Globe, fifty miles from Donnelly stage station, which is sixteen miles north of Florence.
 From there on to Dagger We'll, near the Ripsey mine, and on to Riverside and Mineral Creek, great ledges are thrown up full of gold quartz and cop per, presenting conditions that would set Colorado mining men wild were they around Denver or any of the Colorado mining towns. The country is wild yet, but easily accessible. Much of the mineral crops out on rolling mesa land and in the foothills, over which there is no trouble to take wagon. It is an ideal region for the investment of capital in prospecting and developing.
 The Mammoth and Mohawk are about forty miles to the east of Dagger Well, which is the great central point for vast field of untouched mineral land, yet fine copper prospects are now being opened by California capitalists, and on Mineral creek, fifteen miles or so from Dagger Well, five companies are now at work opening up vast bodies of mineral.
 Mineral creek is about thirty-6ve miles south of Globe, where the Old Dominion Las produced so many millions during the last fifteen years. Here is field for practical mining men and capitalists to come to. The conditions here are more easily defined. The lodges of mineral are large and data is at hand from the Sil- yer King, Mammoth and other mines near here, showing this to be one of the greatest mineral belts of the Rocky Mountain system.
 The great beds of copper near here were not in demand heretofore, as they were too far from transportation. Now they will be in demand There is generally gold enough asosiated with the copper to pay all expenses of handling aud treating the copper Shafts from 6fty to I50 feet deep have usually to be sunk to get U the bodies of mineral, and the people around here have no capi tai 10 do anything, and so have to depend upon the outside world to come in and develop the wonderful mineral resources that sur round them. The town of Florence is pretty Arizona town, built mostly of adobe, yet there are several fine brick buildings. A fine agricultural country surrounds it, which is sup piled with water from big canal taken from the Gila river. It has churches and schools, Masonic and other lodges, hotels, saloons and, altogether, is quite fiourishing border town, although it's mining boom has lain dormant since the closing down of the Silver King. Yet there are rumors of that great mine starting up again and quite number of men are still kept constantly at work in it developing it, and it is rumored that it is yet to be one of the worlds greatest producers of both silver and gold.
 l The Ray Copper company has D large force at work on Mineral creek on great beds of copper. Then the SchilliDg Bros. have quite plant also Dunham and company, and San Francisco company, who have just taken in an outfit of tools, tents, etc., and about twenty men. Copper is the magnet that is drawing the mining men in here now. The hills are full of it. It is, in fact, Ari4ona's great speciality yet, there is an abundance l of gold in connection with it.
 l Florence is reached via Casa Grande station ou the Southern Pacific rail- road. IL IS twenty-six miles from Florence to Casa Grande. A daily stage runs between the two points and there is telegraph line to Florence.