The Florence tribune., 1899-10-07
A PROMISING DISTRICT. WAat Promises to be the Next Mining Excitement in PinaI County.
DunLEYyILIE. Oetober

EDITOR TRIBUNE: Mineral Creek 1 being the ''whirling center, anything this upper country must have that as starting point. A short time ago Mineral Creek was rather quiet place, deserted by all but "a few stauneh veterans who knew their faith was grounded on rock (pay rock and that sooner or later their rich reward must come.
 To the lichen-bedecked old-timer, who has ''stayed with it." not from faith, but by inertia, this sudden in vasion of vibrant life and energy has been violent shock, having been vio- lent enough in some cases to jar loose shreds of moss.
 But the movement won't stop with Mineral Creek for its terminus, for there is mineral wealth to be utilized yet further on.
 Beginning at Mineral Creek you can follow the limestone range-locally known as the Dripping Springs range ito where it crosses the Gila above the mouth of the San Pedro. You will then have travelled a distance of fifteen miles, and if you are prospec- tor and have been observant, you will have found at frequent intervals all along your route the iron-capped out crop of both lead and copper deposits. In the majority of eases they have never been even scratched. h the im- mediate vicinity of Mineral Creek the same class of surface outcrops have been worked on, developing into splen- did prospects.
 The same can be said of the Carroll mines, and of the '79' mine, belonging to Scott, Brsnaman X 0 Brien; they are fine showings, because the mineral has been put in sight by work.
 The Carroll mines are across the Gila in northerly direction from the mouth of the San Pedro, up on .he root of the range and underlain by B bed oi carboniferous limestone a thousand 1 feet in thickness.
 Here the Dripping Springs range may be said to end, and you will find yourself on the rim of great basin with the limestone for floor, whicI has been filled with an immense flow of irruptive rock. On the flank of tht limestone slope on the other side of th' basin you will see the bedded yellow sandstone in which the Deer Creek roa fields are located. The intervening space has been carved and cut b, | erosive acton, the waters of the Gila 1 Deer Creek and Ash Creek being ths chief factors, with the result that yol look across a chaotic mass of ridge and chasms, where, had you beer earlier on the scene, say dozen million of years ago you, might have gazet across comparatively level ex panse
 About the mouth of Ash Creek is [ network of gold bearing veins, varying from few inches to few feet 1T width some of the veins produce high grade ore. These veins, at no grea depth, are underlain by the thick bec of limestone, and if the veins were fol lowed oown into the latter, an increase in size, if not in richness, could bt reasonably looked for. There are pros poets here of great merit, that, to put il modestly. certainly invite and deserv, development. A little more than [ mile to the eastward of these golC veins are the lead, silver and golC bearing veins of the Saddle Mountain district. In spite of the low price o silver, there are plainly paying proposi tors here. h the past. when silve was higher. considerable ore was snip ped from this district, notwithstanding the fact that it cost $25 per tor freight to the nearest railroad point The working charges at the smelte1 were high, for the ore carried such { light percentage of lead that it wa chased as dry. In fact. the ore of thi district is an ideal concentrating ore which would reduce to a lead bas' carrying high value in gold and silver Near at hand is water in bundance fol both power and reduction purposes Four miles to the north of this and stil within the confines of the Saddle Mountain district is a copper region You might call it the southeast end O the Mineral Creek copper belt, for 1t il at the southeast end of the Dripping Springs range, and you can begin ther' and find copper at frequent intervals clear on to the Ray mine.
 In the locality I speak of the grouI of claims known as the San Carlos arr of most importance, both as regards their work and their history.
 They were sold by the origina owner to company about fifteen years ago. The company built road, span ned the river with good bridge erected a smelter and went to work