Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1899-10-25
A TRANSFORMATION SCENE.
An Active and Prosperous Mining Camp Developed in the Brad sha~s From Through We'll
 Directed Pluck


 sha~s From Through We'll Directed Pluck.
 To the sojourner in the far west, surrounded by environs that are sharply contrasted by the broad and fertile prairie lands of the midland country, there is nothing so attrac- tive and fascinating as the gigantic mining industries of the great south west. The life that has been spent among those mild scenes that char acterize the Mississippi valley sud never even dreamed of the click and stir that echoes back tbe civilization of the mining camp IS al once im- pressed by the vast wealth and splerdid possibilities and IS pro- fouDdly influenced by ihe EeW eaudi- tons. After ascending lofty pinnacle of the Bradshaw mountains and looking away over distant foothills rising and falling in gentle undula- tlons and painted by the fiery hues of an Arizona sunset or hy the rusty hand brush of receding centuries it IS easy to realize the feeling of Won Humbolt when he exclaimed. "Be- hold the treasure vault of the Uni versew
 Yet why Is it that all this that Is worth knowing and worth the win ming Is generally withheld fron those seeking the truth, when the stories of plunder and wild cat spec ulations of unsafeiY and unrest find their way to printi Why is it that the great mining operations, the leg itimste mining enterprises, the un- usually and sure wages that rivals the best IS not surpassed by any ia the world. the security of life and property before the law are passed by with seeming indifference or dis regard, while some silly book whose author lacks the moral stamina or back bone to succeed can he pub lished aud circulated broadcast throughout the east, circulated to mirror the true conditions of Q great territory.
 Such today, iu a great measure, seems the real, the true situation of one of the richest mining sections, containing many of the most vslu- able gold, copper aud silver mines in the world, as It is presented to very many if not the msiority of the east cru states.
 As one who came 10 this t.rriiory one year ago buOyed up under the high hope of misplaced confidence, the writer has learned that there IF no good reason and hss no iispOsi- tion tU speak of Arizona in other than highest terms aad respectfully asks for space in one of the leading dailies 10 speak of her rapid strides of progress.
 If there is A single thing that im- presses the observer more than an other in Arizona II IS the vastDess of distance and territory. From peak to mountain peak, through canyon and valley, it would seem that the untiIiug prospector could 20 on for ever. And to find that the trails eontiaually lead into mining esmps nestling in the mountains, and that these camps are generally active and productive at once presents the prosperity Of the mining business and of the endless task Of speaking broadly of these interests m the Bradshaws. 1 wish therefore to ad- dress myself among other things to the Buster mining camp, to its sud den and remarkable growth as typical camp of this locality.
 This mining camp, like very many others in Arizona, bad been discov- cred and located for a good many years before any considerable work had been done. Its history runs parallel with those histories of other and older mines, where the pros pector comes along with bis burro and piece of bacon aud pitches hIs tent. Witb>his patched up tools he mines in a rude half-hearted way, making an especially poor showing which he calls ''sn assessment" In this say the property Is developed a few feet more Iu addition to that already done. Then he SrSstrss some of the best ore to secure another grub stake" and dreaming of some fairy Fl Dorado that still awaits hun with its millions, he folds his tent" like the Arab of the desert, "and silently steals away"
 The property had, however, been worked continuously for the last six years and was sufficiently opened up to show it's values as tunDe!s were driven from one to two hunured feet. Geo. H. Hooper, former su- perintendent of the American Graphite mine at iconderoga, \. Y, bought the property last May for the British American Gold and Trading company of Baltimore, Md. As Mir. Hooper Sas prevented fcom taking charge of the work by sickness iu his family, T. A. Duushee. a we'll known mining man of Salt Lake City, Utah, at once assumed charge.
 When the present management as sumed control of this property there was absolutely nothing in the way of improvements; underbrush, scrub oak. Juniper and pine seemed to hold absolute sway aud almost con- eealed the dumps and tunnels from view. Except a mountain trail that wound through the rsvine the near est Toad was a mile distant. 4 force of men were at once set to work and a wagon road constructed about a mile and a quarter distant Then a saw mill was purchased and placed upon the ground for the purpose of saving the timber at hand into lum- Der, instead of buying and freight ing il in, and the result has been that about 75.0O0 feet of lumber has been laid down upon the ground and utilized for building purposes gen orally at a much lower figure than could be otherwise secured.
 Grading was also pushed with all vigor for the sta-Dr r-''i' .'fT, .atIon, and the first timber was lad in place July 15. On the 22d day of-August the mill was m readiness to receive ore. When one realizes that all thls heavy machinery was bought and shipped from San Francisco, hauled in by freight teams over rough roads of three or four days journey and handled oyer several times, gener- ally by sheer strength, and placed in running order in the short space of a few weeks, he must know of the undertaking and successful proSecu- ton of a work only known to the