Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-12-13
CLIFTON's PROSPERITY.
Short Review of the Arizona Copper
Company's Properties.

The last issue of the Mining and SCI
entifc Press contained the following
interesting account of the history, OPP
erations and prospects of the big east
-ern Arizona copper mine:
From Globe to Clifton and Morenci,
the ella Valley, Globe and Northern
railway passes through the ella val
= ley. Although but twenty years old.
the ella valley is a prosperous farm
ing district by reason of its irrigating
canals and such markets as only live
mining camps afford. Ranchmen live
in handsome brick houses, and every
village boasts a brick school house
costing from $1,000 to SO, 600. The towns
of Geronimo, Fort Thomas, Pima, Cen
trail. Thatcher Stafford and Solomon
Vile are all prosperous, owing to the
demand for productions of the valley
at Globe, Clifton, Morenci and the new
mines being opened on the San Carlos
strip, the Graham mountains on the
west and the Lone Star district on the
east.
Clifton is the Oldest and still one of
the best copper mining districts in Ari-
iona. The ella river flows down
cliffs, from which the town took its
name. 1t is built upon both banks of
the river and is connected by a wire
suspension bridge for foot passengers.
The copper mines near here were dis
covered in 1872 by prospectors from
Silver City, New Mexico. The Long
fellow was the richest MINI discov-
cred, and it, together with some other
properties, was subsequently sold to
Lesinsky Bros, merchants at Silver
City, who built the frs furnace (made
of adobe and produced the first black
copper made in Arizona. The ore, be-
ing self fuxing, required nothing but
fuel and blast. The copper was ship
ped by teams to Las Cruces, New Mex
leo, 600 miles, DIT that time the nearest
railroad connection. 1t was no unusual
thing for teams and drivers never to
be heard of again. being raided by
Apaches. 1t was here that the first
tramway was built in Arizona, con-
Meeting Clifton with the Longfellow,
and subsequently with Morenci. Its
gauge is twenty inches.
In 1882 Messrs. Lesinsky sold their
property to the present company,
known as the Arizona Copper COM
pany, and composed of Scotch capital
lists. This company began the con-
struction of a narrow gauge railway,
which is seventy-one miles IN length.
In the meantime water Jacket fur
naces had been constructed to treat the
rich ores found in the limestone con-
facts, but made NJ provision for treat
nent of the low grade ores, of which
there were great quantities. The low
price of copper and the exhaustion of
the high grade ore resulted in the
building of a teaching plant in 1894,
which was designed and perfected by
James Colquhoun, the manager of the
company. The process is secret, but a
success. Every day, except wnen shut
down for repairs, this plant treats $50
tons of tailings. This company also
manufactures bluestone and sulphuric
acid directly from the sulphide ores.
The mines of the company, which
are from four to ten miles from the
plant, contain ores which vary so much
in character that different methods of
treatment are employed. In addition
to the teaching process a concentration
with a capacity of $50 tons per day is
in operation, and the foundation for
another concentrating plant is being
laid. A huntington mill, Frue vanners
and Whitley concentrating tables are
also in use. Gas engines with a capac-
fly of 600 to 700 horse power furnish the
power for the Bessemer plant and other
machinery.
A large chimney or pipe is to be con-
structed up the mountain side to catch
the small percentage of metal escaping
in fumes, and the tailings which were
obstructing the river are to be elevated
and flumed farther down the stream.
The altitude of Clifton is 3,4OO feet. the
mines are 5000 to 1000 feet above the
sea, the ore coming down a gravity
tramway. While the low grade ores
yield only little over 8 per cent cop
per. the output at present approx
mates 1000 tons of metallic copper per
month.
At Morenci, seven miles away, are
the mines of the Arizona Copper COM
pany and also those of the Detroit Cop
per company, owned by Phelps, Dodge
& Co. of New York, and of which Prof.
James Douglas is president.
Here a new concentrating plant with
] capacity of 500 tons per day is near
ing completion and will be in operation