Arizona republican., 1899-05-22
Increased Activity in Mining in
 Pima County.
BLAZING WITH FURNACES
A Description of inc Growing Azu- rife-CommentS Upon inc Re- pubIican'S Expose of the Spena- zuma SCheme-The San Rafael Involved in if.


 spordeGce of The Republican )-The
 interest in copper mining in Arizona
 premises to increase during the sum-
 mer mcnths and when fall comes there will be greater activity than ever be-
 fore known in the copper districts of
 the territory. In the southern part of
 the territory Tucson is the center of
 this new interest, and the old pueblo,
 as it has been called for years, has
 been thrilled with new life and gradu-
 ally q great mining center is Springing
 into existence here. The success of
 the Helveta group of copper mines is
 now assured and Superintendent
 Dwyer says that the company proposes
 to erect a shelter at once and begin
 the production of copper. This new
 camp is but thirty miles from Tucson,
 and eighteen miles away is the Azurite
 whose shelter biazes the hills with
 brilliant flashes of red fire at night and
 marks the scene of another new camp.
 These flashes of light can be seen from
 the city at night, and by day there is another evidence of the prosperous condition of the camp in the shipments of great ingots of copper matte. This n-w camp has about eighty men em-
 plcyed and is working cn full time. Ex-Governor McCord of Phoenix and
 ex-Governor L.. c. Hughes of Tucson are largely interested in the AZurite. The work which is being dope now is simply to test the value of the prop
 erty in a conservative manner and show the worth of the mine as a pro- ducer Among mining men it is re- garded as one of the most promising copper prospects in the southwest. and already a number of investors are bidding for it's purchase. The aver age value of the Azurite ores is'7 per cent, but as the development follows the ore chutes into the primary forma- tion where rich sulphide ores are stored it is reasonable to believe that this mine will advance in importance amcng the mines in the southwest. The ores of the Azurite are oxide of copper, and s1lphide ore is beginning to appear The varying quality of the ore from the different workings pro vides fiux and the company has to look outside of it's possessions for coke alone, so that the lAzurite can produce copper matte with minimum of ex- penee. There are large bodies of low grade ores which will later be treated by teaching when the operations of the company warrant this extension of fa- cility. Thcimas Hughes owned the Az urite group of claims for many years and it was not until recently that a company was formed to operate the mines The great number of mining men who are coming to this section Of ATtZcna are encouraged by the promising appearance of the Azurite, and this property affords a good illus tration of the value of a producing mine in the midst of so many unde- veioped prospects Men are skeptical, and they are more inclined to follow than lead The Azurite shows what can be done and points the way to sue cess in mining. Although this DOT ten of Arizona has been known to be rich in copper wealth for years yet it has been allowed to s.JImber until the commercial demands for copper and he expansion of the use of this metal in the arts awoke it from it's Rip Van repose. The people here are just realizing that-they are located in he geographical center of a great cop aer basin, and if they are alive to the which is now presented hey will lend the hand of encourage nent to those who are working to ring these great resources before the a apitalists of the east who are seeking profitable investment for millions of lollars.
 Charley Wemple, who is known throughout the southwest as the Anti nony King, was one of the mining nen in Tucson who heartily commend q the course of The, Republican in xposing the operations of the Spena- una company. On al sides the at itude of the paper was commented pon, and legitimate mining interests ave been benefited. "A copy of the Iew4 York Sun, which reached me yes erday, contains an advertisement of he Spenazuma and the statement is lade that 500 tons of ore is on the umps of the different workings, and here is 5000 feet of work done The ntire workings of this camp is no lore than 1,500 feet and there is not
 carload of ore all told in u camp.