The Florence tribune., 1900-09-22
MINING MATTERS.
Arrival of Prominent Operators from
 the East.
Active Developments Promised for the
 Coming Fall and Winter.


 ward which big mining capitalists are journeying.
 The Ray Copper company, whose big plant thirty miles from here, is success beyond all question, all re- ports to the contrary notwithstanding. The big mill is now running day and night after a three-weeks' shut.d down for repalrs to the gasoline engines and machinery. New pulleys and belts l have been put in which concentrates the power to one grand centre, and some of the most expert mill-men and machinists to be obtainable now com pose the force. About 200 tons of ore are being run through the mill every 24 hours, and all things are working smoothly. The company's new store building will be occupied this week, and the new boarding house will be in full blast. The company proposes to build a substantial bridge over the Gila river that will answer both for a railroad and a wagon way. A smelt- ing plant is also to be erected st the junction of Mineral Creek and the Gila river.
 Arrangements are being perfected as rapidly as possible to have one of the largest and best equipped plants in Arizona or the United States.
 The company has during the last week bought out thirteen different mining properties near them to add to their already vast possessions, which substantially proves their faith in the big copper and gold bodies almost on the very outskirts of Florence.
 Mir. J. R. Mclean has just arrived from Boston. He is the president of the Kelvin Copper company, of 92 State street, Boston, Mass. This com pany has bought the Piety group, directly adjoining the Ray Copper com pany's mill. A tunnel will be driven that will cut seven distinct veins of copper. Tom Hall was awarded the contract for 200 feet of tunnel work there, also POO feet more on adjoining claims of the Kelvin company's group. 1 Mir. Mclean will also put machinery at Dagger Well to further develop the Agassiz Mining company's valuable i properties. They are down now 100 feet on vast body of sulphides over 20 feet in width that show up good values in copper, gold and silver. The Agassiz company have their main of flee at 92 State street, Boston, Mass. l Mir. Jos. Mulhatton, who has repre- i scented both eompanyies in the field all summer, has brought things to very satisfactory condition, and the two companies, in which he is large stockholder, own two of the largest and richest bodies of copper in the field, having over 5000 feet of river front with mill sites and roads, all easy of access, and with favorable con ditions generally.
 MT. Cutting, of Boston, is aiso in the field as Troy, better known as 'Skin- nerville," some six miles above River side, and will have force of about 40 men ut work in few days on their big copper property.
 Mir. Pike, of Chicago, is also open ing up his copper properties just above Kelvin about two miles.
 The outlook is certainly the most encouraging in the history of Florence and Pinal county since the palmy days of theSilver King, The present min- ing wave will engulf and overshadow anything in the past. Copper is now king aud there are vast bodies of it here beyond all question.
 The lower field, just above Florence ten miles, and near the Buttes, is just now receiving great attention. It is part and parcel of the great belt upon which are the Ray eompany's and McLean's mines. The following gentle men arrived on Saturday last repre- senting the various companies who are now opening up properties near tn C Buttes, viz: Col. w.. H. Norway, of Santa Barbara, representing the Pinal Consolidated Mining company, owner of the old Belle mine, which is known to cont tain large bodies of high grade ore.
 A. M. Harrison. of Washington, D. C., is now here He and George E. Chittenden have organized big com pany in New York and will bring diamond drills and set a force of mer at work soon on their properties about ten miles above Florence. They shipped three cars. of fine glance ort from there last fall and they have ont of the finest prospects in Pinal county l They are now openiag up 8 big prop erty out from Dudleyville, where ex'