The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1901-07-04
ARIZONA SKETCHES.
BY MRS. ANNA B. BRANDT.


streets OF Kingman, waving a chunk
OF innocent looking quartz.
In the days when the Arizona desert
trackless and arid, was the only thoro-
fare between the young civilization o.
the southwest and fowery field OF Cali
fornia, the trip was veritable Jor-
nado del Muerto. The trail would be
strewn with the carcasses of freight
animals that succumbed To the seeth-
ing heat and dearth OF water. Some
thing had to be done, and some in
spired genius suggested camels. The
government acted upon the idea. a
herd of these ships OF the desert was
imported and launched upon the sandy
seas OF Arizona, with we'll known re-
suits.
Jose Juarez, the Mexican above
quoted, was one OF the drivers Of these
camels. After their abandonment by
the government, Jose experienced the
ups and downs OF prospector's life,
now finding a rich pocket and having
royal good time, then loading his
burros and treaking off over the Mala-
pal hills with a grub stake furnished
by some rockingchair miner.
The spring of 1900 found Jose in cry
ing need OF a grubstake. The sheriff
supplied it to the extent of Sl2 80.
Jose packed his burros and turned his
face towards the river range, some %
miles away.
He camped for the night upon the
divide, where he could see the Colo
RADIO river, some eight or ten miles
away like ribbon of silver, simmer
/ ing in the glorious sunset, and the
mountains OF Nevada and California
blending in the blue mist Jose laid
| him down to dream. The patient
| burros, their little stomachs yearning
for distension, wandered away over the
hills in search of desert dainties.
They found the ochotillo and cat-claw
so luxuriant and so delightfully."- prick
ly that they forgot to return. Jose
found them browsing happily under
| the shadow OF a great ledge.
1t stood some 80 or 40 feet above the
surface, and could be traced, straight
as the path of an arrow, for mile
across the hills. The instincts of the
prospector awoke. He ran back to
camp and got his COW horn and iron
mortar, without which no prospector in
that land OF free gold travels. He Sc
lected some good looking stuff and
horned 1t. "Horning," it may be said,
is Arizona for ''panning" Gold. fine as
flour but plentiful, and such vast bod
les Of it reaching up and fairly scream
ing for recognition.
With feverish energy Jose located
three claims along the ledge, and then,
the Mohave maiden forgotten, he
hurried back to town with the report
of his great find. Work was commenc-
ed on a vein and Jose's judgment was
confirmed for assays as high as SO, 900
per ton were obtained. The great
Gold Roads bonanza became a factor
to be reckoned with. The claims were
sold to Los Angeles capitalists for S50,-
600, and Mr.. Sheriff was assured of a
reasonably good return on his invest
ment of so, since he and Jose
shared equally. Incidentally it may
be mentioned that OF the first payment
of $40, 900, Joses 1000 lasted just two
months, from which it may be inferred
that he enjoyed the ''good big drunk
tpi "a hinh ha thA,rht AJ ,rontaA tn
bless his old age.
Kingmanites were getting tired of
the town bum. He wouldn't work-ex-
cept other people. His sole aim in life
was to eat and drink drink
at some one else's expense. One day,
while loafing in a saloon, waiting for
some philanthropist, who was in favor
OF free irrigation, the bartender said:
Jim if you leave town I'll give you
a quart of whiskey."
make it two," said Jim, "and I'll
GO"
The offer was accepted, and with
his whiskey bestowed about his person
in convenient bottles, Jim went away
over the hills. Faithful application to
the bottles reduced the whiskey and his
pedestrial powers in the same ratio,
and with the last OF the liquid he laid
down among the rocks and knew no
more for hours.
When he awoke, he lay gazing at the
sky, stupidity wondering what next
His outstretched hands CROPPED idly iu
the gravel about him. Mechanically
he raised a handful and looked at it.
He rubbed his bleared eyes and looked
again. He jumped to his feet effectual-
ly sobered. All around him lay quartz
fairly peppered with free gold. He
h ad laid down in an exposed pocket of
ia bulous richness. He slipped back to
town under cover of darkness and Sc
cured, history is silent as to the meth
cd, number of gunny sacks. Return
ing to his find he gathered up the loose |
ore into his sacks, ten of them, and hid |
them. Then he located his claim and |
went boldly back to Kingman, no long
er the town bum, but man OF wealth. |
He received $40, 900 for his claim, be-
sides $4,000 more for the ore he had |
sacked.
Such stories as these finally filtered |
by the slow process OF quiet tips to
Colorodo anj rasulted in -ba odvap 1