The copper era., 1901-05-30
Clifton and Morenci.
solomonville Bulletin.

solomonyille Bulletin.
 That Clifton and Morenci will event.
 ually lead all other mining towns in
 Arizona in the production of copper is
 being demonstrated every day. Not
 withstanding the important improve
 ments completed in both camps during
 the past few years, other new things
 fact that neither of these important
 towns has reached their full growth.
 During the last twelve months the De-
 troit Copper company at Morenci has
 completed and occupied one of the
 largest and handsomest store buildings
 to be found anywhere in the southwest.
 A new smelter and converter plant
 has been installed to replace the old,
 which was burned up during the past
 year. The Morenci Southern railroad
 has been completed and is now in op-
 eration, to the wonder of all who see
 it or pass over it. Besides these gi-
 gantic accomplishments the Detroit
 company are now about ready to begin
 the building of new hotel, gymana-
 sium and church, all three to be
 erected on modern plans. A new school
 house for Morenci is also under con-
 tract to be erected at once. Mir. w.
 A. Pitt of Clifton, has the contract for
 the school building and he went there
 this week to begin the work. The
 building Is to cost $12,0O0, of which
 the Detroit Copper company will pay
 two-thirds and the Arizona Copper company one-third.
 At Clifton a magnificent and sub- stantial growth has been scored during the past year. The Arizona & New Mexico railway has been changed from narrow to a standard gauge. The enlargement Of the capacity of this railroad is s guara n tee that tho streams of rich red metal from the Clifton and Morenci smelters will not cease to flow within the life time of the present generation. The Arizona Copper com pany will complete new 200-ton con- centrator at Longfellow during the first hall of next month. The Arizona Cop per company are tearing away the old | smelter plant which they have used | for years and an entire new battery Of smelters are to be put in, including a steel floors. The new plant will con- sist Of five 200-ton shelter furnaces, giving a total daily capacity for hand- ling 1000 tons of ore. The baby gauge (2O inch track) is to be torn out between the smelting plant at Cliff ton and the Longfellow incline, and regularly 36-inch narrow gauge rail- road will be operated between these two points. The grade for this road is now about complete. The new con- ceutrator at Longfellow and the new smelting plant at Clifton will be in op- eration by July 1st.
 Many new buildings are being erect ed at Clifton and Morenci by private individuals and the surrounding min- eral districts are attracting more att tention than eyer before. Before the of next year the Shannon Copper company will have commenced the production of copper. Their smelt- ing plant will be built on the east bank of the San Francisco river, about one mile below Clifton. The site for the has already been graded and the machinery has been ordered forward. A roadbed has been graded from the Shannon shelter which will connect with the A. & N. NJ. railway at point near the north end of the railroad bridge across the San Francis co river. The Shannon company own what is known as the Shannon mine at Metcalf, which is conceded to be one of the best copper properties in the Clifton country. Besides this well known mine the company secured quite 8 number of adjoining claims. They are now working forty men.
 Surely the mining industry in the eastern portion of Graham county has made wonderful progress. It was in 1870 when the first prospectors arrived in the Clifton country. The first cop- per ever smelted in Arizona was at Clifton, an ordinary blacksmith's bel lows furnishing the blast for crude adobe furnace, heated with charcoal.
 In 1873 the Leszynky Brothers began to produce copper, freighting all their supplies by OK teams from Colorado and delivering their output of copper there. IL was in 1882 that the Arizona Copper purchased the property. They immediately built the line of rail- road to Lordsburg, New Mexico. The A. C. Co. had hard struggle for ex- lstence and for the first ten years there was not cent of profit but continual of debts. When Supt. James Colquhoun was placed in full charge of the property it was in an un-