Arizona republican., 1902-02-17
THE RAY COUNTRY
find Other Rich Mineral Regions in
 Pinal County.

Florence. Ariz.. Feb. 13-(SpeciaI Correspondence of The Repubiican.)- At Kelvin learned that the Ray mine is temporarily shut down and the big mill at Kelvin, ol the Gila, is at a standstill. The Ray mine is ore of the richest in southern AIizon2 and will be great producer.
 Even though the Ray is closed Gown. there is. considerable activity all along Mineral creek At tha base Of Teapot mountain the Bobtail Mining company has q rich geld prospect upon which they are working about twenty men. A two stamp prospecting mill is being placed on the property. and it is esti- mated that the product of this little
 mill will be larger than many ten stamp mills in Arizona because of the richness of the ore of the Bobtail group.
 I learned that the Ray company is much interested in the new railroad and there is TO doubt but that the mine and mill will be in operation by the time the road is built along the banks of the Gila at that point. There are hundreds of fine gold and copper claims on Mineral creek and in the districts which are contiguous. This region will provide great quantities Of shipping ore. and there are q number of claims which are now shipping in spite of the distance to the nearest railroad station.
 There is some excitement on Mineral creek owing to the rich strikes of free milling ores which have been made near Dagger We'll in the Ripsey mining district. Some veins carrying ore run ming fron $25 to $5o per ton have been discovered there of late.
 A. J. Brooks of California has secured the WestfaH copper group of claims. h which Rev. Merton Smith. the evan gelist- is also interested. The ore Is high grade and carries beside copper gold and silver values. The surface in dications are very promising and min ing men who have seen the property are confident that a rich producing emp will be opened up there. The Westfan group is located about twelve mics east of Florence. Tom Weedin. editcr Of the Blade. has located the e,.- tensions oi the WesJfau vein and will lo some work on them.
 The Newbury mines are now in the hands of a Boston company. These claims are eighteen miles northeast of Florence and but five miles from the proposed route Of the Phoenix & East s-n railroad. Although these claims are yet in the prospect stage. yet the NtlueS gre Sucn dt the present Uepth as to warrant extensive work. hoist and pump is being placed on the Lander claim, which is one of the group. The present depth is 200 feet. The latest assays show gold values of $50 to the ton, 70 ounces of silver and 3Js per cent copper. The White Elephant which is one of the claims. has been developed by a vertical shaft to q depth of 15O feet. Tine same vein has been encoun- tered here. and the same class and | grade of ore is found. The vein is found associated in a formation of slate [ and porphyry. lying between these l formations. Development of 250 feet has ! been made on two other claims of the | group The vein of this group varies in width from five to ten feet and the out of the vein is continuous for | several miles. On the surface the prin- !. cipal values are copper, and the claims ! were located for their copper. but gold i =eems to be the chief product or the ! claims at this time. The gold and silver values seem to increase as depth is at 1 tained on the vein.
 On account of the presence of water ]. in the shaft a pumping plant has to be . placed on the property. A large ship 1. nent of ore has been made to Boston. l. where q smelting test will be made by 1 the company. The mines will probably . be equipped with a reduction plant in , the near future. Five hundred feet of ! development work will be done al once l