Bisbee daily review., 1903-08-02
THE TOWN OF CLIFTON.

Isaac N. Stevens, now a resident of Clifton, is the only man today living in either Clifton or Morenci who saw the beginning of mineral development in this section of Arizona He did not locate the first claim, but was or the ground before any work had been done. The first mine located in this section of Arizona was the Arizona Central mine. which is now one of the princi- pal properties owned by the Detroit Copper company. This mine was b. Gated by party of three men. Messrs. Gullard. Yankie and Swishelm. This was about the first of the year 1870. No one was looking for copper in those days; silver and gold were the only metals which attracted the attention of the early prospectors in this country The locators of the Central mine sunk 6 ten-foot shaft. and then. in February of that year. in prospecting the hills around the camp. discovered some rich gold rock in Gold gulch. near the pres ent town of Morenci. The gold was exceedingly rich. and when banned ont gave a value of 52 cents to the pan. This was considered something good. 10 the three men took some of the gold rock and returned to Silver City. New Mexico. then an infant settlement inhabited by only thirteen men. The story they told of Gold Gulch and the rich mineral country they had been into created considerable excitement, Ike Stevenson and Robert Metca1f were at Silver City when Bullard. Yankie and Swisshelm returned They list ened to the story of the new find. and tested the samples of ore exhibited which they concluded was rich enough to justify a trip for a more extended examination of the country. Tn the meantime men were arriving at Silver City rapidly. and very soon a party O, fortysix men equipped themselves for [ trip to Gold Gulch, where the rich gold rock was said to have been found.
 This party included Bullard Yankie and Swishelm. Ike Stevens and Robert Metcalf Crude rockers" were pre- pared for washing gold. and the party carried one rocker" to every two men. Some camp equippage packed on burros was drought along. The h. dians were dareerous at that time aud q vfeilant watch was necessary to pre- Nerve the scalps of the gold hunters. Several days were required in travel ing from Silver City to Gold Gulch which was reached during the dry sea son in Julv. before the coming of SUM- mer rains. On reaching Gold Culch tt wes found that there was only d small hole nf water to be found in the vicinity. and the water was so "cop- pery" that 1t was almost unfit foruse
 Finding camoine facilities so un- favorable the marty moved to Eagle Creek prd made A carn there where fhev woi'ed for the rsirs tn supply the water holes in fhe rnnuntains ss that prosnecting in the district would Na possible After several wanks hal rassea the na-v tired of waiting for rain and rot finding arv considerable onan+itv of gold in Gold CuIch. crn- rfrdaS to -nturn to Silver Citv. On
  @ ecAe into it MT. Stevens and th!r- tann r,ar taH- tho r,ai, ra-.v ard wart into the Siet-ic+ ;r Now arav'ro now krowp ae SteAnie Rock. or Carlisle Tn fhst vici-itv +hev encountered srna-I hs-a of r-1'sre who wa-e driven sw " from thai- ca,rn which woe rort--o' Tho ~a-.v eu a--ivad hart at Silver Cf4v e1fa,v a-a <o- --c-o .h~r vn~- rnfhire more was heard about this ser- ton.
 In 1872 Colonel Ryerson. with Swiss helm and his two partners returned to this section and located three more claims near the Arizona Central loca- ton. which had been made in 1871. The four claims were the Arizona Ger tral. the Copper Mountain. the Yankic and the Montezuma. After doing the required location work, Colonel Ryef- son and party again returned to Silve- City, which by that time had grown into lively camp and was healquarf- CTS for all the mining men and pros pectors who were being attracted to the mines of Arizona and New Mexico.
 Tn August, 1872. a man named Pearce. who was a mining expert. with headnuarters al Silver City. secured a bond from Colonel Ryerson. Yankie. Bullard and Swisshelm on the four claims which they had previously To- cated. where Morenci now stands. Pearce. the mining expert. took sam ples of the ore and went with if to De- troit. Michigan. where he made deal with a man named Ward. Ward agreed 10 nav the four owners S2.00o each, which he did. After making the payment he sent a man named Joy out to Morenei to do what work was re- duired to entitle him to patenc 10 the claims from the government: At Sii yer City Joy met Ike Stevens. who lad been prospecting in that vicinity srd fu the vicinity of J,ordsburg since his first trin to Gold Gulch. and. Stevens and others were employet~ to- begin vork on the forr claims as Mo~anci.
 About that time Robert Metca'f again arrived ir thf= vic'rity and lo- csfed mines on Metcalf Hill. and also the fongfellow mine. When the Long