Arizona republican., 1904-02-25
GRAHAM COUNTY COAL STRIKE

The Wolder coal strike in Graham county reported by the Morsnci Stand ard has developed four feet of coal in ore five foot shaft and two one foot layers. beside several small seams. in a three foot cut at the discovery point
 The shaft first mentioned is in the basin above the discovery. Other coal seams have been found at several points in the basin and creek. bed. but no work
 has been done except the little to de monstrate the actual presence of defnate coal body at the discovery points This work was finished on Monday. when Superintendent Mills, Vice President James of the Phelps Dodge Go. and Milt McLain of the D. C. visited the ground. Inspection was finished in less than an hour and the discovery bought from MT. Molder by
 MT. Mills for Phelps Dodge The en-
 tire time of the party at the discovery
 did not exceed fOrty-fve minutes. The price secured by MT. Molder for his discovery has not been made public
 but it is understood to have been lib eTal in conformity with the long es- tablished policy of Phelps-Dodge to do
 for the prospector all the value of his find may warrant.
 Immediately upon purchase of the discovery the D. C. sent in a corps of surveyors to locate 32O acres of sur rounding coal land, all that company may purchase of the government De- fore doing S5.0O0 worth of development work. In doing this work and making surveys for private parties. the corps is still hard at work in the coal field. Development is most likely to com mence next week. The first step will probably be 10 blow out the face of the discovery in the creek bed. A bet ter idea will thus be secured of the extent of the find than any other quick means would give. However diamond | drills may be put to work at once or a shaft started on the coal.
 Tuesday pr. Ricketts, the company expert, was summoned hastily from | Globe to view the coal field. After go . | ing over the ground he advised that work be confined to the basin. begin ming at the discovery. until thoroughly ! explored. Opinion was expressed by | him that a good working show existed | for the basin to prove a wonderful bed ! of coal. pr. Ricketts stated that he 1 had been all through the basin years Iago. but the possibility Of coal there i had never occurred to him. Many prOspectors can say the same thing. i The canyon where the strike was made
 was far from unfrequented. It is now
 mighty lively.
 The area of the coal field is probably five square miles.
 l It lies in a big basin dipping straight | into the Gila valley. The drill alone will tell the true value of this great ! lnrniacf |. from no other mining proposition, but
 the indications are certainly highly en- couraging.
 Should the success be met with that now promises, revolution will be work
 ed in Copper Mountain and Greenlee ! districts. Heavy transportation charg-
 es on coke and coal will be done away with and q mighty impetus given to increased production of the metals abounding in the districts and the great industries sustained at home by this production Excitement over the discovery has been marked in Morenci but has as get spread little to the out side. Local people have located so far over 5000 acres in the coal basin. Prospectors are now numerous in the section and rush is probably ahead. Oil, of which there is a strong indica-
 ton just outside the coal belt. will probably also come in for considera- ton.
 The Detroit Co.'S. purchase of Mol der-Jenkins claim is a big item in the event of success of the field. It means that Phelps Dodge will then draw thelr coal supplies for Morenci. Risbee Globe and Nacorazi interests from here
 and 1t IS not improbable that economic reasons will induce the great mining
 corporation to largely increase if not
 centralize the bigger part of all it's
 reduction works at MOrenci
 The strike also means that the Phoe-
 nix & Eastern extension of the Santa
 te coming along the base of the coal
 field. will be hastened and gives double
 assurance that the transcontinental
 line will come to Morenci and Clifton