Graham guardian., 1904-04-22
ralIIngs Question.
Thateher, April 1s, 'O4.

"NSh NoAhDlhN, MI CudfieS VI :.
Layton and the writer visited Cliff
ton and Morenci last week, and
followed up the matter of damage
being done the farmers of the
valley by the sediment coming
down the river
Last November we visited Mo
mining camps and had consider
able conversation with Mr.. James
Colquhoun of the A. G. company
and Mr.. Binnie of the Shannon
company. Mr. Mills was not IN
Morenci, Mr.. Colquhoun showed
us the blue prints of designs drawn
out TOR settling tanks, an expert
ment so to speak, to settle the sedi.
ments and prevent its coming
down the river.
The Shannon company asked me
to submit the proposition, or
situation in writing, so it could be
presented to the directors in the
East.
Ihls was all done and greatly TO
our pleasure, and should be the
satisfaction Of all valley readers of
this paper. We found on our sub.
sequent visit, it was not all talk,
but that the Two companies we
interviewed bad gone to work.
Saturday the 9th inst, we met
at the homo of Mr.. ColquhOun,
president of the A. c. company,
Sir VIM. John Menzies, chairman
of the board, whose home is in
Edinburgh, Scotland, as related to
us the next morning by Mr. Colqu-
houn. We made favorable i'm
preston of the Scotch capitalists,
and after going over the whole
situation and showing conclusive.
ly the damage being done our val
ley, we were assured that every
effort possible, would be taken to
prevent further damage being done
by the tailings.
Immediately below the Long
fellow conoentrator, belonging to
the Arizona Copper Co., we found
these settling tanks. Before their
construction the tailings poured
out of the mill and tumbled down
the mountain side and Joined the
Frisco river at Clifton, but now as
it leaves the mill, it falls in the
tanks and only the heavy settings
arc permitted to roll down the
mountain side, the settled water
is drawn off and pumped back for
further uae.
These tanks constructed of ce.
ment are about IL feet wide by 80
feet long and 20 feet deep at the
lower edge where an iron door is
arranged to hold back the aocumu
lating settlement, and by opening
it shoots out and down the hill
side. There are nine of these
tanks, but from all appearances it
will require at least two more to
hold the tailings a sufficient length
of time for it TO be thoroughly
settled, two filling in twenty-four
hours. While the settling tanks
are still in their experimental
stage, we feeling assured they will
be q success.
AS to the tailings at Clifton,
the company have them elevated
into the cars and are filing up the
trustle work along the railroad
line, but they only remove the
coarser, the stained water still
runs into the river. How this can
be prevented, is not yet deter
mined. 1t may mean that in some
future time a removal of the mill
may be necessary.
AS for acids and such other
hurtful substances leaving the
mill and damaging the river water
or vegetation, VIC are not prepared
to say, but are of the opinion that
there is nothing OF poisonous
nature, the damage is attributed to
the quantity of thick sediment.
For leaching purposes the COM
pany pay S25 per ton for acid, not
likely they would run it into the
river. A ter the teaching process
is over, the liquid from those watts
is pumped to a reservoir up Chase
Creek where it mostly evaporates,
if any should reach the river, il
would by seepage, it would be
transferred to another formation
by contact with other formations.
The Shannon company are con
structing dam across the ravine,
which partly enclrcles the works,
with hopes Of settling the tailings
aud draw off the clear water from
the top. They expect to get the
Stag dam done in about six weeks
We won't complain if they take
little longer, as we found their de-
termination was to be fair upon
this subject,
The writer bad long conversa-
tion with Prof. Douglas and Mr..
Mills. They are now convinced
of the evil and concede the wrong
and damage being done the peo-
pie of the valley, but the question
is how to take care of it. | sug-
gested that with us we did not