Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1904-06-29


committee appointed to investi.
gate the feasibility and possibilities
of success of such an enterprise sub
mitted its report, which follows.
Mr.. Chairman:-The undersigned
memb ers of the committee appointed
to make a reconnaissance of the Black
Hills range of mountains through
which a tunnel is projected to be
built beg leave to submit the follow
ing report:
PREDATORY thereto 1t should be
stated that two Of its members, Judge
r. e. Sloan and Hon. J. G. Hern
don, we're unavoidably prevented
from accompanying the other mem
bers and the committee has been de
prived of the valuable aid, assistance
and advice which might have beer
given it by these members in The
preparation of IT'S report. These gen
tlemen who we're detail ned Oh account
of important court business which
could not be postponed, have giveT
their promise to make a visit to the
above section in the near future anc
make a study of the feasibility of the
proposed mammoth enterprise.
The committee visited the Black
Hills range on Saturday, June p, ar
irving at the former camp of the Gav
apai Copper company about noon and
devoted the entire afternoon i'll an eX-
animation of the section lying be-
tween that camp and the Verde Val
ley, or the eastern slope of the Black
Hills range, where the eastern termi-
nus of the proposed tunnel will be.
The first point visited was a peak
known as Lookout Mountain, where a
view of this immense
plateau, situated in the very center
of this range was obtained, and from
this peak which gives such a COM
handing view of the entire range,
from its western rim to Mingus
on the east, an idea was
obtained as to shortest route obtain
able to accomplish the greatest re-
suits in cutting the minreal forma-
ton as we'll as in the development OF
the vast resource of living water,
which it is evident, as will be stated
further on in this report, exists in
these mountains.
From Lookout Mountain the commit
tee traversed over mountains of lesser
attitudes and across gOrges and can
yons to the western slope of the Min
gus mountain where an ascent was
made to its summit at an altitude OF
over 1000 feet. The table land on the
summit of the western spur of this
mountain lying between the two
branches of Black Canyon was trav-
ersed to the precipitous point where
the branches unite, and the observa-
tions made from Lookout mountain
we're verified as far as a preliminary
could confirm it.
The following day the committee
visited that portion of the range ly-
ing west of the former camp Of the
Yavapai Copper company.
The western slope of the range is
very irregular, and instead of present.
ing an unbroken surface it is cut by
precipitous and deep canyons, with
spurs of the mountain projecting far
out between them. The committee
visited a number of these spurs from
which observations of the canyons
and the general topography of the
country were made, and taking into
the conditions found OF
the previous day, and the approx.
mate eastern terminus of the
projected enterprise, selected what in
their opinion seems the most feasible
starting place, at point about Que
mile, in a southerly direction from
the Yaeger Canyon mine.
In making this reconnaissance, the
aim of the committee was to ascer-
tain, approximately, where a tunnel
could be driven with the shortest pos
sible length, aud at the same time &C
complish three objects.
First. Cut the mineral formation
as nearly as possible at right angles
Second. Obtain the greatest pos
sible depth.
Third: Develop the creates
amount of water.
Other favorable points we're noticed
on the western slope, which wOuIC
lessen the length of a tunnel consid
erably, but it would be at a sacritic,
of several hundred feet in depth.
WATER PROSPECTS.
For the purpose of ascertaining tn
possibilities or probabilities of de
veloping a large water supply b.
means of the proposed tunnel, tn
committee made a very thorough eX
animation of the conditions existing
on the surface throughout this rang
and especially within the boundarie
of the immense central plateau IOcat
ed within its borders.
In making this, the openings o.
various claims formerly owned by tn
Yavapai Copper company we're visite
in which conditions were fOun
as follows:
A shaft in the bed of Ash Creek,
feet deep was filled to within a fe
feet of the top.
A shaft on the hillside, short di.
trance from this, 30 feet deep. ha
/ % feet of water in it
A shaft still further up the hillsid,
40 feet deep, contained u feet
water.
North of this 300 feet, a 40 70,
shaft had u feet of water.
The above shafts we're all locate
on the Vesuvius claim. Furtb
northeast on another claim. a 30 fo
shaft was found with 20 feet of waite
A hole six feet deep, we'll upon Il
side of the mountain, which had be,