Bisbee daily review., 1905-10-29


 over to Turkey creek from the placers Of the Hassayampa river. and found Robert Groom, Henry Clifton E. Martin Smith. and others in posses sion of a mining claim which they ca led the Bully Bueno; from the surface workings of which considera- ble rich gold ore had been taken and the values extracted by means of the oldfashIoned arastKa. Not a great deal of development had been done on the property, but nevertheless NiclTOy made a deal with the owners, Tn which he agreed to pay them S150,- 900 for the mine He procured a bond, and immediately set out TOT Philadelphia, where he succeeded in inducing the owners of the Baldwin locomotive works, Asa Whitney Car Wheel Co.,. and others of the, large iron manufacturing concerns of that city to form a mining company for the purpose of buying and operating the Bully Bueno. It was certainly a gigantic scheme to undertake in those days, for the western terminus of the railroad was then al Fort Leaven-
 
 to transfer a stamp mill and othe. heavy machinery from the city of Philadelphia to the mountains of Yav- apai county.
 Three hundred thousand dollars fn cash was subscribed for a starter. and twenty stamp mill complete, a cum- bersome engine, and three oidfashicn- ed flue boilers, such as were used on steamboats, were shipped by rail to Fort LeavenwoHth, and from there hauled overland. which undertaking required thirty' ten-mule teams, and small army of attendants.
 Three hundred of the finest bred Kentucky mules were driven across the plains hauling the paraphernalia of the company, and upon the arrival lof the da9avan at it's destination, plans were immediately made for the erection of the mill under the super. vision of William Helme. a master ! machinist, and millwright. who was employed and sent out by the com pany for the purpose, and who had full charge of the construction and operation of the plant Shortly after. wards Maor Coffin. an old military officer, was commissioned by the com pany to act as general superintendent of its affairs.
 Operations had not gone very far at the Bully Bueno when trouble with the various tribes of Indians that in. fested the country was immnent. and bands of Yavapais. Apache-Yumas and Apache-Mchaves who were com, hitting depredations on every hand kept the camp in a constant state of 1 excitement.
 Several of our old-timers were em. nloyed at the mine, among whom were Cornelius Davis, Sam Miller, Judge Griffin, John White, Chas. Genung and Dr. Kendall, the latter acting as resident physician.
 One morning after a series of con tinual outbreaks by the Apaches, the amputated leg of an Indian was dis covered dangling from the limb oi tree near camp. The superintend ent after finding the dead body of the | Apache from which the limb ha, been severed. made inquiries as tc | Cornelius Davis, better known as Judge Jeff Davis. that he did, ant that he had hung the leg on the limt of the tree as deadly warning to the other Indians, and to impress upor them the fact that they would fiuC 1t more conducive to health and whole l skins to give the camp a wide berth | Davis was westerner, and was ia niliar with the ways of redskins probably his action would have prov en beneficial and been an object les son to the sayages, but the superin tendent ordered Davis to cut dowr tFe leg and bury it and the body Shortly afterwards the mill building! were burned to the ground, and tht entire plant destroyed The super intendent of the mill contended tha the building was struck by lightninI during a thunderstorm, and set afire but the majority of those in camp at tr.buted it to the hostile Indians The matter is a mystery to this day There was constant internal strif among those in charge of the busI ness. and it is claimed the compan, spent something over s600,000, ant made complete failure. After tn lplant was destroyed, Wm. Helme pal, off the men and settled all the in debtedness of the company here gathered up what mules he could, an with Hank Williams, who now re sides down on the Santa Maria, a driver, started back to Fort Leaven worth When he finally reached Phi adelphia he reported the state of al fairs to the company, resigned, an,