Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-10-07

through the Cherry creek section and
strike the Verde valley at Camp Verde
where the government maintained a
military reservation for years and
years, only removing the soldiers when
the Apache Indians were removed from
Arizona to Florida. From Camp Verde
the road would follow the windings OF
the Verde valley to a point directly OPP
posite Jerome, where the smelling
plant would be erected.
"A narrow gauge road was built sew
eral years ago from jerome Junction, a
point eighteen miles from Prescott on
the Santa Fe, Prescott & Phoenix road
to Jerome, distance of twenty eight
miles. This road is one of the most
scenic as we'll as crooked roads in the
world In distance of a few miles
there are 1875 distinct curves.
Trains going in from Jerome juno
ton are loaded with coal. COKE log
ging, lumber merchandise and every
other article used commonly in min
ing camp, not excepting a generous
supply of liquor. The outgoing trains
carry nothing but the product of the
great United Verde mine in the shape of
immense bars of refined copper.
Several months ago an immense tun-
mel was started at point 1000 feet on
a narrow line from the United Verde
shaft. This tunnel when completed
will be great economical factor in
the working of the mine in many ways
besides furnishing direct outlet from
the lower workings of the immense ore
bodies to the Verde valley. When
questioned about this tunnel Will L.
Clark had the following to say:
I'm the past six months we have
made nine feet day in the tunnel.
4aI. L.. 4
We are working three shifts of eight
hours each and using air compressors
and power drills in breaking the
ground. The tunnel will be 7x9 feet
in the clear when completed and 1000
feet long. 1t will be thoroughly tim
bered and as fine a piece of work as
engineering skill can devise and con-
struct' When completed, which will
take about two years time, this tunnel
will make a perfect ventilation for the
mine and also drain the water from the
property. A complete double tracked
electric line will traverse it from end
to end.
THE United Verde mine has not been
worked below the 900-foot level to any
extent up to the present time. Work
in the main shaft goes on continuously
for the purpose of opening up new
ground, although the. ore bodies are so
extensive in the United Verde that II
takes years to work out the ore in one
stope. In many places in this mine the
solid ore is taken out for a width OF
from 200 to 300 feet.
Roast Heaps
Immense roast heaps will be con-
structed at the lower end of this tun-
mel and most of the ore from the mine
roasted at that point instead of the
other various roast heaps now in use
Most of the ore produced in the United
Verde is so imprognated with sulphur
that 1t has to be roasted before 1t car
be smelted. The present roast heaps
extend for miles along the hillsides al
several different points adjacent to the
mines, and the smoke from the roasting
ores can be seen miles and miles away
Roast heaps are formed as follows
First a layer of cord wood is spread
over the ground about eight feet wide
and twenty feet long. The large pieces
of ore are laid upon this bed of wood
and the smaller blocks follow. thus