Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-12-25
VISIT DISTANT -
ARIZONA MINES

Prominent Local People Return
From Southern Trip and In
spection Of the Copper
Creek Property.
The Tribune reporter interviewed
G. P. Karwand, Jalmar Larson and
R. w. Stanford, who together with
J. Emil Nelson, have recently re-
turned from a trip to Arizona, where
they have visited the property of
the Copper Creek Mining Company.
Knowing that many of our sub
scribers are more or less interested
in what these parties have to re-.
port, we publish their impressions
Of the mine together with some in
teresting sights which they saw on
their trip.
They left Minneapolis over the
Rock Island Ry. going by way of
Davenport, Ia, and Kansas City,
Mo-, to Ell Paso, Texas, and then to
Tucson, Ariz. Much Of the coun-
try through Iowa and northern Kan
sas was quite similar to the farm
ing lands of Minnesota, with the
exception that more corn, cattle
and hogs were raised. Southwest
ern Kansas, the ''Pan-handle'' of
Oklahoma, and northwestern Texas
are beginning to become quite
thickly settled, and ranches appear
on all the prairies. although there:
are very few groves Of trees. Cat
tie and hogs are raised extensively
through this portion of the country
that they traversed, and large quan-
titles Of sugar corn and Kafir corn
are raised for fodder. The land in
this section is very easily farmed,
and only requires plowing once
every two years. This region is
semi-arid-not having as much
rainfall as Minnesota is blessed
with. Further south and west
through New Mexico and Arizona
the railroad crosses the desert or
mesa, as it is called. In that
country high ranges of mountains
rise on every side, some Of which
are snow-capped and could be seen
for Is or 100 miles. The soil of the
desert produces little except cactus,
grease-wood and sage brush, but by
irrigation bountiful crops can be
produced. Settlers cabins were seen
in the heart of the desert, where
they frequently sink wells and irri-
gate the land. Fruits and garden
vegetables can be raised on this ir-
rigated land at a great profit. The
climate in New Mexico and Arizona
is much milder than in Minnesota.
The coldest weather they have is
only few degrees below freezing,
and is warm enough during the day
to go without overcoats. The coun-
try is at an elevation of about 5000
feet above sea level and the air is
very clear and pure.
After arriving at Tucson the par
ty went by automobile across the
mesa to Mammoth, which is about
ID miles from the property of Cop
per Creek Mining Company. Part
of the distance the road Travelled
was as smooth as a floor, although
very little work has been done on it
for many years. The rest of the
road was very hilly and mountain
Gus, and in this country would be
considered very dangerous to travel
by auto. The most remarkable
vegetation to be seen in Arizona is
the Giant Cactus, which grows to a
height of IS or 40 feet, is foot OF
more in diameter, and is covered
with sharp spines about 2 inches
long. Herds of antelope are occa.
sionally seen on the mesa, quail are
plentiful and it is not an uncom.
mon thing to see jack-rabbits travel
in herds Of 100 or more.
From Mammoth there is wagon
road which runs to within about 4
miles of Copper Creek s main camp,
and the rest Of the way is a trail
which must be Travelled single file
The road to Copper Creek which
had previously been used by the
mining company comes from Viii
cox to Klondike, and from there
lover the mountains to the camp
Some Of the party took occasion af.
tier reaching Mammoth to travel by
horseback to an Indian camp OF
Copper Creek property and took il
an Apache ghost dance. This is !
Isight which very few white people
IhaYe ever seen and was indeed q re.
Concluded on last paRe.) 5s2 s%t8sEz