The border vidette., 1907-02-09


 Mir N. J. Purcell, the we'll known, successful Virginia mining man, operating splendid gold pro perties out fifteen miles from the Sonora railway, in the Pinto mountains, Sonora, Mexico, who recently returned from the ex- tensive, valuable mining property of the Sonora Copper Company. situated about three and a half miles east of the Sonora railway (Branch Of the Southern Pacific) and twelve miles southeast of Llano. station on the railway, where he spent several days during the absence in the east of President A. M. Conard, reports wonderful progress in the exploration and development of the company's pro- perties, and says they will, at no distance date, equal in extent and value the great Cananea copper mines.
 President Conard, who is also general manager of the Sonora Copper Company, is one of the best practical miners in the south west, having had many years ex- perlence in a number of the big mining camps throughout the south west and Mexico He is an inde- fatigable worker, full of energy; understands the Spanish language and Spanish sp9aking people, and is thorougly conversant with the mining laws of Mexico, where he has operated number of years Just the man to properly handle this gigantic mining proposition, which, within a very short time, has, under his able direction, been systematically and scientifically developed to such an extent that 1t is now one of the big mines in the state of Sonora, there being practically mountain of ore, the immense outcrops of which can be seen fifteen miles.
 The fine showing being made as development progresses, proves be- yond a doubt the predictions made years ago, by a number of the most competent and reliable mining engineers in the country, that in stead of four or more veins, there is only one vein which IS at least 300 feet wide, extending for more than 1000 yards through the great property, which Is situated only a few miles from and within plain view of the Sonora railway, from where a spur will be built in the near future.
 MT. Purcell, who is practical, successful mining man, and knows a ''gocd thing" when he sees it. was very enthusiastic over the So- nora Copper Company's property, which comprises seventy pertenen- cias, 175 American acres, ,and does not hesitate to make the assertion that the company not only has the n2ak- ing of big copper mine, but has at the present time one of the big gest quicksilver mines in the state of Sonora.
 The property is being developed by a cross-cut tunnel and two shafts. The cross-cut tunnel will be approximately 1000 feet in 700 feet below the out-crop. This ! tunnel is now in ninety-seven feet 1 and the vein shows sixty five feet | of ore and no wall in sight, with higher values in the face than at any other point, proving con that richer ore bodies ] will be encountered as the tunnel | is driven toward the high out-crop, l which towers above the surface at | least POO feet. Samples of ore taken i from the tunnel and assayed by | theU nited States assayer in this city, | gives an average of about $7.OO per 1 ton.
 Shaft No 1, which will connect ! with the cross-cut tunnel 25O feet | from the mouth is now down ! thirty-seven feet, the ore from this vein assaying &l.SO gold, 9-S 10 ounces silver and 15-S 10 per cent | copper.
 Shaft No. ?, which is 300 feet | south of the cross-cut tunnel, is