The copper era., 1908-12-10
Ancient Paint Mine is Found Near
 Parker.

Parker.
 Tom Shultes writes the following from Parker, Arizona, to the Arizona Republican:
 Among the many industries that will likely be promoted at Parker some day, is that of manufacturing mineral paint, a large deposit of which is located twelve miles north of Parker in the Monumental Peak mining district.
 The property consists of seven locations and is situated about eight miles from the river on the California side and is owned by J. F. Ranev, of Parker. An analysis of the sub : stance shows it to be very pure quality of ferric hydrate of iron and shows on the surface to be from 300 to HOO feet wide and is located for 5000 feet. This immense ledge pitches to the south under capping of iron lime and jasper.
 This property has been extensively worked in the past, by whom, quite likely, will forever remain a conject- ure. Large quantity of stone ham, mers and axes are to be found on the ground, but nothing in. the way of a utensil to suggest that any modern method had anything to do with its past exploration.
 This property was located over . year ago by Dave Harris, who Wal more energetic than any one has beer since in exploring the holes made by these prehistoric people. By erosion the incline shafts are largely blocked and one has to crawl in order to make his way through many places. Int longest shaft, MT. Harris found to b, ITS feet to the point of his inyestiga tion, at which place the shaft took ; sharper dip. Here he halted ant rolled rocks down and could hea them rumble out of hearing. withou striking the bottom. There are sev eral other shafts of more or less i'm portance, one of which MT. Rane has a flash light photo, showing large chamber, some 40 feet in diane ter, that has been stopped, the roof o which is supported by pillars of ma terial left for the purpose and oth CTS constructed of stone. Numerou depressions over the surface mar the places where workings at on time existed, but they have long sine been almost obliterated by erosio and wash.
 Expert analysis determine the ma terial in two instances, the first a ferric hydrate of a value from S35 t S4O per ton and the second. classed i as high grade of red Ochre.
 The thing that strikes one yer forcible, is, who it was that per formed this ancient mining? Wha was it that they mined? If it wa paint, by whom and where was used? Evidences prove that vas amount of something was mined an if it was paint our lost predecessor must have been very populous an highly decorative people.
 The south extension of this proL erty is located for it's showing of hig grade copper and gold ores by Hum phry & Bowman Bros. The name O their property is the Copper Bell an is most favorably spoken of as hay ing the possibility of making a larg producer. In this connection it is reasonable supposition that MI Raney's paint mine is only leache iron cropping and that values in cor per will be determined upon develop ment.
 The property is locateI within tw miles of the county road leading t Copper Basin. A wagon road can b built right onto the mine at ittl cost. MT. Raney will, within a shor time begin work intending to recor struct and clean out one of these ol shafts for the purpose of determinin what might be at the end of it. the product has a commercial valu as a paint MT. Raney has enough t supply the United States.