Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1908-10-07
OLD vEKOL MINE TAKEN
OVER BY NEW COMPANY

FLORENCE, Sept. 3O.--The famous
Old Vekol mine, which in the past was
second only TO the famous old Silver
King mine in the production of silver,
has been started up again by new
owners.
'Nekol' is Pima word, meaning
grandmother, and the mine was so
named by John ID. Walker and Peter u.
Brady, the original locators, because
the Pima Indians led Walker to the
mine. John ID. Walker had lived vita
the Pima Indians for many years,
spoke their language like native and
became one of the medicine men and
oral historians Of the tribe. Shortly
after the old Silver King begun its
marvellous output Of silver and set ev'
erybody in this section to searching
for rich silver veins or deposits, the
Pima Indians, as n token Of their re.
gard for John d. Walker, took him in
1880 10 the outcrop Of the Vekol mine.
Peter X. Brady, VINO was also a resi-.
dent of Florence at that time, followed
Walker and his Indians and arrived on
the ground while the former was locat.
ing the claim. Being old friends and
neighbors, Walker put Brady in for
one third interest, abd his own brother,
Lucian Walker, in for n third interest
also. Several years later, when the
mine was yielding Large quantities OF
rich lead silver ore, the Walkers bought
Mr. Brady's interest for *65,000, pay.
ing him on, Of two or three shipments
Of ore from the mine. They then
worked the property on large scale
and extracted millions Of dollars
worth of high grade ore. But neither
Of them were strong men aud both
passed over the great divide INTO th,
valley of mystery and shadow. Soor
aftorward their heirs got the property
into litigation and il nad been idle 81
abou, 10 years when the present com
lpauy got control of IL and resumed op
orltions.
The mine j. situated in the Neko
range. ~ miles south Of Casa Grande
in Pinal county. The ore lies in ir
regular chambers in hard carbonate
of lime, which in the old workings haC
the appearance Of having been erushe'
to nut size and then recemented b,
. calcarious solutions. Tale seams, some
times not thicker than knife blade
led from one ore cnamber 10 anothc
and were an unfailing guide to tn
Walker brothers in locating taeir ore
bodies during the early exploration
the property. From geological stand
point. the property is most interest
: ing study and has puzzled more tina
. one geologist.
OF the present operations at the oil
n vekol following interesting facts OF
. tanned from Prof. G. T.. Tolman. OF III
. University of Arizona, who has bee
at the mine for several weeks past:
"The Vekol mines. the old prope
ties formerly operated vita so niue
. profit by the Walker Bros. more tina
Dr., 20 years ago. and which were idle f.
n more than II years on account of litig
- tion. have again been resuscitate
!. and are being developed and operate
Ia hv the Vekol Mining Company whi'
\, was organized about "A year ago
- Major T.. ). Garrett, of Alabama, al
=, William Forbaeh, of Casa Grande, M
syndicate of capitalists OF housto
Texas. This company took over Z
4 six mines Of the old Vekol and 40 9th
claims. all embraced within one mi
eral field located in the Nekol range.
80 "The company was financed duri
the money stringency of last year a
noyments made. Active work was
ann toe latter part Of March under I
=, management, of VIM. Forbaek with
gooa force of men, since which III
a. work has been pushed with vigor
marked success. Notwithstanding
40 money panic and the difficulty of ra
=, inc finances the development VIC
~ with a force Of from 25 to 80 men
., no, been allowed to cease for a sin
~ bour day or night; so that now
- vekol mining camp is one of the m
:, active, promising and prosperous I"
" ing eenters organized during the p
year"
ACTIVITY AT CANANEA.