Bisbee daily review., 1908-10-03
PRODUCER OF' MILLIONS IN
 OTHER HANDS
Transfer of the Castle Dome
 Mine Recalls Its Great Career In Production of Sil-
 yer and Lead In Seventies.

YUMA, Oct. 1.-Recently there was filed for record in the county record CTS office of Yuma county deed conveying to James M. Barney of the surveyor generals office, the cid Castle Dome mine and the first north extension of the Flora Temple mine These are two patented properties situated in the Castle Dome mining district in Yuma county. The convey or of the property is Colonel James M. Barney, one of Arizona's early pioneers and now resident of Eng land
 Colonel Barney. William B. Hooper, A H. Whiting. George Tying, B. A. Barney and five others located the Castle Dome mine on March 10 1871. lt immediately became a producer of nigh grade silver-lead ore, the greater portion of which was shipped to the smelters near San Francisco. The year of it's location, 1871, it produced 600 tons of ore. averaging 70 per cent of lead and 30 ounces of silver per ton It was officially surveyed for patent on March ?, 1876. and patent was granted to Colonel James NJ. Barney on July 14 1877 In 1879 Col. Barney became the owner of the great Silver King mine in Pioneer mining district, Pinal county, famous through out the territory as one of the great est dividend payers of it's day.
 During this time he neglected his mining properties on the Colorado river, but now after the lapse of many years he has deeded the Castle Dome property to a younger member, of his family. Several prominent citizens of Phoenix will be interested with MT. Barney in again working this we'll known property and they will no doubt again place it on the list of producers. The mine is located eighteen miles east from Castle Dome landing on the Colorado river and on the southwest eru slope of the Castle Dome Noun tains.
 Up to 1881 it was estimated that the Castle Dome district had produced S2.o00,000. It is one of the very old miging districts of the territory. It was discovered in 1863 and Professor Win. P. Blake. the eminent geologist is the author of a very extensiey re- port upon it's resources. On account of the constant danger of attack from hostile savages nothing was done in the way of formal mining until 1869. The district derives it's name from Castle Dome Peak, a aoted landmark in that section The name was given to this peak by the army officers sta toned at Fort Yuma in 1854, on ac- count of it's great resemblance to the dome of some huge building.
 When the first American pioneers visited this region there were many evidences of an earlier occupation. It was plain to be seen that others be fore them had mined its hidden wealth. Trenches from 12 to 15 feet had been dug alongside the rich veins, slowing the method cf mining the ore Great numbers of deep, well beaten paths leading southward to the Gila river and to many remains of what appeared to be primitive ovens, show ed that the ore after having been mined was no doubt carried to the river in baskets strapped to the backs of natives and there roasted in their mud furnaces. The superintendents of this work may have been the early Spanish explorers or perhaps the en- ergetic missionaries who followed. For in 1779, Father Garces establish ed three missions along the Colorado and one of these, San Pedro. was To- cated near Castle Dome. But in 17Sl the tribes arose in rebellion, murdered the priests and destroyed the build ings. It may be that mining in the Castle Dome district had its beginning in those strenuous days of religious expansion.