Arizona republican., 1908-05-26
MEXICAN ANTI6UAS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA
A Description of Ancient Mineral Storehouse in the Santa Rita Moun- tains.

Patagonia, May 22.-(Special Cor respondence of The Republican.)-This week the writer visited a section of the Santa Rita mountains where mines were worked for high grade silver ore in the days before Geronimo's bloody raids; mines from which the workers were driven by the Indians after many skirmishes, in which some of them lost their lives. Many who left the section in those days never re- turned and their former holdings lay idle and abandoned for years, while timbers routed and shafts caved in. Many of the old properties have been relocated and are now being prospect ed by men who will work to lower depth. seeking not only the rich silver ores that are found near the surface, but lead, copper, gold or whatsoever useful metal may be found in the depths below.
 One of the old mines is included in the Jersey Girl group of claims, owned by Josiah Bond, about a mile from the Alto and the Wandering Jew mines and the old shaft is said to be 200 feet deep. but it is not in condition to enter and the present owner has never been to the bottom. The ore mined in the early days was sacked and ship ped, but all over the dump there is high grade silver ore. in the form of chlorides, bromides and sulphides. MT. Bond will not attempt to do any work in the old shaft for the present, but will tunnel into the hill on the vein, from down in the gulch. The tunnel has just been started and is in only thirty feet It will pass under the shaft at a depth of 300 feet, after be- ing driven about 500 feet. However, the tunnel will be run along the vein the entire distance and the owner ex- poets to make the ore taken out help pay for the work On another claim of the Jersey Girl group a new shaft has been started. It is down 115 feet on a lead of high grade silver ore. Lead and copper have also been encountered in this shaft, which MT. Bond says he will sink to a depth of 1000 feet. A whim will be used in sinking the first 300 feet, after which a hoist will be put in Several smaller shafts and tunnels have been sunk and driven on different claims of the group and the showing has been such that MT. Bond feels justified in investing his money in working the property. NIT. Bond is an expert and practical miner, who spent many years travelling about the mining districts of the United States and Mexico. inspecting and re- porting on mines for some of the big mining companies. He came here to look after some mining work few years ago and after looking over the Tyndall district decided it was too good a section to leave and located there. He has built a large and com fortable residence on the claims and there he makes his home with Mrs. Bond and the children. He has a group of twelve claims.
 The Rosario, now owned by J. H. Racket, is another of the Mexican an- tiguas. It is said to have been work ed under direction of the padres in charge of the Tumecascori mission, in the days when Arizona was Mexican territory. But the work done was shallow, as in other cases. The rich chlorides, bromides, sulphides and na- tive silver were gouged from the veins near the surface. There are a number of small, shallow, old shafts and other diggins, showing where the values were extracted. On one of the claims Mir Racket is sinking a shaft that is now down one hundred feet. He is now about to put in a whim and sink the shaft another hundred feet, at which depth he will prospect the vein. Drifts have been run east and west, about twenty feet at the lO0-fOOt lev