Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-20
WILL INCREASE
BIG SHELTER OF
THE CLARACONS.
PRESIDENT MITCHELL RE-
TURNS FROM TRIP ABROAD
PARIS INVESTORS APPRECIATE
EXTENT OF PROSPERITY
Company Will Rush Completion Of
Railroad Now Being Built to Con-
meet Mines and Reduction
Works with Parker

With the return of George Mitchell
president and manager of the Clara
Consolidated Mining company, comes
the announcement that the capacity Of
the companys smelter at Swansea, just
over the line in Arizona, is to be in
creased from 450 tons to 700 tons daily,
the converter plant, which will reduce
the copper matter to bullion 992 per
cent fine, to have a capacity of forty
to forty-five tons of bullion. Mr..
Mitchell, who has been abroad for six
months, will leave Thursday for the
mines and will give rush orders for
the completion of the Arizona ana
Swansea railroad, which is to connect
the mines and smelter with the main
line of the Arizona and California road
at Bouse.
The Clara Consolidated is one of the
big things which Los Angeles and Paris
capitalists have been developing in the
big copper district that has been
opened up by the Arizona and CaIifor-
mia road, known locally as the Parker
cutoff. The company which owns a
large acreage of the best of the miner
allied belt of that section, has smell
ter completed and is building rail-
road from Bouse, a distance of twenty
one miles to the mines. The grading
for the road is finished for a distance
of seventeen miles, and the rails, bridge
work and rolling stock are purchased
for the entire line. The rolling stock
consists of one locomotive and a dozen
cars including a baggage, freight cars
and gondolas, and ready for delivery.
The entire cost Of the road and equip
ment represents an investment of $780,
600 and will provide transportation
facilities for other developed properties
in the district. Steel for the line is
arriving daily and it will take but
short time TO complete the road.
Has Vast Resources
The Clara Consolidated company has
one of the largest copper properties IN
the southwest, the engineers report TO
the company showing 2,50OOOO tons of
ore in sight of an average value OF oY6
per cent copper, with probable ore
estimated at 5000 600 tons. The product
of the mines is a straight self-tuXing
ore, and the possibilities of the prop
erty are indicated by the fact that the
greatest depth attained is less than 400
feet. The veins are heavily capped with
gassan, protecting them from the usual
teaching which carries the copper
values to an extreme depth. The un-
derground workings have been ad-
vanced for a distance of 800 feet since
the last report on the mine was made,
on D4 and D7 levels inclusive. On D4
level the drift has been driven through
an ore body carrying I per cent in the
red metal, and on D7 the averages have
increased to 1876 per cent.
The shaft shown in the accompany
ing cut is the main working shaft of
the company, having four compart-
ments, and is equipped with large
hoist The entire machinery for the
mine and smelter is on the ground and
the most Of it is installed. At present
the company is using gasoline, but will
change to fuel oil when the railroad IS
finished. There is no better equipment
installed anywhere, and when the word
is given to go ahead the Clara will be
able to give a. good account of itself.
Is a Los Angeles Project
The Clara is one of the good things
in western mines which has been
financed without the aid of Wall street.
Outside Of Los Angeles capitalists, who
are in strong, the property has been
financed abroad, Paris money being the
strongest factor in the extensive plans
of the company.
George Mitchell. president and man
ager of the Clara Consolidated, is
widely known in the copper world, and
a property which has his Endorsement
carries a prestige which comes to but
few. Born in Wales at a time when
the smelling and refining business of
the mining world was centered in that
country, he rose rapidly to a position
of trust and responsibility. Interest in
mining attracting him to the scene Of
production, he became associated with
the big copper interests of Butte, as
sisting in the construction of the Bos-
ton-Montana plant at Great Falls, of
which he became assistant superinten-
dent. While with the Boston Montana
he invented the circular foreheart blast
furnace, which effects an immense saw
ing. Later he took charge of the
United Verde mines at Jerome, Ariz.,
for Senator Clark, going from there to
Cobre-Grande now Green -Cananea
mines, on a producing basis.
Mr.. Mitchell is the inventor of the
Mitchell hot blast furnaces and the
trough converters, both of which have
been of great benefit in the semlting of
ores.
T. J. Carrigan, vice president of the
Clara Consolidated and e. D. Elson,
secretary, are well known in financial
and business circles of Los Angeles.
The offices of the company are in the
Bradbury building.
The Clara Consolidated is considered
but a forerunner Of the vast interests
which the big men of this company will
launch in the Parker district. Conceded
to be an immense mineral belt, the
best things there are rapidly being
absorbed by these interests, into which
q large amount of Los Angeles capital
is being invested.
There is a kindly feeling abroad for
meritorous mining investments, ac-
cording to Mr.. Mitchell, but the capi
talists Of Paris and London are becom-