Weekly journal-miner., 1909-07-28
HASSAYAMPA IS A
 STREAM OF WEALTH

Yarnell is engaged in mining opera
 tions at Rich Hill, which one of these days will create a stir in this part of
 the world Everybody has heard of
 Rich Hill. from the time of Jack
 Swilling, who, with a party, was led
 to it by an Indian. The Indian balk-
 ed on his arrival there, and for evi-
 dent superstitioUs reasons refused to
 discolse any other information he
 might have about :he place. Some of the members of the party wanted to kill him. but Swilling stood in de
 fense of him, and in those days there
 were not many men in this part of the country who cared to run counter to Swilling.
 The expedition was not without re-
 suit. however. for soon after that the wonderful discoveries of gold nuggets began 10 be made on the IhiII. It is estimated that within an Iarea of 200 square wards. gold 10 Ithc value of Sl.250.OOO has been pick ed up. All this gold was in yellow washed nuggets of varying sizes. One of them, the size of a large bullfrog and of the same general shape. was for some time in the lpossession of P. K. Hickey, who took it with him to Washington once land showed # at the United States
 treasury. The officials were so fill
 ed with admiration of it that they
 wanted to keep it for 8 paper weight, offering Mr. Hickey its equivalent,
 about s260.
 ] He brought it back with him and
 at Chicago he met Governor Murphy,
 who borrowed it and took it about
 town to show to prominent friends. Some hours later he returned to the hotel and begged Nr. Hickey to take l it back quickly. The governor said
 he had had no rest since he had it in his possession. his friends had tried
 to take it away from him by force.
 This was the largest nugget ever found at Rich Hill, though there were many others nearly approaching . it in size. Notwithstanding the first nuggets were found by white men more than forty years ago, and though the ground has since been gone over by thousands of prospect ors and nugget hunters, one is still occasionally found.
 ! In his present operations Mr. Var nell is working upon theory that
 he formed many years ago.
 ! He has operated in that region and has, studied it for more than generation. He was the owner of the famous Narnell mine, which he sold for large sum of money sev- i eral wears since. His theory is that the gold found on Rich Hill is for eign to that part of the country; that it was brought down there by the waters of the Hassayampa. Here ! is where the theory becomes startling. Tor the Hassayampa is now a long distance from Rich Hill, and the bed of it is 1000 feet lower than the surface of the hill.
 ! But those who have studied the country have been brought to agree with Mr. Yarnell that a river bed once lay across it; that under the in- fluence of earthquakes the surround ling country fell away. on the Weaver side to a preeipitous descent of more than I 500 feet. On the northwest ! it fell in gradual slope Then there was volcanic action which form ed the Antelope range, the most prom inent feature of which is Antelope peak.
 . Rich HiIl is a lower emiucnce, sep arated from the range by a small val : ley. On both the north and south sides of this range there are springs, as has been ascertained, on an exact ' level. One of these springs overlooks ! Rich Hill on the south. and the other Plaeeritas on the north. Mir Yanell believes that these springs indicate the level of the former bed of the iIassayampa, and that explorations along that level will uncover more of those nuggets than have ever been found; that they have been held there l by the impervious volcanic caPpings which was thrown upon the old bed.
 In pursuance of this theory, the Old Channel Mining company has been formed, Mr. Yarnell having a short time ago made all the necessary locations for the carrying out of his theory. It is the object of the com Vauy to tunnel through the range, or into it at least, as far as may be necessary along the level of tine