Mohave County miner., 1913-02-15
Rich Mineral Field.

It is well known that the Columbia section has exceptionally rich ore. Many claims the ores of which have been worked with arastras have proven this statement, while the fab ulously rich ore of the old Tip Top mine can still be seen in cabinets throughout the state.
 The district, however, has always been handicapped because of its re- moteness-or rather because of the lack of wagon roads and the roughness of the country. As a matter of fact, the distance from Columbia to the terminus of the Bradshaw Mountain railroad at Grown King is only about fifteen miles, but there is no wagon road between the two points. and the miners of Tip Top and Columbia and the lower Humbug creek sections are compelled to bring in all heavy freight as best they can from Phoenix.
 In order to make connection with that city. fifty miles distant, the Ac- quistlon Mining Company is building a road from it's camp to Tip Top, a distauc" of three miles. One.half of the road is already completed, and a force of men w,ll shortly complete the portion of the road from the divide eastward to Tip Top camp. This be- ing completed. the Acquisition con- pany will have load to Phoenix over which an auto truck can be driven. But the management of the company state that they would prefer to trade with Grown King and Prescott, either of hich they deem a better supply point for mining supplies than is the agricultural metropolis. That the mind of the Phoenix merchant runs to agriculture and not to mining is illus tIateG by an experience which the Ac. quisition company had with an order sent to Phoenix for picks and shovels. When the gCcds were brought 10 camp by a frelghter. after lahorious haul of fifty miles, it was found that the
 
 farmers in working in irrigation ditches and that the picks were of the railroad or surface variety. Quality, price and service heinz taken into con- sideration, Prescott is preferred as supply point by the miners of the sec tion referred to, but they are barred from this market by the absence of about eight miles of wagon road 10 connect with the road at Al Francis ranch. This connection being made. the miners of Carpenter gulch, Colum- bia and Tip Top would be able to make round trip to Grown King in a day.
 The results of work recently done upon the Occident group by the Ac- quisition company are reported to be very satisfactory. This ground is the same as that formerly owned by George c. Cary. Two shafts have been sunk, one of which is l5O feet in depth, being fifty feet below water level. A characteristic of the vein which is very encouraging is that the gold value increases as depth is gain ed. Twenty men are now employed by the company, which has very comfortable httle camp of ten tent houses and boarding house.
 Messrs. w. D. Alexander and o. O. Smith, in speaking of the Columbia section. state that there are many good prospects which have been held back by lack of facilities for handling the ore. Many dumps can show ore of excellent grade. and many men have tried to solve the problem of render ing the mines profitable. They be- lieve that the completion of the state highway will prove an immense bene. fit to that section and to all with whom the road will bring it into com munication, and they also expressed the opinion that the residents of other portions of the county will be sur prised at the output of that neglected section when its ores and concentrates can reach the shelter at moderate cost.-Prescott Courier.