Bisbee daily review., 1914-03-15
SURVEYS ARE NOW COMPLETE FOR A
 GRAVITY AERIAL, TRAMWAY AT THE
 MAGMA PROPERTY; RESULTS EXPECTED
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED SUPERIOR DISTRICT AND PARTICULARLY
 PROPERTY PARTLY OVERCOME IS INSTALLED

1t falls to the lot of the Magma Cop per company to be the pioneer in the transportation business. There is the C. & A. actively engaged in explora. tion work on a large scale in the same district. and the Lincoln's Issue com. pany doing development work on the Reynert property And there are a number of other very promising prop. critics being worked in limited way. but the three named are the ones that are financed and at work in a maner that assures results for the near flu. ture. And of these, the Magma Is the only producer at present. The Magma mine, which is Gunn.Thompson prop. erty. Is an exceedingly rich copper mine. and confronted with the handi. cap of ten dollar per toh haul to the railroad station. an aerial tramway system has been determined upon.
 The country has been mapped and blue prints of the three possible routes have heen made. The distance from the Magma mill to the depot at Ray Is only twelve miles by survey. The distance from the Magma mill to Miami is fifteen miles. The distanc. to Florence by wagon road is thirty miles. If outlet in that direction should be adopted 1t will be in con. junction with the railroad. the latter to build spur across the flat desert and meet the tram line at some point yet ' to be determined | The United States Steel Products company and the Laschen Steel com. pany have been consulted and esti. mates made on the proposed Ray and Miami routes. The estimates for line to Ray is $20O,O0O to Miami s25O,OOO: Florence. s150.00Q These are maxi mum estimates. For instance, the Ray route is divided into three sections The first division to the mill to a point near the summit of the mountains is power-driven. The next two sections can be operated by gravity, and the estimate includes provision for con. verting the gravity force into power. By emitting all unnecessary construc. ton expenditures, one acquainted with the cost of material and construction. estimates that the Ray line may be built for $100.000.
 Within sixty, or at most ninety days, one of the three routes will be selected and the work of building an aerial tram out of Superior started. That Magma concentrating plant is more than half completed and will be Tn readiness to treat ore by June. The mill will have a minimum capacity of loo tons per shift, and this may be developed to POO a shift. A double shift which no doubt will be worked from the start, would give a daily output of 400 tons.
 With the completion of the Roose- welt power line. and a transportation rate that is not prohibitive, the out put Of the Magma will be jumped up at once. In addition to the concen. trates which would supply 35 tons A day carbonates ores on the 5OO-leyel that cannot now be mined on account Of the high haulage rate would be. come available. There are carbonate ores running and and 10 per cent in the Magma mine that are passed up because of lack of transportation at A reasonable rate The Magma mine it. CT properties of the district. With u custom rate, such as a common car. self, when the mill is started up. should furnish at least fifty tons. con. centratees and assorted ores a day Tor shipment, The saving is obvious. According to estimate. an aerial tram would save SIS ton over the present system of haulage. That means a, saving of sf00 dollars a day to the
 Though the Miami route traverses the toughest country and Is the most Magma in transportation of the. pro. duct.
 An aerial tram. once installed. would be lhe means whereby all the freight will be shipped out or brought Into Superior. It will have the effect of stimulating work on the many oth. expensive there is in its favor the
 
 Tact that the concentrates and ore Tier train would give, the many small or properties of the district would be started up at once, And with the awakening activity of the district will be corresponding increase in com mercial traffic, and the aerial tram way will no doubt prove valuable asset to the Magma Copper company. would be landed at the new Interna- uonal shelter now building Then MT. Thompson of the Magma com. pany, is also president of the lnspirs ton mine at Miami. But against the Miami route is the fact of the high freights obtaining tbere, making 1t an undesirable point for railroad con, nection from that standpoint