The Arizona copper camp., 1916-04-21
(continued from Paee p.

had good copper Groupings DuI some
showed only iron, zinc and lead sui
phides, with low assays in silver and
gold. In the same year George A.
Treadwell, later noted as a mining
expert, was taken to see the prop
erty and became enthusiastic over 1t,
later acquiring an interest in the
ground. Securing the necessary money
for making the bond payments was
not easy and the month of December
was spent by Thomas in chasing
around eastern financial centers and
trying to, interest capital. The Nc
Kinnon bond had been extended to
January l. by which date Thomas had
telegraphed $500 to the McKinnons.
The incorporation of the United
Verde Copper company was effected
in 1883, with James A. Mcdonald
president, and Eugene Jerome secre-
tary and treasurer, with Thomas SUI
perintendent and general manager,
authorized to install reduction works,
build a road and operate the prop
erty. Thomas left New York March
2S, 1888, and soon thereafter started
the first fifty-ton furnace, which
made a phenomenal run on oxidized
ores. high with silver Thomas had
already surveyed the townsite, which
was named after the company's sec
retary.
while the mine was wonderfully
rich, reduction processes of that day
had not developed to point wherein
its ores could be handled profitably.
Within a year the company had paid
$4,000 in dividends out of a total
production of $779,OOO worth of cop
per. This came mainly in the form
of sixty per cent matte, in which was
considerable gold. Transportation had
been even as much trouble as the re-
fractory ores and SO, late in No
vember, 1884, when - copper had
dropped to about seven cents a
pound, and when snow covered the
Black Hills divide, over which the
hauling had to be done to Ash Fork,
the mine was closed down. In the
summer of 1887 Governor Tritle Sc
cured a bond and lease on the prop
erty from the United Verde company,
but soon found the same distressing
conditions bearing down on him that
had confronted the previous manage
ment. According to G. w. Hull, To-
Gator of adjacent property, the men
at the mine not being paid their
wages, took possession and threatened
to destroy the plant. Some sort Of
settlement was made, and then the
mine was on the market. Prof. James
Douglas examined the property but
considered it too remote from trans
portation. Following this came W. A.
Clark of Montana, accompanied by
John l.. Thompson and J. |. Giroux.
In February, 1888. Clark leased the
property and in January, 1889, after
Giroux had made a full investigation
and a number of smelter runs had
been made, Clark purchased control
of the company.
"a narrow gauge railroad was COM
pleted In November, 1894, over the
hills and down a tortuous valley.
About the same time fire started in
a sulphide stope and even today there
is trouble from this source. In Octo-
Der, 1900, was serious cave-in that
dropped large part of the reduction
works and railroad grade about five
feet. In the early Clark days tun-
mel struck an immense body Of water.
"Clark's capital and the skill Of his
managers soon put the mine on
paying basis. 1t was appreciated,
however. that the reduction works
and Stag dump should not be on top
of the mine, so plans were made for
a new reduction plant in the valley,
where the town of Clarkdale now is
in being, supported by the operation
of a smelter that alone has cost
$3,0OO,OO0, with broad-gauge rail-
road connecting with the Santa Fe
system, and with wonderful rail-
road loaQlnS lHlO Ilo AAooAAeeeiAA ~
the mines 1,O0O-foot level. The old
smelter above Jerome was abandoned
in September, 1915"
Since 1899 the United Verde has
produced $1eO,OOO,OOO worth of cop
per and has paid approximately $4O,-
100000 in dividends.
smelter Production
The Clarkdale smelter is now treat
ing $500 tons of ore daily. All but
$50 tons of this comes from the
United Verde mine. Fifty tons OF
silicious ore are received daily from
the Commercial mine, in Copper
Basin, near PRESCOTT and 100 tons,
also silicious. come from the Ludlow
mine.
From this ore the smelter extracts
over 100000 pounds of copper. The
present output of the smelter is in
excess of 100000 pounds of copper