El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-07-10
OLD SILVER KING
RE0PENED
Underground Workings.
Submerged 80 Years,
in Fair Condition.

Phoenix, Ariz., July 10.-The old
Silver King mine, 60 miles east Of
this city, appears TO have a new
I lease Of life. The property for two
years has been in possession Of the
silver King OF Arizona company, a
corporation headed by Alex. 3.
I Downs. Of Los Angeles. a mining man
OF long experience in Mexico, New
I Zealand and China There had been
desultory operation or the property
Z for several years before by Los An
geles company, but il had been
jumped during the long absence OF
the manager in New York.
Though, on the testimony OF Mai.
A. J. Doran, once its superintendent,
IL had produced ore valued at S16.-
100000, It never had been patented
For years IL was a standard dividend
payer, listed on the san Francisco
stock exchange. Its high grade sill
yer quartz ore was hauled by wagon
20 mill at Pinal. five miles away. on
Queen creek. a short distance from
the present camp Of PinaL
IN imaginative auto tourist pub
LEGATION lately tried TO identify Wolf
vile with Pinal. and printed a cut
Of the ruins Of the old PinaI church
as evidence
sink shaft 400 Feet.
The old King workings went down
on chimney for $50 feet with a
dime. on one side. 100 feet deeer.
No ore was struck outside Of the com
pany's two claims. Not q pound Of
ore was found in the Blk shaft, near
the side line, though the shaft went
down TO 400 feet. The new manage
ment tried to buy this shaft but @
price could not be agreed upon.
Two years ago water was within
50 feet Of the surface Most OF it
was surface water. since found TO
come from connection with the
North King, on the $50 level kept
down by pumping only 5000 gallons
a day.
The new owners have cleared out
the old shaft and workings down 10
$50 feet. and have strengthened the
shaft with 20 feet Of concrete Ii is
expected that the bottom Of the old
mine viii be reached eventually
though sinking at greater depth may
be at another point But at 2f0 feet
there has been found much OF inter
est
An entirely new ore body has been
cut only 80 feet from old workings.
showing similarity to the old bonanza
ore, the ore netting SIS a ton on
shipment possibly lower value than
would have been considered in the
old days on this same level has been
FOUND some punches or nornite. sus-
tanning the popular idea that the
mine is bOtt0med in copper. fact
demonstrated on the nearby silver
Queen. now the Magma
Despite Q general impression that
the old workings are a wreck. the nm
watering has found them in fairly
good shape Heavy iron rails are in
good condition, despite 80 years Of
submergence- One drift was found
walled in handsome style with cut
stone, apparently driven without re-
gard 10 expense
Mr. Downs has been accommodating
history Of the old property, on which
10 base his further explorations. one
important bit of information came
from Robert Bowen, foreman at the
time the mine was shut down
He said that a few days before the
closing, a fine body OF ore was cut
on the zoe level, but not till after it
had been definitely determined 20
quit
New machinery IS being installed
and a small reduction plant VIII be
in operation before long.