The copper era and Morenci leader., 1918-06-14
NEGOT|ATES SALE
 0F POWERS MINE
SCENE OF REGENT TRAGEDY - ABOUT PASS INTO OTHER
 HANDS; CHARLES POWERS HAS
 CHARGE OF PROPERTY.

CHARGE OF PROPERTY.
 The state papers say that negotia- tions are now under way for the pur- chase of the Powers mine in Rattle Snake canyon. This is the scene of the tragedy where the Graham coun- ty officers met their death at the hands of the Powers boys and Tom Sisson. The mine there is consider ed valuable claim, and it is not sur prising that negotiations have been commenced to take over the proper ty.
 After the tragedy, when his father was killed, and his two brothers, with Sisson, were fugitives from justice, Charles Powers, another brother went to the scene and took over the prop erty. It is with him that the nego- tiations are now pending. ,..
 There is an element of romance at -tached to this claim, aside from the tragedy which is familiar to all who read the public prints. This property came into the hands of the Powers by purchase from the care-taker, af- ter it had been practically abandoned by it's former owners. After acquir- ing ownership of the property the elder Powers improved and commence ed working the claim by putting in a well developed tunnel and mill, and about the same time of the tragedy was about to realize from the mill ing of the ore that had been devel- oped. It is thought that the fear this mine being taken from them was that which caused the Powers brothers to resist the draft, fearing to leave the elder Powers alone, as they knew only the law of force, and depended largely upon their rifles to protect themselves from those whom they imagined desired to despoil them of their holdings. ,
 Black Jack Gardner Staked the Claim
 Rattle Snake Canyon was first dis covered by Black Jack Gardner sew eral years ago. Black Jack had a partner then, an itenernt prospector like himself, and when the two threw in together both were glad to form a partnership, as human companion ship was particularly attractive to each. Black Jack in telling the his- tory of the find recently to report CT of the Arizona Star, stated:
 When my fortunes were at a very low ebb I gathered together grub stake and hit out for the hills where nothing had been previously, located. With none to cheer me, was glad enough to welcome the other prospec- tor and his burro one night as was camped on the San Pedro river. The stranger asked to camp with me, and I readily consented. The comrade- ship that the desert and bleakness of Arizona's mountains engendered soon ripened into full fruitition, with the result that the stranger was taken In as full partner in whatever pay dirt we two might locate. The stranger said he was from Oklahoma, and not a prospector, just out to see the coun- try.
 "The location of the Rattle Snake was largely due to accident, rather than scientific discovery. After hay ing been out some time we felt the desire for fresh meat, and seeing a steer shot. and killed it. We had fresh meat that night in our camp on the ridge just above Rattle Snake canyon. The next day we caught sight of some cowboys, and knowing that they had discovered where we had slain the steer there was no de- sire to argue the question with them at that time, especially as there re- mained a goodly quantity of the fresh meat still on hand. To avoid them we sneaked down into the canyon, where we remained until the cowboys left the vicinity, camping there for two days, during the, time I went out to examine the dyke that runs across the canyon. I discovered one gold stringer after another on the face of the dyke, so I told my partner that we had better stay right there. went Ix~r- +, seams of gold ready for assaying. worked two days chipping off the rock around them so they would show up. The second day heard some one pecking away at the rock with ham mer, and saw my partner with a lit tie Durham sack cracking the seams I had dressed and taking away the gold I had exposed. I bawled him out so that we were hardly on speak ing terms for a couple of days. Fin ally he offered to sell his interest in the find for s1,000. So we came back to Tucson with specimens of the ore which I showed to Francis Hartman and Col. Randolph who gave me the money to buy his interest.
 "A company was afterwards or ganized, and after spending possibly S50,000 it was abandoned until the mine fell into the hands of a care taker, who sold it to Powers, who opened up the gold ledges in cross cut tunnel, and was just about to realize on his labors when the unfor- tunate tragedy was enacted that end ed his life and sent his two sons in- to exile, finally to be taken and sen- tenced to the penitentiary for their natural lives"
 The final chapters of the story of the Rattle Snake Canyon mine Is now thought to be about to be written, if negotiations now under way material ize. and the property is passed to other interests by the remaining sur 7vjvor Carles POwarS