Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1920-08-21
MINING CONDITIONS . IN STATE IMPROVE
 DURING HALF YEAR

PRESCOTT-According to a mid year report of the U. s. Geological Survey received by the Yavapai Coun- ty Chamber of Commerce, mining conditions in Arizona improved early in 1920, though the shipments of ore, concentrates and precious bullion show no great change in production The shipment of copper bullion from the smelting plants indicates great . CT production for 1920, but includes a large quantity of copper that was left over from 1919.
 Yavapai county, Arizona, since the bringing in of the "Little Daisy" mine, has been forging ahead in sound, legitimate. mining develop ment. At present, old properties are being reopened and mining investors and engineers are combing the hills for worthy properties and prospects. In all districts much activity is being experienced and particularly is this true of the old silver districts, which in the days gone by formed the back bone of the mining industry of Yav- apai county.
 Tn the Verde district of Yavapai county no property has attracted the attention recently as that of the Shea. According to the "Verde Copper News" published at Jerome, it IS al most practical certainty that the Sbaa tunnel has struck ore that makes the long sought for third mine in the Verde district reality. An assay taken across. a five-foot face shows copper 15.6 per cent, silver to:a4 , ounces. gold 1.O4 ounces; With a tUtal u,: vamation of $S8.30 per ton. rms ssmnle was taken on August and to maLe sure that it would fairly repre- nant inc content of the vein two cuts ,~are made across the entire breast ol the tunnel, one about two rect run the floor and the other the same als tance from the roof. The entire sam NIe weiphed about 25 pounds and was parted by the assayer with the most scrnnulous care. The present breast is between 10 and 15 feet 1utthef ahead and the ore now showing is VI much higher grade, some ot It pelme practically solid chalcopyrlte. lne chalcopyrite is shot through wi.h .es rahedrite, which accounts for the nigh silver content. The work at the Shea is being performed by superlntenaen' Oscar Engelder, who says that no ei, fort will be made to cross-cut uh'ii tbe tunnel has been advanced to point immediately below the snalt
 With delightful year-round ciimaIe' excellent railroad and shelter 1acii- tiees. roads and markets for supplies. Yayapai county offers today one oi inc best fields for mining to be tound anywhere. 8od
 lust recently the short line roao from Prescott, the county seat ol Yavapai county, to Jerome, the center of the rich Verde mining industry mas been opened to travel. Credit TOT this wonderful piece of highway work is not only due to the state ana leu. eral authorities, but to the Yavapai County Chamber of Commerce. wn,cn started the ball rolling to obtain this improvement and who never stopped nlugging until the road was built. The old route over the Cherry Creek high- way was 62 miles long, while the new road is 32. When the road is capped s,, and grayeled, the running time VIII he about one and one-half hours. The nroiect was financed by the Yavapal county portion of the states 70 per cent road fund, together with federal aid, which has been applied for to the total amount of $2S0,OOO. The state and county's share will exceed tnis amount, the excess being due to the fact that the cost of construction Tn some cases exceeded the federal max imum of $40,000 per mile. lnclden- tally, the construction of the Prescott Jerome highway affords an interest. ine commentary in Arizona. A halt century ago in this same district the Apache Indians were bent on blood- shed and plunder as a means to stem the advance of the whites, as every nioneer who remembers the Verde Valley massacre and other incidents of the eos and '70s will attest. To- day the Apaches, the descendants of those same blood-thirsty savages, are content to aid civilization and pro. gress by assisting in the building of roads. More than 50 per cent of the road forces were composed of Apaches and they have proven highly satisfac- tory. Chief Geronimo was an adept with the bow and poisoned arrow, they say, but the chief of his descend ants is the Indian who has mastered the art of handling the air drill and the steam shovel. Hs