The Coconino sun., 1927-11-25
UNITED VERDE COPPER
COMPANY'S GROWTH IS
ROMANCE OF INDUSTRY

TWO small blast furnaces were erected
and operated for about two years and
the mine was developed to a depth
of about 100 feet. A high grade gold
silver copper matte was produced
from ore which averaged about $780,
90 per ton in value. The Santa Fe
railroad by this time had been built
through Arizona, but as the nearest
station was about SO miles distant
from the mine transportation was
so expensive that the operations
ceased to pay. Financial difficulties
developed and operations were su-
| spended in 1884, and although small
amount of work was done in the mine
| during the following few years the
| smelter remained closed until in 1888
| it resumed operation under the owner
ship Of w. A. Clark.
The attention of Senator Clark was
first directed to the United Verde
mine when he saw an exhibit of its
sition at New Orleans in 1885 He
later assumed control of the Oxford
Copper Refinery to which the United
Verde matte had been shipped and
was again impressed by the high
grade shipments from this mine.
In March, 1883, Senator Clark made
his first visit to the mine, making
the trip by horse back from Prescott
over mountain trails and through
two feet of snow. He was accompan-
led by Joseph Ciroux They arrived
at the mine at o'clock p NJ, had
dinner and spent the remainder of
the night underground. Senator Clark
was convinced that the large oxide
area formed the Gaping Of a copper
deposit, and subsequent development
proved the correctness of this theory.
He secured an option on the property
and purchased control. Mr.. James A.
Masdonald, who was president of
the company and who still holds that
office, encouraged the Senator to
purchase the property.
Senator Clark Immediately started
to develop the mine to a greater depth.
The matte shipments financed this
work and the general results were so
satisfactory that larger and more
modern furnaces were constructed. In
1894 he built a narrow gauge rail
road from Jerome Junction, on the
Ash Fork-Phoenix branch of the
Santa Fe railrad, to Jerome Since
that time development Of both the
mine and the smelling facilities have
been gradually developed to a stage
which places the United Verde among
the most important copper producers
of the word.
The original smelter was extended
to a capacity of about 3,500,000 ID.
of copper per month. This smeiter
and the mine plant We're constructed
directly over the mine workings and
were maintained with great difficulty
and expense because of settling
ground. The unsatisfactory location
Of the smelter suggested the construc-
ton of new and modern plant, for
which plans were started in 1911.
The new Clarkdale plant was blown
in on May 26, 1915.
The development of the mine was
not without its difficulties, among the
most important of these being mine
fires. The first fire started in 1894,
following a cave-in in one of the soft
sulphide Slopes 1t gradually extend
ed until large portion of the ore
body from the surface to the 700 foot
level was enclosed within the fire
area The surface is now being strip
ped by steam shovels and the fire
area and other upper level ores being
worked by steam shovel and mill-hole
methods. The preliminary work in
cident to the mining of these ores
involved an expediture of approxim-
atey S3,O00,000
A modern mine surface plant has
been constructed, the buildings being
Of steel and brick, at cost Of ap-
proximately 81 ,250,000.
The orebodies of the United Verde
mine are worked by steam shovel,
mill-hole, shrinkage, cut-and-fill, and
square-set methods Of mining. The
ores are hauled through a mile-long
tunnel on the 1000 foot level to trans
fer bins located near the mouth of
this tunnel, thence by steam locomo-
tives to Clarkdale over the Verde
Tunnel & Smelter Railroad This
railroad, subsidiary of the United
Verde Copper company, is q common
carrier connecting with the Verde
Valley branch of the Santa Fe at
Clarkdale. 1t is approximately II
miles long and has been extended to
Jerome, superseding the narrow gauge
railroad to Jerome Junction, which
has been dismantled.
The policy of the United Verde
Copper company upon which the
greatest stress is laid is its relations
with its employees and the public.
Lack of friction and the presence Of
good will within the organization and
without are paramount. In comment
ing upon this policy, Mr.. Robert E.
Tally, general manger of the United
Verde Copper company, made the
following statement:
eve. consider it duty to pay good
wages, to maintain safe. sanitary and
pleasant working conditions to treat
the men justly on all occasions; to
use our influence in securing good
living conditions, good schools, |
churches, and amusements; and in
general to make the work and life
of our employees attractive. In return
we expect fair shifts work and
loyalty from each employee
In line with our policy the company
maintains well organized and eff
cient Safety Department where every
possible attention is directed towards
safety of the employees. We have