Imperial Valley press., 1936-01-19

way department, as an old over
land stage station.
Adobe Ruin Was Mill Office
This old building was never US
ed as a stage station, according to
all available records and evidence.
1t was erected, along with several
other buildings, in 1881 and was
used as an office by the then new
owners of the stamp mill which
had been in operation for several
years.
Several years later overflow
waters from the river destroyed
the warehouses, assay office,
stables, store and living quarters
erected by the previous owners
and also all other buildings erect
ed by the new owners, save only
the mill and office building both
of which were on higher ground.
Previous to 1882 all ores mined
in the Cargo Muchacho district
were hauled to this old mill by
mule teams. The road from the
mines to the mill was mostly
down hill and two and three wagon
outfits loaded with ore were drawn
by six, eight and ten mule Jerk
line" teams.
Exact dates of many of the early
developments are somewhat vague
and uncertain but either in 1888
or 1884 the old Gold Rock Mining
company was transferred to
group of new owners from the
coast. Hedges and Fuller, prin-
ciple stockholders in the new
group, were experienced and prac-
tical mining men and were origin
ally well supplied with finances.
Pumping Plant Installed
Owing to the fact that no water
was available at the location of
the partially developed mines, the
new owners first problem was to
supply this important need For
a time they continued the opera
ton of the old Gold Rock mill
near the river, but they also i'm
mediately started the construction
of large steam driven pumping
plant.
A number of settling basins were
constructed at the rivers edge, the
pumps were installed, and a six or
eight inch pipe line was run from
the pumps to the mines, distance
of more than II miles directly
across the desert washes and hills.
With an ample supply OF water
assured, development on a big
scale actually got under way.
In 1877 the Southern Pacific
railroad was completed to the Colo
RADIO river opposite Yuma and in
1878 it crossed the river and was
completed on east. towards Tucson.
Previous to this time all supplies
had been shipped via boat through
the gulf and up the Colorado to
Yuma. With the completion OF the
railroad all supplies were brought
in by rail and the small desert
station of Ogilby began to assume
importance which, for time, RI
vailed that of Yuma, the hereto
fore recognized headquarters and
distributing center for the entire
southern portion of Arizona, New
Mexico and the desert portion oil
California.
Work already done had proved
that three major ore deposits exist
ed at the mines which were now
known as the Hedges property
These workings were situated about
five miles east and north OF
Ogilby. Active development work
was started on three claims known
as the Queen, Cross and the CroWn
The latter claim was more often
spoken of as the Corona, the Span
ish translation of its American
name.
With the opening of the three
main headings, work on What was TO
be the second largest stamp mill and
amalgamating plant on this contln-
enU was begun. When completed
the property was equipped with a
battery totaling 140 stamps. A mill
at Tredwell, South Dakota, said to
be the largest in the world, exceed
ed this number by 10 stamps only.
Ruins Only Are Left
While most of the buildings on the
property have disappeared with the
passing years, the old mill frame
which supported battery of 100 of
these stamps is still standing as a
monument to the glories of years
that are gone.
Immense steel leeching tanks,
many of them 80, 40 or SO feet in
diameter were installed. One group
of these immense tanks still stands
on the hillside where they served to
aid in the extraction of untold
wealth from the bowels of the desert
hills.
Miles of Underground Workings
AS development progressed che