to be used as a working shaft. Here also are the Rico and Silver King mines and others.

Cerbat.-Among the leading mines of the camp are the Golden Gem, which for many years has been a producer of gold ore. It is opened by a shaft 300 feet in depth, from which levels are run at each 100 feet. A 50-ton concentrating plant will be erected this fall to work the lower-grade ores.

The Flores, with a 5-stamp mill and concentrating plant, is located about one-fourth mile from the Gem; the Idaho and Vanderbilt join the side lines of the Gem. The Cerbat has a vein of sulphuret ore carrying gold and is opened by a shaft to a depth of 400 feet, and there is considerable drifting. The mine is equipped with a 5-stamp

mill.

Here also are the Columbus, Gold Nugget, Nevada, Twins, Champion, New London, Esmeralda, and others.

Union Basin.-This whole section is cut and crosscut by a network of mineral-bearing veins. Here are located the Tub, containing a ledge of gold and lead ore; the Climax, now being extensively developed; the Big Silver and the Big Bethel; the Paymaster, steadily shipping high-grade ore; and the Green Linnet, with its crosscut tunnel now in 480 feet. This tunnel is being run with a view of its continuation to cut the whole gold belt of the Cerbat Range, and will do more to demonstrate the extent and value of these mineral veins than any other project. This tunnel will cut the country at a depth of 1,700 feet below the surface at Lane Springs.

Mineral Park. This district is again awakening to its old-time activity. The Queen Bee, Argo, and Matalic Accident are steady shippers. The Turquoise mines of the Aztec company are steadily shipping gems to New York. The Kay is developing into a good copper property.

Oro Plata.-A large force of men are at work developing this property, the big concentrator running and producing a fine grade of concentrates. During the past year a mill has been erected on the property of this company, with a capacity of 30 tons of ore per day, and the work of crushing ores on the dumps was being carried on during the latter part of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1903. The property consists of five mining claims, three of which have received attention.

Queen Bee mine.-The greatest development of these mines is a shaft 235 feet in depth, with drifts started. There are five claims in the group. The equipment consists of one 8-horsepower gasoline hoist and engine. From 12 to 20 miners have been employed since November, 1902.

Chloride. This camp has in the last year had its ups and downs. The 250-ton concentrator at the Minnesota-Conner mine has been idle considerable of the time owing to the scarcity of water. The main shaft has reached a depth of 500 feet, and its ore chute continues down, holding its size and grade. A greater depth will undoubtedly furnish enough water to enable the plant to operate continuously. Both the Tennessee and Elkhart have been working and shipping concentrates from their large plants, but not up to their former outputs, especially in the case of the Tennessee, which is the leading lead producer of the district.

Both the Lucky Boy and the Samoa mines have been worked

throughout the year and are steady producers of ores. The Midnight has been worked continuously and the Pinkham occasionally, both showing bodies of gold, silver, and copper ore. The Redemption, Clyde, and Mitchell-Hughes properties are being developed and produce high-grade ore. The Steve Smith mine is producing gold ore of high grade. The old Sunlight is again being opened up; it was formerly a big producer.

Pilgrim mining district.-The Pilgrim mining district dates its inception from the discovery by O'Dea and Dempsey, in January of this year, of the Pilgrim mine.

The district is located in the northern part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and embraces the region lying between the Sacramento Valley on the east and the Colorado River on the west and the San Francisco mining district, reaching to Union Pass on the south and the Weaver mining district, commencing at the Searchlight Road, on the north.

The district belongs to the great metamorphic and eruptive goldbearing era that reaches from the Big Bend of the Colorado River on the north to Bill Williams Fork on the south, and within the past six months several gold discoveries have been made. Chief among them is the Pilgrim mine, which is probably the most important gold discovery made in many years. The property has just been sold to a company for $250,000, and active and extensive mining operations will

commence at once.

The Bi-metal mine.-This property, situated three miles south of Kingman, has just been purchased by a company, and preparations are being made for extensive work and the erection of a reduction plant. The vein is now being crosscut, an opening will be made under the railroad, and the ore will be run by trolley to the big mill to be erected. These operations will necessitate the employment of several hundred men, and this enterprise promises to be one of the greatest inthe Territory.

Chimehuera Mountains.-This heretofore neglected section is beginning to attract the attention of capital, and is undoubtedly coming to the front as a gold producer. So far there has been little work done with the exception of shallow surface workings which have produced free gold ore, most of which has been mined by Mexicans and treated in arastras and by other primitive methods.

So far as prospecting has progressed, it has been demonstrated that the values increase and the ore becomes more regular as soon as the sulphurets are reached, which usually occurs at a depth of 6 to 10 feet. Some of the ledges carry considerable lead and all carry gold values.

The Chimehueva Mountains are virtually a continuation of the river range in which are located the Gold Road and Leland and other mines of prominence.

The only mine on which any considerable work has been done is the Sun Rise, owned by Salt Lake City parties. They have a tunnel in 600 feet on the ledge, and the values have shown a steady increase as work has progressed and water encountered.

The north and east slope of the mountains are covered with a good growth of timber sufficient for mining purposes and fuel for many

years.

River Range.--The Gold Road Company has probably done more in the past year in the way of development, the erection of mining machinery and reduction plant, than any other in the county. The 300-ton cyanide plant is running continuously and turning out bullion. The Leland mine has a 40-stamp mill in course of construction and a developed mine to supply it with ore.

The New Comstock is getting in shape for a new cyanide plant of large capacity, which will be erected as soon as tests, now being made, decide the exact method.

The German-American, Holmes group, Gold Creek, Moss, and many others are being actively developed.

At Virginia Camp the cyanide plant is turning out bullion. The Great West Company has ordered a 50-ton cyanide plant.

Gold Lost Basins. The Minnesota and Arizona Gold Mining Company is running its 20-stamp mill on ores from the El Dorado mine. Gold Basin is about 45 miles north of Hackberry and reached by a good wagon road. Lost Basin is about 15 miles beyond Gold Basin. The Ida mine is located in Lost Basin.

The Monmouth Mining and Development Company. This company owns two full claims in the southeastern portion of the county, on the western slope of the Aquarius Mountains, 6 miles east of Big Sandy River and about 20 miles east of north from the town of Signal. They are accessible by wagon roads from Kingman, Signal, Hackberry, and all surrounding points. The claims are known as the Burro and Telegraph. One mill site of 5 acres adjoins the claims on the east and another of like size on the west.

Burro Creek, an ever-living stream of pure spring water, flows in a northerly course parallel to the east side of the vein and crosses the vein at right angles. The vein and surface ground constitute a peninsula, with the creek on either side. This arrangement of nature is admirably adapted to the erection and operation of large plants of machinery for the treatment of ores.

The amount of water in Burro Creek is ample for the driving of a large plant during the most of the year, and by impounding the water in the narrow canyon above constant power can be obtained. This the company proposes to do.

The vein has been owned by prospectors for the last twenty years. Its value and future outcome has been recognized by mining men of experience for many years, but, owing to the remoteness from railroad, inaccessibility, and the unfavorable terms of sale demanded by some of the owners, capital has, until the present company made the purchase, allowed it to rest.

With commendable zeal the Monmouth Company has opened up this section of the country to the general public by the building of a wagon road from the Sandy River to Burro Creek, a distance of 7 miles. A force of men under J. P. Wallace, general manager, have been constantly employed since January of this year in developing the property. The vein at present is explored by three cross tunnels, extending from wall to wall. Two of these intersect the Telegraph and one the Burro claim. In addition to these workings there are two drifts on the vein, one of 40 and one of 110 feet. The vertical distance between these drifts is 80 feet. The quartz stands above the creek bed in the form of a long, prominent, and picturesque ridge. The vein has been exposed to view by the elements; originally it was capped with lava,

6406-03-15

as most of the country now is. A 40-foot porphyry dike forms the hanging wall of the vein for two thirds of its length. Granite is the basement rock of the country, and sedimentary formations are in places tilted up to high angles on the slopes of the granite bases.

The canyon through which Burro Creek passes has been carved to a depth of 300 to 500 feet, a distance of 5 miles. The walls of the canyon are very precipitous. Access to the mines is obtained through a side canyon 1 niile in length over a good wagon road of easy grade. An experimental plant will at once be erected on the property to demonstrate to a certainty the best and most suitable method of treatment. Following this demonstration will be built a complete plant of large size. The ore will be mined by open quarry from the top of the ledge and will pass by gravity through an open chute to the ore bins at the top of the mill.

The cost of mining ore in this way can not exceed 50 cents per ton. The crushing will be to 30 mesh. The consumption of cyanide to the ton of ore will be low. The ore needs no concentrating or roasting.

Now that a start has been made in this section of the county and the way opened to it for teams, the southeastern portion of Mohave County will soon become a mining field of prominence.

Cedar Valley district.-The San Francisco mine carries values in gold and is developed to a depth of 400 feet. The cyaniding plant is being enlarged to handle the product of the mine. A new gasoline plant of large capacity for hoisting was lately installed.

Arnold mine. This mine is being reopened and the mill will be overhauled and put in condition to handle the ore in the mine and on the dumps.

Hualapai Mountains.-The Enterprise and the Ross and Braden companies are pushing development on their mines.

NAVAJO COUNTY.

[By Mr. Alex. F. McAllister, recorder and clerk of the board of supervisors.]

The population of Navajo County, while not showing a rapid increase during the past year, has increased to a considerable extent, and is confined mostly to the agricultural sections. Heavy rains during the year gave promise of plentiful crops and the further opening up of the farming lands of the county was the result, this being the substantial foundation of prosperity in this county.

Financial condition.-This county stands second to none financially, handicapped as we were at our creation by our share of the indebtedness assumed by us to the sum of $73,000, and the refusal of the Santa Fe Pacific Railroad Company to pay an equitable share of taxes on 57 miles of their roadway in the county; but with these adverse conditions this county can make as good a showing as any in the Territory. The bonded indebtedness of Navajo County is as follows:

Territorial funding bonds, 5 per cent, dated January 15, 1903, redeemable after twenty years, matures in fifty years..

Court-house and jail building bonds

Total bonded indebtedness..

The assets represented in public buildings, bridges, and other county property

Value of school property owned by county December 31, 1902.

Total value of all county property.......

$38,000

15,000

53,000

68, 730 20,000

88.730

From the above it will be seen that there is a balance in favor of the county of $35,730, with no outstanding warrants or other liabilities. In consideration of the above showing, with the increased rate of taxation to be paid by the Santa Fe Pacific Railroad Company for the present year of $175 per mile on their right of way, the county's sources of revenue will be materially increased, and with the continued economical management of the county government as has been exercised in the past, the future prosperity and advancement of the county is assured.

Irrigation and farming. The construction of dams, reservoirs, and canals in this county has been done by private means, and every effort put forth has been successful. What has been accomplished in this manner demonstrates the great possibilities for water storage if taken up on a larger scale. There are thousands of acres of fertile land that might be reclaimed and homes provided for many people. There are many available reservoir sites in the county, one of the most feasible being about 3 miles east of Holbrook, the county seat. At Woodruff a dam was constructed many years ago which has withstood the flood waters and is in every way in successful operation, providing water for an immense area of irrigable land. At Winslow water is brought onto the land by means of a ditch 15 miles in length, the water being taken from Chevelon and Clear creeks to the bottom lands near the town. Irrigation is also successfully carried on at Snowflake, Taylor, and Showlow.

Stock raising. This industry has suffered some during the past year by the removal of cattle from the county owned by the Aztec Land and Cattle Company. This company suffered from successive dry seasons and over-stocked ranges and was compelled to remove their cattle. The ranges are gradually improving and will be restocked by individual owners of live stock. The sheep industry is in excellent condition, large quantities of wool being produced during the past year at a good profit.

Oil development. Indications near Winslow give promise of the existence of oil. Experts from the Kern County, Cal., oil districts have gone over the ground and are confident that oil deposits exist similar to those in California. Locations have been filed covering over forty sections of land near the town and companies are being organized to operate them.

With a population of nearly 9,000 and an area about equal to that of the State of Indiana, this county can be classed with any community of like numbers in the East from an intellectual, moral, or industrial standard. Every little hamlet in the county has its free library, its debating and dramatic society or lyceum, and is purely American in thought and habit. The foreign element in its population, which is hardly 5 per cent of the whole, is of that desirable kind from the northern nations of Europe. They are all home makers and rapidly assimilate our political life; they are good, intelligent citizens, appreciating the opportunities granted them by our laws. We are in a position to know from our official connection with the people of the county for a number of years that in no instance have we found anyone who was unable to read and write.