REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE. Messrs. ENOCH T. CARSON, CHAS. C. REAKIRT, S. S. DAVIS, WM. WOOD, Jos. KINSEY, WM. SUMNER, JAS. D. THOMPSON, WM. T. PERKINS, THOS. SPOONER, HENRY KESSLER, Members of the Cincinnati Land and Mining Association, of Sonora, Mexico. R. H. COLLINS, GENTLEMEN:-On the 13th of July, 1865, you began in earnest the work of selecting and locating. and thereby vitalizing, the Sonora Concession or Land Grant of Mr. EDGAR CONKLING, which had been lying idle from the date of its original issue by the Mexican Government to Mr. CHARLES DENMAN, March 27, 1857. In securing the services of Messrs. CUMMINGS CHERRY and son JAMES CHERRY, Geologists and Mining Engineers, the result has proved that you were exceedingly fortunate. The indomitable energy, cool courage, patient toil, wonderful powers of endurance, and high professional skill exhibited by these gentlemen, under circumstances the most trying and against obstacles well nigh insurmountable, enables us to congratulate you upon a success as magnificent as it is gratifying and astonishing. They have secured for us the most valuable unimproved mining property in North America. The time of locating this Grant, although deemed inauspicious by intelligent persons both in Sonora and in San Francisco, by reason of the civil war now raging, was in real ity the best possible; for hazardous as was the undertaking, we were yet enabled to select the best property, without the competition or opposition that our agents must have encountered, had they reached there when citizens and foreigners were alike devoted to mining and other peaceful pursuits. Location and Survey.-This Grant of "four square Mexican leagues of untitled lands in Sonora," we had instructed them to locate with special regard to the greatest concentration of minerals, with water and water-power, firewood, timber, and accessibility to market. This happy combination was realized in the selection and survey of the ancient San Juan del Rio ranche, of about 25,000 acres, on the Yaqui River, in latitude 30° 40′ North, and longitude 109° West, about 41 miles South of the Arizona line, 55 miles West of the Chihuahua line, and 250 miles North-East from Guaymas, the best harbor on the Gulf of California. Before deciding upon this property, they had made thorough exploration of at least twenty-eight known Mining Districts, besides many others whose names could not be ascertained. An official survey was made of the property, corner monuments erected, and all the forms of Mexican law strictly complied with; and the National record evidence of title may be expected at an early day, from the Department of Fomento, Colonization, Industry and Commerce of the Mexican Republic, of all of which we have certified documentary evidence. Accessibility. By a good wagon road from Guaymas, through San Marcial, Matape, Oposura (or more properly Moctezuma,) Cumpas, and Nacosari, we reach a point as far North as San Juan del Rio, and West of it but ten leagues. Over this ten leagues was formerly a good wagon road, now needing much repair. About 3 leagues of the distance will require considerable grading; but by lengthening the route through a pass North of the old trail, a better road can be made, at less expense. Another route leads from Moctezuma eastward, over a wagon road to Granados, and thence northward along the bed of the Yaqui River through Oputo to San Juan del Rio. A heavier outlay will be needed to make this passable than over the first named route. On either route much of the distance is over roads which have no superior in any country. Two other routes may be pursued: one through Hermosillo and Ures; the other direct from the mouth of the Yaqui River, following its course to the mines. The Mines.-The Mines in the vicinity of the old towns of Toapatz and San Juan, the Valenzuello, San Patricio, San Juan, Santa Helena, San Nicholas, and San Filepe mines, besides others whose names are unknown, are embraced within the boundaries of our survey. These were all extensively worked, many years ago. And tradition-the lost archives of the State of Sonora-the historical collections and reports of WARD, WILSON, D'AUMAILLE, Col. BOURNE, MOWRY, BARTLETT, and others-together with the debris, deposits of slag and rubbish, outcrops, and still partially exposed excavations—all bear unmistakable testimony to the immense mineral wealth hoarded here. The Valenzuello mine alone, in the short period of two years, yielded over $2,000,000. This vein at the surface is 6 feet, at 40 feet below increases to 10 feet, and seemingly widens with the depth. The San Patricio vein where exposed is not less than 20 feet wide, the San Juan 5 feet, Santa Helena 8 feet, San Nicholas 5 feet, San Filepe 4 feet, while the other veins are each 3 to 6 feet on the surface, and all are likely to widen with the depth. Some of the veins were traced for miles in length. Minerals.-Segregated mineral veins seldom, if ever, justify much outlay to develop them, because they are not permanent. The veins upon the San Juan del Rio property are true fissure veins, permanent and reliable in their character, and are of that class which have been fitly styled "the grand repositories of the precious metals." Silver occurs here in almost every form-native, antimonial, sulphurets, silver glance, chloride and chloro-bromide. Copper occurs in the several forms of gray, pyrites, red and black oxides, sulphates, sulphurets, &c. Lead and gold are in quantities to pay abundantly, under scientific processes of separation. Hydraulic lime and fire clay are found, and of superior quality. The imperfect modes of separation and reduction employed by the ancient owners of the mines have left immense deposits which, under the advances latterly made in metallurgy, will release vast quantities of wealth. The unlimited abundance of the ores here is another great feature of value. The San Patricio mine alone would furnish employment for a one hundred stamp mill. And the character of the ores makes them cheaply and easily minable and reducible. A Water Power.-The Yaqui River, a strong and rapid stream-the largest in Sonora, if not the only one deserving the name runs through this property for eight miles. few hundred yards below where it enters the property is a cañon or natural gap through the mountain, with high perpendicular walls. A dam here, of 8 feet hight and 400 feet width, at a cost of say $25,000, will furnish water-power for several hundred stamps. Cheaper waterpowers can be built, at several points below on the river. This is probably the only mining property in Sonora or Arizona where the supply of water is abundant and inexhaustible, so as entirely to avoid the necessity for steam, and yet keep the mills in constant operation. |