Congress Mine

Congress Mine

The Congress Mine is a gold mine located next to Congress, Arizona on the southeastern slope of the Date Creek Mountains, approximately 18 miles north-northeast of Wickenburg, Arizona at an elevation of about 3,000 feet (Lat. 34.216 - Long. -122.841) The Congress Mine produced substantial quantities of Gold and was considered one of the most productive gold mines in Arizona.[1][2]

The gold found in the mine was primarily small veins embedded in white quartz with inclusions of iron pyrite (fool's gold), iron and sulfur. The Congress vein was considered to be a peculiar formation, characterized as "a dike of green stone trap." The ore ran through this dike and the dike was found throughout the entire geographical ledge. The most valuable ore bearing rocks could be found lodged on or near a foot wall in the ledge usually in drifts 12 to 15 feet high. The vein had a dip of 22 degrees and was usually about 15 feet wide. The vein was accessed by shafts dug (often quite deep) into the areas around the ledge.[3]

Contents

History

Following the placer gold rush to the nearby Weaver district 1863-4, prospectors began scouring the surrounging hills for gold lodes. In the 1860s miners organized the Date Creek Mining District (later renamed the Matinez district) after discovering gold in the Date Creek Mountains. Recorder for the mining district was Dennis May, who would later discover the Congress Mine, but not until twenty years of sporadic, small scale operations in the immediate area. From Buffalo, New York and in Arizona since 1866, May was a typical suingleblanket prospector. In the early 1880s he was able to sell his Modle mine through mine promoter Frank Murphy, and began a more thorough search of the Date Creek Mountains. In 1883, began working a claim he recorded as the Congress in March 1884. He had found his bonanza.

Successful mines have many fathers while a borrasco is an orphan. The Congress is no different. On his deathbed, in 1903, Ben Bartlett in Tucson related that he had discovered in the early 1870s the Congress, the mine remained a small operation until rediscovered in 1883 by Dennis May. Some sources say that Bartlett abandoned the mine, some say May paid Bartlett $150 for the claim. May was the first person to energetically develop the mine and then sold it in 1887 to Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds for $30,000. Properly capitalized, it was then operated on a limited scale until 1891 when the then current owner died. The mine was shut down until new owners acquired it in 1894.[4][5][6]

In 1900, the number 1 shaft had reached a depth of 2,700 feet and was the deepest shaft in the Arizona Territory. The shafts generally ran at an angle of 22-22.5 degrees to follow the vein. In 1900, the mine consisted of about 30 separate claims of which the principle producers were the Congress, the Niagara and the Why Not, and had by then produced over $5,000,000 (in 1900 dollars) worth of gold.[3] Around this time the monthly payroll of the mine was reported to be about $400,000.[7]

In May 1901 the Congress Mine was visited by then President William McKinley on a tour of the country. He was accompanied (among others) by former Arizona Territorial Governor Nathan Oakes Murphy and Frank M. Murphy, stockholder and one of the former owners of the Congress Mine and builder of the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railway.[8]

In 1902, a competing syndicate from New York acquired a claim to property adjacent to the Congress Mine which was earlier ignored by the engineers of the Congress Gold Company as being devoid of precious minerals. This turned out to be a big oversight and the Senate Mine was developed. This caused great anxiety to the stockholders of the Congress Gold Mining Company and they began to acquire adjoining claims and nearby land. This proved to be a successful strategy as other gold veins were discovered.[9]

More gold was discovered in previously ignored areas near the Congress Mine in 1902. Four more ore bearing ledges were discovered near the main (Congress) shaft which by this time had reached a depth of 3,200 feet. These ledges followed the same general geology as the previously discovered ore deposits running at an angle near 22 degrees.[9]

The gold bearing ore became scarcer the deeper the miners went and work underground diminished while the tailings were reprocessed. The owners of the mine then decided to prospect within the existing shafts for new veins of gold bearing rocks.[10] In 1905 a new offshoot vein was discovered at a level of 2,050 feet in the number 5 shaft. A horizontal shaft was dug to follow this vein.[11][12] By this time the Congress Shaft had reached a depth of 4,000 feet with a few of the other shafts passing the 3,000 foot level.[13] By 1906, with the discovery of new veins, the Congress Mine was again in full production. The ore near the 4,000 foot depth was reported to be richer than the veins at the lesser depths. At this time equipment included 12 hoists with steam engines ranging from 20 to 200 horsepower, a reduction plant with an 80 stamp mill, a new concentrating plant, a cyanide plant consisting of a roasting furnace and seven 90-ton leaching tanks and three 200-ton leaching tanks for non roasted ore.[14]

In the ensuring years, the high grade ores became harder to find and harder to get to and more work was done on the processing of tailings for the low grade ores it contained. In 1911 it was reported that the Congress mine operated for the first three months and then closed while the parent company concentrated on developing other properties, of which one of note was the recently acquired Silver Belle district near Red Rock, Arizona.[15][16][17] As the Congress played out, competing claims around it continued to be found and worked, though not to the same degree of success as the Congress Mine.[18][19] The owners of the Congress Mine began to sell off parts of the property including the rights to the mine dump and tailings, to other mining concerns.[20] In 1912 the Development Company of America sold the Congress Mine along with the Imperial and Christmas mines to the mining conglomerate headed up by the Guggenheim Family which owned numerous other mining properties in Arizona. Of the three properties the Christmas Mine was reported to be the most important because of its high copper output as well as its high sulfur content, needed as flux for the nearby smelters at Hayden, Arizona which processed primarily copper ores from the Ray mine.[21][22] In 1913 the only activity at the mine was speculative, mostly centered around possible leases for reworking the tailings and dumps of discarded ore left over from the primary mining of the main shafts. It was reported that most of the machinery still stood at the site, looking as if it could start up again any time, "at the blowing of the whistle." The town of Congress, Arizona was "hanging on" but with the majority of the mining activity stilled, a good number of residents (either miners or those associated with mining businesses) began moving to more active areas. Much of the news concerning the Congress Mine by this time began to shift focus from, "What is to come," to, "What once was."[23] A few hopeful reports were printed from time to time that the Congress Mine would be re-opened.[24] Sadly for the people of Congress, Arizona, these reports were erroneous and the most common reports were details of the equipment being removed from the mine complex to be utilized elsewhere. Also by this time, the mine was most commonly called the "Old Congress Mine," to distinguish it from other mines with the same name, particularly the re-opened Congress Mine near Silverton, Colorado.[25][26][27] By 1914 the vast majority or reports concerning the Congress Mine centered around possible schemes to rework the tailings. No potential work within the mine itself was reported.[28][29] As World War I progressed, references to the Old Congress Mine became almost non existent and by the end of the war the only references to be found were in articles about news makers who were once associated with the Congress Mine. The heyday of one of the greatest Gold mines in Arizona was over.

Discovery and ownership

The Congress mining claim was first discovered by Ben Bartlett, who, some time around 1872, staked claim to what would become the Congress Gold Mine.[3] Bartlett barely worked the claim and some sources say he later abandoned it. Other sources say he sold his claim to Dennis May and Edward F. Gilbert for $150.[6][30][31] He continued to work in the mine as a laborer. Ben Bartlett died February, 1903.[32]

In 1883 Dennis May and Edward F. Gilbert became the owners of the Congress claim. Mr. Gilbert was reported to have abandoned his claim due to the apparently low grade ore found near the surface.[30] Dennis May did the first real development of the property. He sold his share in the mine in 1887 to Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds for a reported $30,000. Dennis May died in Phoenix on October 17, 1907[6]

Frank Morrill Murphy, a Prescott, Arizona mining promoter acted as a broker for the sale of the Congress mine to Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds of Chicago. Mr. Reynolds originally believed the mine was a "fraud" but was convinced by Mr. Murphy that it had the potential to be a successful venture.[33] Frank Murphy, brother of later Arizona Territorial Governor Nathan Oakes Murphy, became a trusted friend of Joe Reynolds and was superintendent of the Congress mine after Mr. Reynolds purchased it. He was still the superintendent at the time of Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds death (he was at Mr. Reynolds bedside at the mine when he died).[34][35][36] Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds died of pneumonia at the age of 71 on February 21, 1891 in his tent at the Congress Mine in Arizona. After his death his estate was valued at between $8 and $10 million completely debt free. His widow, Eleanor Morton Reynolds became one of the executors of Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds estate and after his death she sold the mine in 1894 (they had no children heirs).[4][37] Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds had championed a railroad between Prescott and Phoenix, running through Congress, to reduce shipping costs to and from the mine. Immediately after his death, Frank Murphy concentrated on getting the railroad built and the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railway reached Congress in 1894, then Phoenix in 1895.[4][38]

The Congress Gold Mining Company, incorporated in 1895, purchased the mine from Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds estate in March, 1894. Since his death in 1891 the mine had been shut down. The principles in the new company when incorporated were C. D. Arms, Eliphalet Butler Gage, (a successful miner in Tombstone in the early days) as president, and Frank M. Murphy. The capital stock was valued at $1,000,000.[3][4][36]

In 1900 it was reported that the Congress Mine had been sold again, this time to a syndicate headed by ex Senator Warner Miller of New York for $3,000,000. This was later proven to be a false claim.[39][40][41]

On April 5, 1901 the Congress Mine was sold to a syndicate headed by John William MacKay for $5,000,000. This company was organized as the Congress Consolidated Mines Company, Limited. Listed as the principle sellers were Frank M. Murphy, E. B. Gage and N.K. Fairbanks. At the time of the sale it was reported that the management would stay the same and that the former owners would retain some interest in the mine.[4][42]

By 1904 the Congress Mine was operated by the Consolidated Mines Company, part of a larger conglomerate of companies under the control of the Development Company of America with Frank Murphy as president, headquartered in New York City, which also owned the Poland Mine Company, Imperial Mining Company, Consolidated Mines Company of Tombstone, Arizona and the mining railroad which ran 2 1/2 miles to the Congress Mine from Congress Junction.[4][43][44][45]

In 1912 the Development Company of America sold the Congress Mine to a mining conglomerate headed up by the Guggenheim Family.[21][22]

People associated with the mine

  • C. D. Arms : A member of the syndicate that purchased the Congress Mine from the estate of Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds in 1895.[3]
  • M. K. Fairbanks : Listed as one of the principle stockholders in the mine when it was sold in 1901.[42]
  • Eliphalet Butler Gage : A prominent miner in early Tombstone and member of the syndicate that owned the Tombstone Consolidated mining company.[46] President of the syndicate that purchased the Congress Mine from the eastate of Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds 1895. Listed as one of the principle stockholders in the mine when it was sold in 1901.[42]
  • Edward F. Gilbert : With Dennis May, rediscovered or purchased the Congress Mine is 1883. Abandoned his share due to the evidently low grade of the surface ores. Died in Kingman in July, 1907.[30]
  • Professor M. Goodloe : General Superintendent, Congress Mines Company[11]
  • Ben Goodrich : General Counsel for the Development Company of America, parent company of the Congress Mines Company.[17]
  • Sam Gunn : Mine Foreman, Congress Mines Company[11]
  • John William MacKay : Head of the mining sydicate that bought the Congress Mine in 1901[4][42]
  • Victor L. Mason : Vice President of the Development Company of America, parent company of the Congress Mines Company.[17]
  • Frank Morrill Murphy : Brokered the sale of the mine from Dennis May, (re)discoverer, to Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds. Made superintendent by Mr. Reynolds. A member of the syndicate that purchased the Congress Mine from the estate of Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds in 1895. Builder of the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railway from Prescott to Phoenix which served Congress, AZ. Listed as one of the principle stockholders in the mine when it was sold in 1901.[42] He was also the brother of Arizona Territorial Governor Nathan Oakes Murphy.
  • Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds : Chicago businessman who purchased the mine from its (re)discoverer, Dennis May. Mr. Reynolds died in 1891 while at the mine.[37]
  • W. F. Staunton : Superintendent under the John W. MacKay syndicate.[46]

Mine-related deaths

  • Alfred Jackson, Miner 12-21-1899[47]
  • A. L. White, Weather Observer 9-28-1896[48]

References

  1. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, January 28, 1904, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1904-01-28/ed-1/seq-3/
  2. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, August 4, 1904, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1905-08-04/ed-1/seq-3/
  3. ^ a b c d e Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, May 10, 1900, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1900-05-10/ed-1/seq-1/
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Sept. 9, 1904, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1904-09-09/ed-1/seq-3/
  5. ^ Mohave County Miner newspaper article, May 27, 1907, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024828/1907-04-27/ed-1/seq-1/
  6. ^ a b c Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Oct. 18, 1907, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1907-10-18/ed-1/seq-8/
  7. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, January 18, 1896, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1896-01-18/ed-1/seq-2/
  8. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Sept. 9, 1904, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1901-05-09/ed-1/seq-1/
  9. ^ a b Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, November 20, 1902, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1902-11-20/ed-1/seq-3/
  10. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Aug. 4, 1905, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1905-08-04/ed-1/seq-3/
  11. ^ a b c Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, May 11, 1905, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1905-05-11/ed-1/seq-3/
  12. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, Nov. 23, 1905, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1905-11-23/ed-1/seq-2/
  13. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, Aug. 31, 1905, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1905-08-31/ed-1/seq-2/
  14. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Nov. 13, 1906, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1906-11-13/ed-1/seq-6/
  15. ^ Mohave County Miner newspaper article, Jan. 13, 1912, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024828/1912-01-13/ed-1/seq-5/
  16. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Jan. 13, 1912, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1912-01-13/ed-1/seq-6/
  17. ^ a b c Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, March 25, 1910, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1910-03-25/ed-1/seq-1/
  18. ^ Mohave County Miner newspaper article, Feb. 17, 1912, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024828/1912-02-17/ed-1/seq-1/
  19. ^ Daily Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, Nov. 20, 1908, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87082863/1908-11-20/ed-1/seq-4/
  20. ^ Mohave County Miner newspaper article, Nov. 2, 1912, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024828/1912-11-02/ed-1/seq-4/
  21. ^ a b Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Nov. 12, 1912, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1912-11-12/ed-1/seq-6/
  22. ^ a b The Coconino Sun newspaper article, Nov. 16, 1912, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87062055/1912-11-22/ed-1/seq-2/
  23. ^ Mohave County Miner newspaper article, May 3, 1912, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024828/1913-05-03/ed-1/seq-5/
  24. ^ Mohave County Miner newspaper article, July 7, 1912, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024828/1913-07-12/ed-1/seq-5/
  25. ^ Tombstone Epitaph newspaper article, July 13, 1913, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95060905/1913-07-13/ed-1/seq-2/
  26. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Oct. 1, 1913, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1913-10-01/ed-1/seq-8/
  27. ^ Tombstone Epitaph newspaper article, June 10, 1917, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95060905/1917-06-10/ed-1/seq-3/
  28. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Oct. 29, 1913, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1913-10-29/ed-1/seq-8/
  29. ^ Tombstone Epitaph newspaper article, March 22, 1914, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95060905/1914-03-22/ed-1/seq-2/
  30. ^ a b c Mohave County Miner newspaper article, Oct. 19, 1907, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024828/1907-10-19/ed-1/seq-2/
  31. ^ The Coconino Sun newspaper article, February 28, 1903, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87062055/1903-02-28/ed-1/seq-7/
  32. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, March 5, 1903, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1903-03-05/ed-1/seq-3/
  33. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, March 7, 1901, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1901-03-07/ed-1/seq-7/
  34. ^ Arizona Republican newspaper article, May 30, 1890, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020558/1890-05-30/ed-1/seq-2/
  35. ^ Arizona Republican newspaper article, Feb. 27, 1891, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020558/1891-02-27/ed-1/seq-4/
  36. ^ a b Tombstone Epitaph newspaper article, March 10, 1895, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95060905/1895-03-10/ed-1/seq-2
  37. ^ a b Arizona Republican newspaper, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020558/1891-03-26/ed-1/seq-1/
  38. ^ Tombstone Epitaph newspaper article, Opt. 4, 1914, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95060905/1914-10-04/ed-1/seq-2/
  39. ^ Tombstone Epitaph newspaper article, March 10, 1900, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95060905/1900-06-03/ed-1/seq-4/
  40. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, June 7, 1900, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1900-06-07/ed-1/seq-1/
  41. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, June 21, 1900, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1900-06-21/ed-1/seq-1/
  42. ^ a b c d e Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, April 11, 1901, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1901-04-11/ed-1/seq-1/
  43. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, April 16, 1905, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1905-04-16/ed-1/seq-10/
  44. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Jan. 22, 1908, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1908-01-22/ed-1/seq-5/
  45. ^ Bisbee Daily Review newspaper article, Feb. 9, 1908, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1908-02-09/ed-1/seq-10/
  46. ^ a b Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, August 3, 1905, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1905-08-03/ed-1/seq-2/
  47. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, December 21, 1899, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1899-12-21/ed-1/seq-7/
  48. ^ Arizona Silver Belt newspaper article, October 8, 1896, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84021913/1896-10-08/ed-1/seq-1/


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