Shawn I'll sell you map to Lost Dutchman mine!
Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Articles: 2 Comments: 1 Location: Ahwatukee, AZ |
Posted: 11/10/2004, 1:10 pm |
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Have you been fascinated, or at least intrigued, by the old mine workings found in much of Arizona? This book gives first-hand insight into the industry, characters, and circumstances that are now evidenced by the shaft, adits, and tailings piles we wonder about on our walks.
Crampton was kicked out of a wealthy New England family in the early 1900's for rowdy behavior the family found objectionable. He hit the rails and fell in with some workers heading west to work in the mines. The book is his story of fifty years in the business, as it changed from a grubstake-and-a-mule operation to the massive corporate mines we see today. He was part of the fledgling mining industry in AZ, NV, CA, and CO.
Crampton taught himself assaying, earned enough to start his own assay office, and became a player in the western mine camps. He worked in or managed several famous AZ mining operations, including the Constellation at Wickenburg, and mines at Chloride. Several anecdotes are so funny they have to be true. The most fascinating is his search and discovery of lost miners in NV.
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I found the first copy of this book at the Mohave Co. museum, and got another one online. |
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