THE ARIZONA MINING CAREER OF WILLIAM F. STAUNTON, 1883-1931 (LABOR, RAILROADS, TOMBSTONE) Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Britz, Kevin Mark Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 01/10/2021 22:53:55 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/291300 INFORMATION TO USERS This reproduction was made from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. While the most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this document, the quality of the reproduction is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. 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STAUNTON, 1883-1931 The University of Arizona M.A. 1986 University Microfilms International 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 Copyright 1986 by Britz, Kevin Mark All Rights Reserved THE ARIZONA MINING CAREER OF WILLIAM F. STAUNTON 1383-1931 by Kevin Mark Britz A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF. HISTORY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 198 6 Copyright 1986 Kevin Mark Britz STATEMENT OF AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGHED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: HARWOOD P. HINTON Date Professor of History PREFACE At the conclusion of the Civil War, there was a renewed interest in western mining. Thousands of Americans boarded trains and stages and headed west hoping to find fortunes in the vast, untapped resources locked in the mountains of the territories and states of the Far West. Many of these men ended up in the territory of Arizona, where, despite the hardships of isolation, a harsh climate and the Apache menace, they initiated the development of a lucrative mining industry. This industry in time became a pivital force in the history of Arizona, triggering the rise of towns, the building of railroads, and the investment of large amounts of capital. Mining also played a major role in the drive for statehood. William F. Staunton was one of those who came to Arizona territory seeking a career in mining. He was a wiry, 22-year-old Ohioan who had graduated from the Columbia University School of Mines in mining engineering and after a series of jobs in the East decided to try his hand out West. In 1883, he arrived in Tombstone and began a fifty-year career in Arizona mining. Staunton's career iii spanned a variety of supervisory positions with three major mining firms: the Tombstone Mill and Mining Company from 1883 to 1894; the Development Company of America, which included the Congress Consolidated Mining Company, the Tombstone Consolidated Mining Company and the Imperial Copper Company, from 1901 to 1910; and the Verde Central Mining Company from 1916 to 1931. Staunton was typical of the class of mining engineers who went west in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Like many of these engineers, he came educated and equipped with the skills to handle the everyday tasks of developing and maintaining an up-to-date mining operation. He had a background in metallurgy and surveying, could locate and map ore bodies and understood the current technology for extracting and processing ore. He also was trained in the more mundane tasks such as bookkeeping. In short, he was a generalist who predictably could create profitable operations for mining companies. What skills Staunton lacked, he quickly gained through hardrock experience. Staunton was faced with a wide range of problems common to a mining engineer and supervisor in the Southwest. During his long career, he wrestled with the everyday technical problems of ore extraction and processing, plus outside dilemmas such as labor strife, V political issues, and legal problems which posed dangers to mining operations. He dealt with the pressures generated by anxious company owners, potential and real investors, promoters, and the public at large. And, in some cases, he assumed the role of promoter himself. In addition, Staunton found himself grappling with situations that extended beyond his role as an engineer. While working with the Development Company, he became intimately involved with railroads and, on occasion, felt the winds of territorial politics. Staunton was an acute observer and meticulous chronicler. He carefully kept field diaries, correspondence, magazine and newspaper articles and—most importantly—a set of memoirs. This collection provides a detailed and wry account of the problems, adventures, outside forces, and people intimately connected with the Arizona mining industry from 1883 to 1931. Staunton's writings are colored by his romantic yet practical vision of mining. He regarded the profession of the mining engineer as a noble calling, and was distrustful of entrepreneurs, large cities, and politicians. He reserved his respect for only those who shared with him the everyday work of hardrock mining. A study of Staunton's career clearly illuminates the critical role the engineer-supervisor played in the development of the Western mining industry. It was this class of men who were directly responsible for the maintenance, expansion, and protection of the interests of the mining operations. Upon their shoulders, success or failure often hinged. The main source of information for this thesis has been the William F. Staunton Collection at the University of Arizona. Fortunately, Staunton kept an exhaustive amount of letters and personal accounts and many of the actual reports of the companies he worked for. Corroborative material such as territorial and state newspapers were also helpful. Outside perspectives on the activities of Staunton's companies were found in the professional journals of his time, most prominently, The Engineering and Mining Journal and Mining and Scientific Press. I would like to thank Dr. Harwood P. Hinton for his patience and encouragement in developing this thesis and the staff of the Arizona Historical Society who inspired my interest in Arizona mining while working on the Arizona Mining Exhibition. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT viii I. THE TOMBSTONE MILL AND MINING COMPANY, 1883-1894 1 II. THE CONGRESS MINES, 1394-1906 24 III. THE IMPERIAL COPPER COMPANY, 1903-1910 .... 61 IV. THE TOMBSTONE CONSOLIDATED, 1901-1910 93 V. THE VERDE CENTRAL, 1916-1931 130 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 168 vii ABSTRACT William F. Staunton, a graduate of the Columbia University School of Mines, was one of many of mining engineers who flocked to the southwest to seek jobs in the growing mineral industry. Staunton was involved in a number of mining enterprises in Arizona between 1883 and 1931: the Tombstone Mill and Mining Company, the Congress Gold Company, the Tombstone Consolidated Company, the Imperial Copper Company, and the Verde Central Mining Company. Staunton's long career in Arizona mining throws in bold relief the role mining engineers and supervisors played in the Southwest from 1880 to 1930. His dealings with technical problems, labor disturbances, promoters and methods of financing typifies experiences of his colleagues of this period. In a broader sense, Staunton's career mirrors the ties between railroads, mines and politics and illustrates the responsibilities, duties and freedom of action exercised by the Southwestern mine manager. viii CHAPTER I THE TOMBSTONE MILL AMD MINING COMPANY 1883-1894 William F. Staunton arrived in Tombstone, Arizona on July 4, 1883, to look for a job.