Mining Claim of Albert and Julia Schaffer

[novice]

Greg Davis graciously shared a copy of the Mining Claim by Albert Schaffer, Julia "Thomas" Schaffer and Albert's brother Englebert Schaffer filed on February 23, 1894 in Maricopa county, Arizona Territory. I have transcribed the document retaining the spelling and punctuation to the best of my ability. (I'm sure there are some errors). I have included it below in this post. I know many of you have seen and perhaps studied it but hopefully there are others who may find it interesting. It raises several questions for me but to proceed, I need to know roughly where I am!

Can anyone put me in the general area of this claim on a modern day map? If someone has some topo software that they could use to provide a GPS reading, that would be appreciated.

The references are all confusing to me trying to study a recent map!

Where is the South side of the Salt River Mountains two miles South of the Main Range?
Where was the North side of the Pima Reservation in 1894?
Where was the Kyrine Phoenix, & Maricopa Railroad Station? (Probably Kyrene)
The claim was in Maricopa County. Does it retain the same boundaries today as in 1894?
Where was the Salt River Mining District?

Any help would be appreciated.

Book of Mining Claims: Maricopa County Book 6 of Mines, Pages 393, 394 and 395
February 21, 1894

Notice of Location
To All Whom It May Concern; Notice is hereby given that the undersigned having complied with all the requirements of Chapter VI, of Title 32 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, and the local mining laws, rules and regulations, have this day located fifteen hundred <1500> linear feet of this vein or lode, bearing precious metals with all dips, spurs, angles and variations, with surface ground, three hundred <300> feet on each side of the center of vein, with all mineral deposits contained therein and all timber growing within the limits of said claim and all water and all water privileges thereon or appurtenant thereto, under and according to the provisions of the United States mining laws, under which it is located. This Claim commences at this monument and notice placed upon the ledge and runs, five hundred & 50 feet in a Westerly direction and nine hundred & 50 feet in an Easterly direction along the ledge. The exterior boundaries are as follows, to wit: Commencing at a monument of stone at the monument upon about the middle of claim, and running about six hundred feet in a North Westerly direction to a monument of stone at the North West corner of claim, thence in an easterly direction parallel with the ledge fifteen hundred feet to a monument of stone at the North East corner of claim, thence at right angles across the ledge in a Southerly direction Six Hundred feet to a monument of stone at the South East corner of claim, thence parallel with the ledge in a Westerly direction fifteen hundred feet to a monument of stone at the South West corner of claim, thence at right angles across the ledge in a Northerly thence Easterly direction about five hundred & fifty feet to a monument upon the ledge and place of beginning. This ledge may be more generally described as situated in the South side of the Salt River Mountains about tow [sic] miles South of the main Range about one & one half mile North of the Pima Indian Reservation and about six miles West, of Kyrine Phoenix & Maricopa Railroad Station. The Ledge is gold bearing rock of redish [sic] collar [sic] IN Salt River Mountain Mining District, Maricopa County Territory of Arizona and shall be known as the Montezuma mining claim.
Dated on the grounds this 21th [sic] day of February 1894.

Witness
Albert Schaffer } Albert Schaffer, Locator
Englbert Schaffer } Englbert Schaffer, Locator
Mrs. Julia Schaffer} Mrs. Julia Schaffer, Locator
Manual Elachor

Filed and recorded at request of Albert Schaffer, February 23d 1894, at 8 AM

Nerr Osborn, County Recorder,
By Wm E. Thomas Deputy Recorder.

[JIM HAMRICK]

Barne's "Arizona Place Names" says that there was never a station on the railroad for Kyrene but the area was served by "Paterson's Switch" so if you would go west on Chandler Blvd. past Gadalupe Rd. for app. 6 miles you would be matching most of the description. This would put you would in the low hills south of South Mountain proper. This was for many years used as a testing grounds for, I believe, Interntional trucks and equipment.

I do not know of any mining done here but it would not be impossible. the area has been devloped and I do not know what you will find.

[Jan]

Novice

I think I have zeroed in on the area you are interested in based on the information provided by Jim Hamerick.

I provided the Lat/Lon on the third map.

Let me know if you need more.

Jan

Direct link to the online aerial photo of the neighborhood shown on the topo maps. It doesn't appear to be too heavily populated. There is still some vacant land and could still be some old trail markers in the area.
It would be interesting to talk to some of the local residents and find out if any of them hike in the area and have found any old diggings.
http://terraservice.net/usgsentry.aspx? ... =18427&W=3

[novice]

Thanks for the response. It all got clearer when you got me past my mental block! I kept trying to equate the Superstition Mountain Range with the Salt River Mountains reference and I kept trying to put them several miles southeast of Apache Junction. (I'm still confused on that count) By 1894 when Bicknell wrote his article he was referring to them by the Superstition Mountains so I guess the Salt River Mountain tag may have been passed on to the South Mountain Park area? Jake supposedly said the "Mine lies over there in the Salt River Mountains"?

The Pima Indian Reservation would be today's Gila River Indian Reservation.

The railway was the Maricopa & Phoenix Railroad. The railroad connected Phoenix with the main road in Maricopa, Arizona. Passenger trains arrived in Tempe on June 19, 1887 and Phoenix on July 4.

The reference to Kyrene is still a bit confusing. I found Kyrene Road in Tempe and it appears some of the Southern Pacific tracks are still in use? (Roughly parallel to Kyrene Road) They cross at Elliot Road. Was there or is there still a town named Kyrene or has it been included as part of Tempe?

The name of the claim was "Montezuma" and I do see a nearby mountain on the Reservation named Montezuma Peak. (Jan's Maps)

Anyway the location is certainly good enough for my interests. Thanks again!

I would also appreciate it if someone could provide me a better feel for the claim filing process in 1894.

If Schaffer is out prospecting in a desert area how would he know he know he was a mile and one half north of the Pima Indian Reservation and 6 miles west of the Kyrene Railway Station? Dead reckoning, map, etc.

When Schaffer was laying out the 600 by 1500 foot claim, he was creating stone monuments at each corner. Would he have simply been stepping off the distances or would he have been using a measuring aid?

What would have been written on the notice he placed on the Monument near the center of the claim?

Since Julia was noted as a "locator' is it safe to assume that she was physically with the party?

What was the significance of the notation "Dated on the grounds this 21st day of February 1894." Is this the date that the notice was placed?

How much did it cost Schaffer to file a claim?

It was kind of interesting to me that Schaffer showed up at 8 A.M. to file at the courthouse. They went to considerable effort, at least some expense and there seemed to be some sense of urgency to file the claim. It appears that they thought they were on to something? NOTHING NEW THERE!

Novice!!

[JIM HAMRICK]

Destances and location for claims were approximate in that time and were usualy very general. I doubt that this area was surved for townships and sections at that time. Trying to tie the claim down accurately from the location description probably would be hard but the area indicated would be a reasonable starting place.

I am not sure what the rules were at that time for claims but at a later time there would have to be a yearly statement of assesment work filed to keep the claim current. This would be a lead if anyone wants to research to see if the located claim had been worked.

[LARRY WEBB]

Novice

I believe everyone has the right idea. If you type in Max Delta Mine it is
a large mine, if not the largest, in the Salt River District. What comes up
tells a little about the mine and where it's located. I also have a map of
the mining districts in a book and that particular district extends over
almost to Mesa or beyond.
The Pima Maricopa Indian Res. is along the Gila River on some old maps
I have. The Salt River Mountains are located behind Superstition Mountain
extending to the Salt River. Also, there is a Pima Res. ex. ord. up by Fort
McDowell but these are not in the Salt River District.
The Max Delta Mine was located prior to 1900 so the time frame would be
about perfect.

Larry

[novice]

Jan
Thanks for the additional maps! The 3D was great and I see Kyrene.

All
Thanks for the help on the location, references and claim filing process.

I found a current reference on the web which clears up the Salt River Mountains reference for me. Phoenix is ringed by the Salt River Mountains to the south, the Phoenix Mountains to the north-northwest, the Estrella Mountains to the southwest, and the White Tank Mountains to the west. The Superstition Mountains of Lost Dutchman fame are about forty miles east.

Dr. Glover has an 1875 map in his book (Page 142) which shows the Superstitions Mountain Range identified as the Salt River Mountains. It does include the identity of Superstition Mountain. It seems that everything evolves.

I thought that if I wanted to research the LDM, I should understand something about filing mining claims. One additional question.

Would Albert Schaffer have gotten his ore assayed before filing the claim?

Jim, in reference to whether the located claim was ever worked. Dr. Glover relates in his book (Page 175) that Albert and Julia filed a mining claim in 1894 near the Superstitions Mountains but never developed it. This is probably the same claim of which we are speaking?

Garry

[Roger]

There is a 1895 Atlas Map of the U.S. now on line at this web site:

http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/

If you layer into the website to Arizona and to Maricopa County for maps, you will get this map site:

http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/AZ/County/maricopa.htm

If you look at the area Southeast of Phoenix and below Tempe, you will see the town of Kyerene. Of more important note, follow the Salt River East to nearly where Roosevelt Lake is today and you will see just South of it the "Salt River Mtns" clearly labeled.

I believe these are the Salt River Mtns talked about by the old timers in Jacob Waltz's era.

Roger