2017 -Video Interview

Buckeye Silver Mine

Ellis Martin and

John Carter,

CEO of Silver Bullet Mines Inc.

2017 -Video Interview

Globe, Arizona, USA

Ellis Martin and John Carter, CEO of Silver Bullet Mines Inc.

Huge upside for Silver

Bob Moriarty visited the Black Diamond property in 2012.

Bob is a Silver Bull see the video with Maurice Jackson of Proven and Probable

https://provenandprobable.com/

2020 Fraser Institute

Investment Attractiveness Index

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Arizona #2

2020 Fraser Institute

Policy Perception Index

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Arizona #7

History of the Silver in the Area

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May 15 1926 Arizona Mining Journal

By SAJAS CARL W. CHILSON.

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The authentic history of the mining activities of the Chilson brothers who were active in the locating and developing of Arizona’s mineral resources.

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Steve L. Chilson left Bandera, Texas with his family, in the year of 1868, bound for California.

He had, some years previously, made an agreement with the late Hon. John G. Oliver 125 yoke of oxen to the governor and his agents, for which he was to receive 5,000 acres of Southern California land, which was located in and around the present thriving little city of Santa Ana, California, the oxen being valued at $100 per yoke and the land valued at $2.50 an acre. A great deal of time was required to work out the business details, as all mail was carried on horse back and stages.

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After it was definitely decided to come to California, Chilson set about to make preparations. Two years were required to build a wagon. Hardwood timber had to be selected from the woods, worked out in the rough and seasoned.

Everything ready, several hundred cattle rounded up for the long drive, a start was made. There were several other families with wagons, all of which made up a train, or caravan.

During the months that followed, the cattle and most of the horses were stolen by the Comanche Indians, and by the time he reached the Territory of Arizona, he had little, if anything, left with which to ward off the ravages of hunger and starvation. Every article that could be spared, including personal effects had been traded for provisions at the various outposts along the trail. The long, weary trip across the desert, with very little feed and days without water, had worked an extreme hardship on the stock.

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It was a happy and most welcome day when Chilson and family arrived at Col. King Wolsey’s ranch at Agua Caliente Springs on the Gila River. Col. Wolsey was one of the early pioneers of the territory, a man of honesty and integrity, an Indian fighter, true to form, a developer of the natural resources of the land, as far as his finances would him to develop, honored and esteemed by all who knew him, a real man of the first magnitude.

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Chilson leased the Wolsey ranch for a period of three years, planted a crop, harvested and continued on to California with several members of his family, leaving his three eldest sons, D. G., known as “Gip”, Emer E,. known as Eme and William H., known as Bill, to plant and harvest the second crop.

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Eme and Bill then left for California with about 1,600 head of cattle, which belonged to Mr. Tanksley, leaving Gip with Col. Woolsey, to plant and harvest the third crop.

During the time the Chilson brothers were associated with Col. Woolsey they scouted the country far and wide, having many skirmishes and narrow escapes with the Apaches.

The colonel had told them many stories about the Indians and mining. Most of the Colonel’s mining experience, having been in the Bradshaw mountains and around Prescott, which was the capitol. Indian attacks were daily expectations and nightly fireside discussions.

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During one of Col. Woolsey’s trips in the upper Salt River country and over in the Apache Peak country, he had a fight with a small band of Apaches during which he lost several men and horses. It was discovered that the Indians were shooting hammered silver bullets. This was in the vicinity of what was later Globe.

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Such stories told by the colonel, together with personal experiences and the wild excitement over the discovery of the “Vulture” mine in the Vulture Mountains gave the brothers the mining fever.

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During the fall of 1871, Gip came to California on horse back. Remaining in California until 1872, in which year he returned to Arizona and located the “William Penn” group of claims at Castle Dome. He worked this property for about one year. The ore was hauled to the Petote landing on the Colorado River. The landing and two steam barges were owned by Capt. Paul Ames and Capt. Ellis. The ore was shipped down the river to the Gulf of California, reloaded into coast steamers and shipped to the Melrose Sampling Works, San Francisco.

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He returned to California in the fall of 1873, and remained until the spring, 1874, at which time he returned to Yuma. Upon his arrival in Yuma, he learned about the discovery of the “Silver King” mine in Pinal County. A great deal of excitement was on over the strike and a rush was on for the new silver district. While at Yuma he met Joe Kelly, who joined him on a trip to the “Silver King”. Joe Kelly remained at the “Silver King,” Gip continued on to the Globe country, which had been discovered by Coplin, Billy Long and Riggin. There was another man in the party, whose name I do not recall, and who was killed by the Indians at Bloody Tanks, as the boys were making their way to Florence.

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Gip, recognizing the country, namely, the Apache Peaks, which were described by Col. Wolsey as being the country in which the colonel and his men had found the silver bullets which were shot by the Indians, as before mentioned, immediately set out to find the mine from which the silver came. While at Globe, which was beginning to look like a camp, he met a Dutchman, by name of Henry Wagner, who knew little, if anything, about prospecting or mining. Although Wagner did not have any money or outfit, Gip, had taken a liking to Wagner, explained to him what he had in mind, asking Wagner to join him on his hunt for the silver mine.

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They started for the Apache Peaks, about twelve miles distance from Globe. It will be remembered that the town of Globe had not been laid out or a district organized. The mine had been discovered and named “Globe” on of account of the immense size of the property, and as the locators said, “She’s as big as the globe”. By nightfall, Chilson and Wagner made camp in a small basin close to the Apache Peaks, and finding a fine spring of water, the outlook was favorable.

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The next morning Gip found native and horn silver nuggets from the size of small flakes up to ten and twelve pounds. He located a claim which he named the “Silver Nugget”, in which he located Wagner for a one-half interest. During the day they saw a great deal of fresh Indian signs and at early evening saw several head of Indian ponies in the distance. Shortly after dusk, they saw a small camp fire spring up in a canyon about one-half mile away.

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Gip, knowing the customs, habits and methods of the Indians, felt sure that a small band of Indian scouts were working the country and had made camp for the night. However, to make sure as to whether they were prospectors or Indians he decided to investigate more closely. He carefully made his way up the ridges to a point opposite the fire and he saw, as they passed back and forth and around the fire, that they were Indians. Returning to inform Wagner they broke camp and went to the “Globe” mine that night.

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The following day or two Gip proposed to Wagner that they return to their rich discovery. Wagner was frightened to a frenzy, stating that he would not go back in there for all the mines in the country. Gip tried to convince him that they had a bonanza and that the Indians were probably scouts and were on the move. Wagner could not be convinced and said he would sell his interest for anything. Gip told him he had very little money. Wagner said, “I will take your pack, mule and what money you have.” Gip gave Wagner his mule, pack and $30 in cash, which was all the money he had.

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The location notice for the “Silver Nugget” having not been recorded, as the nearest recorder’s office was at Florence, it was therefore not necessary to draw up any agreement of transfer. A new location notice was posted which gave Gip the full ownership of the mine. He also located two additional claims, which he named “The Rifleman” and “The Hoodoo”. He then returned to Florence.

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At Florence he made the acquaintance of Mr. Stiles and Mr. McMorris, who was stopping with Stiles. Gip showed them some silver nuggets and agreed to locate for them a claim, if they would furnish him a pack mule, provisions and a small sum of money with which to buy another bill of provisions when needed. Stiles and McMorris supplied the much-needed necessities and Gip returned to the “Silver Nugget”.

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He located the north end extension of the “Silver Nugget” for Stiles and McMorris, naming the claim the “Silver Spring”; there was a fine spring of water on the property, to say the least of an exceptionally fine silver showing.

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It is obvious that Chilson’s intentions toward those who had helped him in his hour of need were of the very best, inasmuch as he located for them one of the finest and best showings he had discovered.

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Stiles was very busy on his ranch, could not devote his time to the claim, so gave a Mr. Cook one-half of his interest in the property to represent him. Shortly after the transaction, Cook sold his one-fourth interest to Baldwin for $10,000 cash. Later, Stiles sold his one-fourth interest to Baldwin for $10,000; then about one year later, McMorris sold his one-half interest to Baldwin for $50,000.

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Baldwin built a mill at the Wheat Fields, about 10 miles distant from the mine, to mill the “Silver Spring” ore. A great deal of ore was mined, shipped and milled from this property. This is the property which was known as “The McMorris Mine”.

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When Gip arrived at Florence, in search of pack animal and provisions, he wrote to his brothers, Eme and Bill, who were in California, to come to him at once, which they did. Several weeks were required to make the trip, as the Indians were on a rampage throughout the country.

In the meantime, Gip had returned to the “Silver Nugget” and was gathering up all the nuggets he could find on the surface and burying them under his campfire until his brothers arrived. During the time, Gip ran pretty low on provisions. One evening about sundown Bob Dicky rode up to find Gip scratching around among some ironwood chips. Gip asked Dickey to stop over with him, stating that they would have something to eat as soon as he could find some old bacon rinds he had thrown among the chips, as he needed them to season the beans. Dickey told about the incident later, stating that little did he realize that Gip had over $10,000 in silver nuggets buried under the old black bean pot on that campfire.

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The small basin in which the “Silver Nugget” mine was located was so rich that Gip Chilson then and there named it “Richman” basin. This basin was not named after anyone by the name of Richman, which seems to be the popular opinion. The Chilson brothers rarely named any discovery after themselves; they most always selected or coined a name due to some incident at the time of discovery, or a name in keeping with the local conditions. I know of one exception, in which George Chilson, a relative, blazed a 200-mile trail in Idaho, which bears the name. Bob Dicky and John Allvany located a claim adjoining the “Silver Spring” which they named after the basin calling it the “Richman”.

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It is true that McMillan and Dory Harris discovered the “Stonewall Jackson”, “Hannibal”, “Ben. Lee”, and “Little Doctor”. McMillan and Harris shipped about $25,000 worth of ore and later sold to Mr. Martin of Santa Rosa, California. Mr. Martin was a minister.

All of the shipping ore from the “Silver Nugget” mine was packed to the “Silver King” mine, and from there it was hauled to Wilmington, California, and shipped by steamer to the Millrose Sampling Works at San Francisco.

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The freight teams hauling supplies from California to the “Silver King” mine and other Arizona points would return to California light, excepting for a small amount of ore. The “Silver Nugget” ore was very rich and the tonnage was small. The teamsters were glad to have the return freight. The first shipment from the mine amounted to about fifteen hundred pounds of ore, which was hauled by Gip himself, after his brothers had arrived at the mine. That fifteen hundred pounds was worth over $10,000. The following shipments averaged about $4,000 per ton.

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The winter of 1874-1875, R. W. Chilson, better known as “Chloride Dick”, arrived at the “Silver Nugget” mine, making four brothers at the property. By this time the mine was running full blast, making regular shipments to San Francisco. The ore was broken down by hand and closely assorted, sacked in double canvas sacks, which weighed about 50 pounds each when closely tamped.

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After about $200,000 worth of high-grade ore had been shipped, the property was organized and incorporated under the laws of New York and known as the “Silver Nugget Mining Company”. A fine stamp mill was erected to mill the old dumps. It is worthy of mention, that the “Silver Nugget” was a small, high-grade, blanket vein, lying on the bedrock and confined to Richman Basin. The deepest overburden being only 17 feet deep at the lower edge of the basin, the vein came to the surface at the upper end of the basin.

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During the early development of the property, the brothers hurriedly built a rock cabin, equipped with port holes, water barrels and provisions. This cabin was used as an ore house, as well as a fortification against attacks by desperadoes who roamed the country in quest of easy wealth; also against Indian attacks This cabin was later torn down and milled, as it was built of rock from the mine and contained a great deal of high grade.

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Following the discovery and operations of the famous old property, Gip discovered Mineral Creek, built a fine stamp mill on a property known as the “D. G.” mine. It was at this property that Dory Harris was employed as a watchman by Gip, after Harris had made his money in the “Stonewall Jackson” and had gone broke in San Francisco and elsewhere

Following is a list of a few original locations in Globe and Richman basin: Globe, Alice, Buffalo, Rambo, Rescue, Miama, Sherman, Meter Lazy Bob, Buckeye, etc. Silver Nugget, Rifleman, Hoodoo, Silver Spring, Wm. P. Miller, Richman, Blue Cap, Joe Brewster, Henry Rishbridger, Silver Plancho, Mexican, etc.

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During the succeeding years the Chilson brothers blazed many trails in the west, discovered many properties, becoming experts in their profession.

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R. W. Chilson discovered the “Christmas Gift”, “Reward” and “E. Pluriubus Unum” properties, south from Casa Grande. He later discovered the “Young America” lead-silver property, in Stephens county, Washington, which property was operated by himself, and finally purchased by Mr. Selby of the Selby Lead and Smelting Company of San Francisco. D. G. Chilson also went to the state of Washington, as did his brother, Bill, who discovered the “Fourth of July” and “Antlers” properties at a camp then known as “Ruby”, which was located near Conconully, the county seat of Okanogan county.

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Later, Gip discovered “Gold Hill”, which is located about eight miles from Loomis and about 20 miles south from the Canadian boundary. He spent a great deal of time and money in the development of “Gold Hill” and later sold the property to Ralph Bagley of Pittsburgh in the year 1899.

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There were many other properties of less importance discovered, operated and sold by the brothers. They were men of the frontier, choosing for their fields unexplored regions.

Our western country was comparatively new, some three to five decades ago, the exposed treasures were to be had for those who understood the business and who would explore for them. The Chilson brothers had their share.

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Now, with the passing of one generation, likewise the passing of exposed treasures, there are just as many mines today as there were in the seventies. They are not exposed, so it falls to science to develop new methods, ways and means to discover new mines.

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The present generation, Daniel G. Chilson, son of the late D. G. Chilson, and the writer, son of R. W. Chilson. (I might add that I was nicknamed “Nugget” in memory of the “Silver Nugget” mine), have followed the profession of our fathers and uncles, likewise have followed the onward progressive march of civilization and demands inasmuch as we have developed the needed scientific method for the location and definition of ore bodies through the medium of radio, that we may perpetuate our profession and give to the world new mines Two years were spent in the research department of the University of Arizona in concluding and perfecting the method which is known as the “Chilson Process”.

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It I an established fact, then when a commodity is needed, due to increasing heavy demands, that someone individually, or collectively, will supply directly or indirectly, the needs of the populace, as in the case of transportation, from ox team to airplane; communication runners to wireless, telegraphy and broadcasting; it is relatively so in power, and on it goes, the perpetual evolution of the civilized races.

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I will conclude by stating that I do sincerely hope that the succeeding generation of Chilsons will perpetuate our cause in the science of mining and keep pace with the ever-increasing demands, as we have endeavored to do.