dollars. The President is Major Robert Allen, U. S. A. The mines
are old, and very celebrated in Mexico under the name of El-Ajo.
This company, at an expense of $100,000, have supplied their
mines with an abundance of water, extracted several hundred tons
of ore, and erected buildings, smelting furnaces, and other
appliances to facilitate their operations. They employ about one
hundred men, mostly Mexican miners. Their supplies of breadstuffs
and beef are obtained by contract from Sonora. These mines are
situated one hundred and thirty miles from the mouth of the Gila
River, and about sixty miles south of it. The ore varies in
richness from thirty to sixty per cent, and the proceeds of some
sales in London were quoted as being the highest prices ever paid
for ore in that market. A portion of this mine is owned by
English capitalists, and it is without doubt one of the most
valuable in the world. The profits may be easily calculated, when
it is known that the ore costs delivered in Swansea, England, not
exceeding $125 per ton, and is worth from $200 to $375 per ton.
Of course these profits will be greatly increased when the
company is in a position to smelt its ores at the mine. The
Sonora Exploring and Mining Company was organized in 1856, with a
capital of two million dollars ($2,000,000). Its principal office
is in Cincinnati, Ohio, and its seat of operations at Tubac, in
the Santa Cruz valley. This company is managed in its mining
operations by Chas. D. Poston, Esq., a gentleman of much
experience on the Pacific coast, and of great energy of
character.

The Rancho of Arivaca, containing several valuable silver mines,
and seventeen thousand acres of valuable land, has been purchased
by this company. It has also acquired the titles to a number ofother valuable mines of galena ore, and copper containing silver