A sepia toned, black and white postcard of the Holbrook Shaft. The caption on the upper left reads “Old and New Holbrook Shafts. Bisbee, Arizona” The message on the back reads: “Sacramento Hill right background. To left Naco Road and Jones Hill. The postcard is unused and was published by the Albertype Company, Brooklyn, New York. Clarence E Wittig Collection.

The Holbrook shaft was the largest shaft in the Warren district. It was crucial for Copper Queen mining company, and it suffered a number of cave ins. A major one took place on July 16th, 1906, and made it impossible to hoist the double deck cages because the shaft had become so crooked. A Superintendent Clawson is quoted in Bisbee Daily Review “Yes, it is true that the Holbrook has been put out of commission. But we have been expecting it for some time. We have taken every precaution to prevent this state of affairs, but the continual shifting of the mountains which have been undermined has proven too much for the handiwork of man.” When in production, the Holbrook produced 1,000 tons of ore a day and was known for producing beautiful specimens of azurite and malachite. One of the more tragic accidents that happened in Bisbee mines was on that claimed the life of 17-year-old Charles Huber in the Holbrook. His father worked at Holbrook as a blacksmith and Charles was there as a helper. While placing wooden planks over a manhole, he slipped through the opening, fell 100 feet, and struck his head on an ore car.

1973.47.14a