A black and white postcard of the Sacramento Shaft. The front caption reads: Sacramento Hill and Shaft. Bisbee, Ariz”. The postcard is unused and was published by the Albertype Company, Brooklyn, New York. Viola Brown collection.

The Copper Queen Consolidated Mining company began developing the Stars and Stripes claim in March 4, 1904. The shaft was dug with three compartments. They began mining a quality ore body that had first been discovered by the Holbrook Mine. The success of the Sacramento brought prosperity to the developing Lowell. The mine used a mixture of electric tram lines and traditional mule pulled carts to remove the ore. When the hoist had to be replaced the miners for the Sacramento had to be lowered down through the Gardner Mine and walk through cross connecting tunnels to get to the Sacramento Mine. When the Lowell mine shut down, all of its remaining ore was hoisted out through the Sacramento Shaft. Ground water was found at the 1700 foot level and pumps formerly installed at the mines of Courtland, Arizona were brought in to remove the water. Operations at the Sacramento Mine temporarily ended in November 1st, 1931 and the remaining ore was brought up through the Junction Mine. The Sacramento reopened in 1936 and permanently closed in 1946. The open pit mining of the Lavender Pit dug through the former Sacramento mine shafts. One special thing to note was the fifteen year residence of a cat named Felix in the mine. Possibly smuggled in by a miner, the little black cat hunted rats around 1500 foot level starting around 1912. All attempts to capture the feline ended in failure and workers would leave out milk and other food out for him. Felix died in June 1927 and was taken out of the mine and buried near the Sacramento Shaft in a wooden box used to store dynamite.

1978.46.10