THE SITES (p 3)
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AZ AA:10:20(ASM)
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| AZ AA:10:20(ASM)
site map. »Enlarge |
This designates part of the Silver Bell town site—apparently
the portion that was not owned by Imperial and ASARCO. The majority
of the site lies under ASARCO Dump No. 10. Archaeologists identified
and investigated the remains of nine structures. Other features
in the project area included rock alignments that probably represented
tent platforms, a shrine, and two trash dumps.
One of the structures (feature 1) was particularly instructive
because it had not been looted or disturbed by collectors, and archaeologists
found many items in situ. There was also evidence that it had been
a large two-story building; the resourceful builder used a prospect
hole for the lower story. The rest of the structure was comprised
of a rock-walled foundation, timber, and corrugated metal roofing.
A trash dump on an upper terrace near the east wall of the building
appeared to result from the tossing of alcohol and patent medicine
bottles through an upper story window! Archaeologists recovered
a central heating stove, furniture parts, hardware and tools, ink
bottles, liquor and patent medicine bottles, food storage and serving
items, bullets, and a poker chip, among other domestic debris. Two
of the most remarkable discoveries included a whiskey flask and
tumbler found together in situ, and a quart-sized beer bottle cache
that appeared to have been stacked on wooden shelves.
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| Excavated structure; note prospect hole used
as lower story. »Enlarge |
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Bottle cache during excavation. »Enlarge
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| Retaining wall and
lumber. »Enlarge
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A large wood frame structure stood to the far west of this building
(feature 3). The structure was founded on a massive rock retaining
wall and platform. Clues to the function of the building came in
the form of numerous alcohol bottle caps and glass fragments as
well as pieces of worked slate from a pool table. The excavators
tentatively identified the building as a saloon—perhaps E.
Glen Baker’s saloon and billiard parlor, which was not located
in the company-owned portion of the town. Datable artifacts clustered
in the 1900 to 1930 range, as would be expected for such an establishment
in this community. Interestingly, Baker’s saloon was the only
building still standing in Silver Bell in 1954; company buildings
had been moved to ASARCO’s new town site.
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| Unexcavated structure
with standing adobe walls »Enlarge
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A nearby adobe-walled structure was probably an associated storage
building (feature 2). It featured a poured concrete footer, packed
dirt floor, and fiberboard ceiling (based on surrounding debris).
Wine, beer, and whiskey bottles and fragments were recovered, as
were sardine cans, other food containers, window glass, earthenware
and redware ceramics, a fired .22 or .32 caliber bullet, hardware,
crown and screw caps, shell buttons, and an automobile oil can.
Feature 13 encompassed the area between features 1 and 2. Although
the area was heavily disturbed by later activity, two 3-inch vertical
pipes provided evidence that a large, long building or several smaller
structures may have stood at feature 13. Approximately 30 feet apart,
the pipes were secured in the ground and stood at a height of about
two feet.
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