Six miners sit for lunch inside a mine shaft, possibly in Bisbee, Arizona, where photographer Cooley lived.  Four lit candles can be seen in the photograph. The number 68, probably in Cooley’s hand, is written on hat in lower right hand corner of frame-denoting the image or negative sequence.

Cooley was a member of the Bisbee Camera Club in 1909 and worked with fellow club president W.H. Apgar at the Bank of Bisbee in an unknown capacity. He served as a pall bearer in Apgar’s funeral in 1909. 1.

Written on verso in hand of author on white Postal Camera Club label:

Ben D Cooley
Title: Lunch
No. 10  Portfolio for Jan 1910

“Bisbee was founded as a copper, gold, and silver mining town in 1880, and named in honor of Judge DeWitt Bisbee, one of the financial backers of the adjacent Copper Queen Mine.” 2.

1. Many Friends at The Funeral Service: in: Bisbee Daily Review: September 22, 1909.
2. Wikipedia website entry for Bisbee accessed 2011.