The Nevada Democrat., 1858-02-10
NEVADA, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10, 1858.
Ths Proposed Territory OF Arizona.

Ter the country kneWn rs ArlzOna, or tne Gaos
dsn Purchase. The Inhabitants Of Arizona at
present exceed eight thousand, mostly Ameri.
cans, sad the population is fast increaaing by
Immigrants from the Southwestern States The
people have elected Mr. Sylvester Mowry, OF
the q. S. Army, as their delegate to Congress.
and through him have forwarded petition,
signed BY upwards Of FIVE hundred legal veterH,
praying that government may be established
Ter their better protection. This petition,
backed a. IL is BY the Recommendation Of the
President, is not likely to be disregarded by
Congress. Mr., Mswry has publshsd pam
phlet, containing much interesting information
in regard 10 the resources Of the proposed Ter
ritory Of Arizona.
The Gadsdsn Purchase lies between the thir-
ty.frst and thirty-thrd parallels Of latitude, iS
shsut SIX hundred miles in length and fifty In
square miles. The proposed boundaries Of the
Territory Of Arizona are the thirty-fourth par
sllsl Of latitude, with New Mexico on the north;
Texas on the east; Texas and the Mexican prov
iness Of Chihuahua and Sonora on the south !;
and California on the west. The Territory
weuld thus contain about 10000 square miles
The Gadsden Purchase, at the time OF its ac-
quisitien, was attached to the Territory Of New
Mexico. At that time there was q small pOpu-
Iation consisting Of Mexicans living in the Mes
silla Valley and at the old town Of Tucson, in
the center Of the territory.
The Arizona country was explored as early
as 1857 by Jesuit missionary from the prov
ines Of Sonora, who afterwards procured au-
thority, and established missions at every avail
able point The reports OF the immense min
eral wealth of the new country, made by the Je-
suits, induced . rapid settlement. Mr. Mowry
is in possession of copy of map drawn by
the Jesuits in 1867, the original Of which is now
In the archives of the Mexican government On
this map more than forty tows and villages are
laid down; many Of these were Of considerable
size. The country at the time teemed with q
large agricultural and mining population. "Al
these settlements and missions were founded ia
fertile valleys, and by streams and springs,
which produced luxuriant crops of wheat, corn,
and beans. and in many parts grapes aud other
foreign fruits were cultivated" Upwards of
hundred gold and silver mines were formerly
worked with great success by the enterprlsing
Spaniards Of that day. The Indians were Grst
reduced to obsdience by the Jesuits and then
to slavery by the Spaniards. The missions aud
settlements were repeatedly destroyed by the
Apaches, and the priests and settlers driven off
or massacred. AS often they were re-establish-
ed. The Indians at length, thoroughly aroused
By the crueltes Of the Spaniards, by whom they
were forced to labor in the silver mines with
inadequate food, and barbarOusly treated, final
ly rese, joined with tribes which had never been
subdued and gradually drove out or Massacred
their opprsssOrs. "a superior civilization"
says Mr.. Mowry, disappeared before their de-
vastating car eer, and to-day there is scarcely a
trace Of it left except scarcely visible ruins evil
denes everywhere Of extensive and hastily dsaer-
ted mining operations, and the tradition Of the
country. The mission Of San Xavier del Bac,
aHd the old towns Of Tucson and Tubae, are the
mest prominent Of these remains. The labors
Of the Jesuits to civilize the Indians are still
evident In the mission Indians. the Papagos and
Pines, whs live in villages, cultivate creps of
ezra aad wheat, and who, in the Christian and
human elements of good faith and charity, are
to say the least, no way inferior to the Mexi-
cans"
The agricultural resources Of Arizona are
ssfieient to support large mining population.
The whole valley Of the Gila. more than four
hundred miles in length, can be made with
proper sxertisn to yield plentiful crops. The
valley Of the Santa Cruz, Of the richest land is
absut one hundred miles long, in many places
Of great width, and has on each side Of 1t many
rich valleys Of limited extent, wstered by
streams from the mountains, which flow into
the Santa Cruz. The valleys and ranches of
AFivaea, Sepori, Cslabazas and Tucson, are
those at present most thlckly settled, and pro-
asss grapes wheat corn, and cetscn ia great
abundance. The valley Of the Rio Grands is
very rich, and in places Of great width. The
Nssilla valley already contains population Of
about ave thousand, and there is ample room
fer mere.
OF the present mining operations in the Ter
Yitsry, the most considerable in point of labor
performed aud results, is that of the Arizona
Copper Mining Co. The mines are old, and
very celebrated in Mexico under the name Of
El-Ajo. The ore varies in richness from thirty
to sixty per cent Some Of it has been shipped
ts Eagland at cost not exceeding SIPS ton,
end is wsrth from $500 to $375 ton. The
ssnpsny at an expense Of 100000, have erect
ID Buildings, smelling furnaces, and other ap-
plisnsss, to facilitate their operations. They
new employ about one hundred men, mostly
Mexican mi0ers, and their mine is thought to be
Aas Of the most valuable in the world. The
ssasrs Exploring and Mining Co. have pur-
ehsssd the Rancho of Arivaca, containing sew
srsl valuable silver mines, and seventeen thou
ssnd ACRES of land. It has also acquired the ti-