The Nevada journal., 1858-01-29
Correspondence.
Tucson, Christmas Day, 1857.

fulfilling my promise to you my friend,
and gladly do 1 avail myself of the
privilege of SO doing. Are you not sur
prised at this date to find me no farther
along? Indeed l had hoped to form
link in the family circle around my
mothers hearth this day; but here the
holidays have overtaken me.
Of that which most interests you in
this country, shall first notice, so far
as l have travelled, the route. Your
knowledge, with map of this country,
will spare a repetition of what is so
plainly laid down before you-but there
are facts in connection with this route
that cannot escape the notice of the
most uhobserving traveller. The road
upon which is laid down the proposed
route of the Southern Atlantic and Pa
cific Railroad from Texas through the
Gadsden Purchase via Fort Yuma to
San Diego, is a good one, beginning at
San Diego and running in an almost due
east direction, crossing the Coast Range
at most favorable passes for the construc
ton of a railroad, through good graz
ing. well watered, well timbered coun-
try 120 miles to Valliceto-there begins
the desert-thence in direction a little
south of east over a section of country
entirely destitute of vegetation and with
but limited supplies of water, all of
which is strongly impregnated with
alkah. The road is mostly sandy but
the greater part solid and of most uni
form grade the entire distance 10 miles
to the Rio Colorado whole distance
from San Diego 230 miles. 1t is known
however, that water can be had at
very triaing cost by sinking an addition
al number of wells sufficient to provide
immigration against want and suffering
The average width of the Colorado near
Fort Yuma is about $50 yards, its depth
in the channel at low water is about six
feet, with a current between four and
FIVE miles per hour. In character it is
like the Rio Grande, continually chang
ing its channel, and equally as muddy.
At the ferry, the proprietor, Mr.. Pagen,
informs us that it is 21O yards wide
About one mile above, and a few rods
below the mouth of the Rio Gila, and
Immediately opposite the fort, there are
two natural abutments of rock directly
facing each other upon which suspen-
sion bridge could be built that would
span the Colorado at $50 feet; it is
grand location commanding the Colora-
do and ella for miles, and direct in line
with the great thoroughfare. AT no
other point can such advantage be at
tanned. The road continues up the val
ley or margin of the Rio Gila about 16O
miles there the river makes bend to
the north, the road continuing easterlv,
passing the Maricopa wells and through
the Pines villages touching the river
again at the distance of 70 miles the
road then bears southeast through the
Pacacha Pass, IS miles to this place
entire distance from Fort Yuma to Tue
son 315 miles.
The road now being built by govern
ment appropriation and under the con-
troll of Mr.. Leach, will strike the San
Pedro 30 miles due east of this place
and continue down that stream to the
Rio Gila, thence down that river to the
Colorado. In conversation with the
chief engineer of the party who has just
completed the survey of that route, he
thinks it something nearer and better,
furnishing an abundance of grass and
water-so that will leave this place to
the west some 80 miles.
There is but little arabic land be-
tween here and the Colorado, but little
adapted to cultivation, and that is to be
found in the vicinity of the limos vii
lage where there is less saline in the soil
and susceptible of irrigation from the
Rio Gila.
1t is true there are many very beauti-
full tracts of land on the borders of the
river, but the soil is so charged with
chemicals as to be adverse to vegeta-
ton; in truth this is not an agricultural
country, and is not regarded as such by
those who reside here and are best ac-
Quainted with it. Yet they do not for a
moment question its mineral wealth, and
for Its vast resources anticipate rapid
development. Iron, copper, lead and
silver can be found most any where in
the territory of a richness almost incred-
ible. AT the Arizona Copper Mines
Il