The Placer herald., 1858-03-20

still farther east, more limited than the San
Pedro or Santa Cruz, can be made available
for considerable population. The Mimbres
river also can, by small outlay, be made to
irrigate large surface and supply moder-
ate settlement. The various springs laid
down by Gray, Emory, Parke and Bartlett,
will all afford water for small settlements,
and their supply can be much increased by
a judicious outlay of money. The Rio
Grande valley is very rich, and in places Of
great width. The Mesilla valley already
contains population of about five thousand
souls and there is ample room for many
more.
The greater portion Of the lands on the
Mexican ttles-and many of these again by
squatter claims. 1t is absolutely necessary
that Congress should by some wise and
speedy legislation settle, upon some definite
basis, the land titles of Arizona. Until this
is done disorder and anarchy will reign su
preme over the country.
The yield of the silver mines of Mexico,
as computed by Ward and Humboldt, from
the actual official returns to the government,
from the conquest to 1903, amounts to the
enormous sum of $2,O27, $4,000, or more
than two billions of dollars.
No protection, either civil or military, is
extended over the greater portion Of Arizona
This checks the Development Of all her re-
sources-not only to her own injury, but
that of California and the Atlantic States
by Withholding market for their productions,
and the bullion which she is fully able to
supply to an extent corresponding 20 the la
Dor employed in obtaining it.
The population of tie new Territory of
Arizona is, at present, not far from eight
thousand, and is rapidly increasing. The
Mesia Valley and the Rio Grande are prob
able the most thickly populated, containing
about five thousand people. A majority Of
the Mesilla inhabitants are Mexicans, but they
will be controlled by the American residents,
whose number and influence are constantly
on the increase The Santa Cruz Valley,
in which are situated the towns of Tucson,
Tubac. Tumacacari, and the mining settle
ment of Sopori and others, is next to Mes
lila, the most thickly settled. Tucson was
formerly town of three thousand inhabi-
tans; but the majority have been driven off
by the Apache Indians. 1t is fast becoming
thriving American town, and will before
long be place of more importance than
ever before. Real estate is already held at
high rates, and the erection of buildings
shows that American energy is about to
change the face of the last half century.
Tubac had been completely deserted by the
Mexicans. 1t has been re-occupied by the
Sonora Exploring and Mining Company, and
now boasts a population of several hundred.
The Calabazas valley is also fast filling up
with an American population, and another
year will see the whole centre of the
Territory dotted with settlements. Many of
the fine claims on the San Pedro river have
already been located by emigrants under the
general pre-empton law, but until protection
is afforded to the settlers, but little progress
will he made in agricultural pursuits. The
Apache Indian regards the soil as his own,
and having expelled the Spanish and Mexican
invader, he feels little inclination to submit
to the American. A small settlement of
Americans is growing up at Colorado City,
opposite Fort Yuma, at the junction of the
Gila and Colorado rivers. This point is des-
tined to be one of great commercial and Pc
cuniary Importance. Situated at the pres
ent head of navigation, at the point where
the overland mail route crosses the Colorado
and where the Southern Pacific Railroad
must bridge the stream, it is necessary
stopping place for all travel across the coun-
try. Here are transhipped all the ores
coming from the Territory, which find their
way to market down the Colorado to the
Gulf of California, thence by steamer or sail
ing vessel to their destination. Here all
supplies of merchandise for the Territory
are landed, and from this point forwarded to
their various owners. A thriving commerce
has already sprung up between Arizona and
San Francisco. In almost any daily paper
in San Francisco may be seen vessels adver
tsed for the mouth Of the Colorado Two
Steamers find active employment in trans
porting government stores from the head Of
the Gulf of California to Fort Yuma, and
goods to Colorado City for the merchants OF
Tucson, Tubac Calabazas, and for the mining
companies.
The Mormon war has closed for years the
great emgrant road to California and Ore
gon over the South Pass and Salt Lake val
lev, leaving open only the route along the
32d parallel of latitude, through Arizona
This route is by far the most practicable al
all seasons of the year, and the closing o.
the South Pass route by the Mormon diff
Guilty is an additional and urgent argument
in favor Of the organization of this Territory
Fifty thousand souls will move toward the
Pacific early in the spring, if the route il
opened to secure passage.
The present condition Of Arizona Territory
is deplorable in the extreme. Throughout
the whole country there is no redress fo1
crimes or civil inj juries; no courts, no law
no magistrates. The Territory of New Mex
leo, to which it is attached by an act of Con
gress, affords it neither protection nor susten