Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1864-02-06

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grass is good all the way to the mines af-
ter leaving Fort Wingate.
These mines are situated in the Tonic
Apache country, about one hundred and
sixty miles north west from the Pimos
Villages--ninety miles southwest from the
San Francisco Mountains-and about one
hundred aud thirty miles from navigation"
on the Colorado River From this latter
point will tho mines receive all supplies,
though at present supplies come from the
State of Sonora, in Mexico.
The mines SO far discovered, extend over
tract Of country, from twenty to thirty
miles in width and about one hundred and
twenty five miles in length; aud from the
reports Of Capt Walker and Others and
from what | myself, saw, there is no donbt
but that they are very rich ia gold The
scarcity of water however, prevents the
mines being worked 20 advantage. Those
who have water upon their claims, that is
sufficient to wash with, make from twelve
to sixty dollars per day Others, who have
no water, aud who work their claims by
the "dr5 DaShiag' process, make equally
good, and some even better wages than
Chat above stated. This learned by re-
port.
Walker and others speak confidently to
the effect, that during four or five months
of the year there will be sufficient water in
all the gulches for purposes Of slAictng, and
that duIing that time the miner will be
able to make his year's wages From
what | saw of the richness of some Of the
claims, there is no doubt this could be done,
should their expectations be realized as re-
CARDS the supply ofwater.
Captain Walker is confident that richer
mines and more water for mining purposes
exist farther to the east than at the present
discovered mines, but he cannot venture
into that country with his party owing to
the hostility of the Phal Apache Indians.
He says the establishment Of military
post on the Rio Salinas, (or Salt river
would enable the miners to develope the
country, and That by the combined efforts
of the troops and miners these Indians
would be soon Subdued ''t hs
Ny men who are old California miners,
could not prospect these mines satsfactor.
ly on account of the scarcity of water, Part
Of them went into the miues, and, from
what they saw, are convinced that 0alfor-
MIA never produced any claims richer than
some Of the claims in these new mines
The citizen must understand, that, at
, these, as at dllneO mines, there is much
against which to contend Water, the
STAFF of mining processes is exceedingly
limited in the discoveries SO far as made;
nearly all the mining is carried on by "dry
tUashing," very tedious and slow process
A person going tothese mines should have
upon his arrival there, not less than forty
: days provisions on hand. With this
amount has time to prospect and chance
, Of striking good pay" equal to that Of
others. The gold is certainly there, but il
+. requires labor to get it.
| Captain Walker, as we'll as other Ameri
cans, deem it necessary for the protection
: of citizens and thesenforcement Of the laU,
D that troops be stationed at or near the
: mines. Tho site l. thought best adapted
. for the purposes Of either a two, four or sil
+ company military post is situated on Ciens
/ ga creek, about twenty-five miles south
r west of the San Francisco Mountains. Al
this point there is good lCater, fire wood
t within two or three miles, and building
timber of the best quality, distant abou
eight miles The grass is abundant and o
}. the best quality; any amount of hay can b,
cut. The neighborhood abounds in deer
antelope, turkey, and other varieties o
game. The villages Of the Tonto Apach,
ln&auS are from twenty to forty miles dis
tant A road can be made, direct to For
Moiave on the Colorado River not to ex
ceed in length one hundred and fifty miles
and byvery little labor From Fort Moja
ve all supplies could be transported, anc
an open communication kept through tina
point, between California and New Mexico
This line of communication would be mate
rally shorter than the one now used vi
# Fort Yuma, Tucson &c. =.
t. | deemed 1t necessary to leave my wap
6 ons at Cienega Creek and return with pac
@ mules, for the reason that General Clark
duties required his presence in Santa F6 b
If the goth of September, and the leaving th
y wagons would ensure his arrival at tha
J time. II troops are to be stationed there
l. and they are certainly required, the wagon
a and harness will bo perfectly safe wit
n Captain Walker to whom | turned thos
,e things over What mining tools | coul
not pack on the mules distributed to Il
rt miners as there is great scarcity Of sue
a. articles among them. W Ho
le Ileft Cienega Creek with pack mull
N fifteen days rations, and extra ammunition
lie on the lst Of September and arrived, vii
as all my animals safe, at Fort Wingate
8. the 18th Of September General Clar
ID being anxious to arrive at Albuquerque
Ill Al. Ian 7 c..n.ahol H.. -. -. e i