The weekly union record., 1864-07-16

half Of the way stations are established where
are kept grain for animals and coarse food for
man Sage brush, greasswood ard several
varieties o! the cactus are the principal pro
ducuons on the pl-ins. while the se7Ub pine
and cedar may sometimes be seen in the raviDes
along the mountains, which are usually very
rough. rocky and barren. The water IS toler-
ably fair, though impregna,ed in several places
with minerals and acids El Dorado Canon IS
in the Colorado Mining District. Arizona Ter
riiory. on the ives, side Of the Colorado river.
about sixty miles above and north trom Fort
Mojave. The canon IS deep cut OF rayine
through the western slope Of range Of noun,
tains which run paTanel with the river. I,
eommences al The summit Of this range. which
also contains the mineral lodes. and runs east
TO the river. distance Of about ten miles,
forming a natural highway aud boil1ing grounds
for the people Of the District. There are aow
some thirty or forty miners houses in the
canon. built with stone walls abou. eight teet
high and one aud a half thick while the doors,
windows and roof are usually Of canvas. These
houses are IN three groups. about a mile apart,
near large springs Of water. aud are known as
The upper, middle and lower camps,
The mineral lodes. some three huudred in
number, run parallel With this cut, and are
about equally divided by il Toose that are
the best defined, and upon which most of the
labor has been performed are situated near
these camps and abou, Eve miles from the river.
On examination, we found about thirty OF the
three hundred lodes prospected 90 the surface,
and fifteen or twenty of them opened sufficiently
TO show that they are large, well defined. and
contain a sufficient amount of rich mineral to
make their owners milliouaires. and 10 enable
them to supply fifteen or twenty forty stamp
mills 10 work night and day. The ore from
some of these lodes seems equally as rich and
good as the Gould & Curry at Virginia City
and sufficient amount of il can be obtained to
enrich the Territory, and give employment to a
thousand men for thousand years. But we
must not forget that it will cost millions Of
dollars to build mills, open the lodes, and work
the ore into bullion aud be careful that we do
not attempt to hold more than We can work
II one tenth of the lodes located in the country
prove to be valuable ones, they contain wealth
enough for all, and will be as much as the
capital in America can work; consequently
the nine-tenths will remain dormant for ages.
Therefore, oil who have money TO spend in
developing the mines should look well before
they buy There has been much fraud pyac
ticed by designing spectators in feet; but the
time is coming when there will be fewer sales
on more Of the valuable claims, that are now
Incorporated and continually evying assess
menis much of which is used or squaudered IN
San Francisco, and never reaches the miues
I would not give one dime for miles Of ledgs,
unless had either seen them myself. or could
rely upon the integrity of an agent or friend
who had visited them. Further, many valuable
lodes are so managed by the officers that they
are worthless and sometimes very expensive to
some of the outside owners, while, If properly
conducted, good dividends nigh, be realized,
After q careful examination of many well
defined lodes in FL Dorado Canon, which are
rich in mineral, | retained as much as | felt
able to develope and sufficient amount to
make small fortune (f my means are sufficient
to open them), aud rehnquished twenty six
hundred feet of undeveloped claims for any one
who may desire them. The river at the mouth
of the canon is about as large Us the Sacramento
at Sacramento City with good solid banks,
suitable for mill-sights and steamboat landing.
The small mill bnilt By Wolf and Vineyard, at
this place, is kept constantly at work crushing
for the New Mexico and Independence lodes,
both Of which yield well in gold and silver.
Miners and others interested in this District are
in hopes that capitalists will visit the canon
aud assist them to erect mills and deveIope
their valuable claims. There Is DO doubt in
nv mind as to the richness OF the mines or the
nayigabiiiiy Of the river by steamers. There
fore, as soon as mills can be built, | am Of the
opinion that there will soon be business enough
TO supply line Of steamers on the river, and q
line of stages overland from San Pedro and Los
Angeles, as light, quick freight and passengers
will 60 that way. The facilities for getting
freight and working the mines, together with
the rich mineral they contain, must cause them
to supersede those over the Sierra Nevada
until railroads are completed on which to
carry freight.
Having heard much said Of the Moss AMI
Skinner lodes, in San Francisco District, near
Hardyville and Fort Mojave aud having CON
pleted-our business in FL Dorado Canon, Oh the
morning of the 8th Of May, accompanied BY
guide, we mounted our mules, and started down
the river, which is beautiful stream as far IS
we followed it, for a western river. We crossed