The weekly union record. [volume] (Oroville, Calif.) 1864-1866, 1865-11-18
Correspondence from Company A.
FoRT WHIPPLE, Arizona Territory.
Oetnher 2Srh- lSfl.

amounts to the same thing. take up my pen,
hoping some kind spirit may direct my thoughts.
, Now. if you, sir. we're many hundred miles
, away from all agreeable associations, sur
, rounded mainly By scenes which conveyed very
few. if any, pleasant sensations. and compelled
!, to stay there for 50 indefinite period, would
you not be most happy! Yes. OF course you
+ would-in horn Well, such may Be the
case Of many weary soldier.
OF all the truly delightful parts of the world
which it has been my fortune whether for
good or i'll l cannot sayl TO visit, Arizona is
. decidedly NOT the most mognJ. All that por-
the north of it for distance of fifty miles, is
the most worthless of any soil ever saw. 1t
is mostly great sand plains, with large over
grown bills Of volcanic rock, without order, or
regularity. interspersed DO doubt for the sake
, of variety but instead of yielding the spice
. of life," they sford little else, aud nothing
much better than the pepper Of cactus thorns,
hot, ever burning sun, scorching atmoS-
phere, from fifteen to seventy five miles without
water, wood or grass, and WEAKNESS and suffer.
ing 10 the luckless wights who are obliged to
pass over it. There are, indeed, some few ex-
ceptions for all general rules must have ex-
ceptions, but they are of little use as a redeem.
ing feature in the character of the country
of which have spoken.
1t is said Arizona possesses valuable mines
/, Perhaps she does. AT any rate, she ought 10
be good for something. have no doubt bat
, there are valuable mines in many parts of the
Territory. have Travelled over some portions
which looked as though there might be excel
lent surface diggings. bnt ! had no opportunity
to prospect for gold. My time, what little !
bad 10 spare, was taken up prospecting for
grass for my horse, but we found fiue gold in
small quantities nearly everywhere we did
prospect for it, and yet what use TO find little
fine gold 10 great deal of dirt where there
was no chance to get sufficient water. or water
power, to wash it out 10 any advantage. The
northern and northeastern, and s,nIe of the
SSutiei ot'h S'n'Htiu ppitluuS, WHICH lie aIUiS
some Of the rivers, nffjrd much good pasturage,
and all such land if irrigated, will produce
abundantly the various species of grains and
vegetables suiied TO the altitude of the country
A man might travel from the mouth OF the
Colorado river 10y land to Fort Yuma, and
{ from there TO Tucson, with apparently level
road OF hv Tint limo 10 will ,,ro nd
feet above the sea level. Here only about 65
miles due north from the Pimos and Marcopa
Reservations, which lie on The ella, we are
eight thousand feet above the sea level The
thermometer, about the 10Th OF September,
was down TO the freezing point for week and
during the present month it has ranged from
80 to 45 degrees above zero most Of the time
at dawn of day, while i'll the middle of the day
it would range from 45 TO 20 degrees The
San Francisco mountains, which lie 80 miles
, northeast from here are much higher than this
place, and are now, for the third time already
covered with snow. The road to New Mexico
passes over this range on the northern side of
the greatest elevations. Several Of our bows
? have been as far us The mail station at he base
. Of these mountains, and. while escorting the
Quariermasters wagon from hat place last
2 week, secured two fine deer and three wild
h turkeys. They say it is n very rough road
Y The San Francisco river takes its rise 10 these
mountains. and runs in a sou;hweslorly course
for about 250 miles. and empiies into the Gila,
n at the northwest corner of the Marcopa Res
e ervation. Fifty miles above lis mouth it uuiies
: with Salt river, or. they would say in Span
# ish, RIO Sllm0s, and from there to the ella it
J. takes the name Of Salt River.
About fifty miles east from here there is
fine valley on the San Francisco river, where a
u settlement has been commenced, and few
E soldiers are now stationed there to cbeckmate
; the thieying Apaches. There are said to be
good pay dirt and rich quartz lodges close in
. that vicinity. At all events, two quartz mills
are on the ground and being erected. while a
mining ditch has very recently been surveyed,
which, il is said, will afford water for four
months in the year. East. beyond thi. valley.
good surface prospects were obtained by a
party. in September, headed by one Walker,
OF the city of San Francisco California, who
: were forced back by the Indians. Returning
to this place, Walker tried to get a party of
citizen, and soldiers to try it again, but, not
succeeding 10 his wishes he left in DISCUS, for
California. Subsequently, a party was made
up by others who went beyond the valley some
loo miles or more. What their report Of gold
g or other mineral discoveries is. | have not
learned, but they had a conference with few
OF the chiefs of 4 band of Apoches known as
the hidfGros in the neighborhood of the White
Mountains. who are anxious for treaty OF
peace. Twenty FIVE Of our men have been de
tailed to 60 out and bring in the chiefs. Two
or three others will so as guides. Captain
Iedyari has been ordered TO lead the party.
They are to start on Tuesday Oct. 3lst, 10 he
gone so days. A part of our men have gone
10 Tubec as escort to a mastering officer.
Lieut.. Gisens is al Wickenburg. temporarily
in command Of a detachment Of RarulsrS If