Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-11-19
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A New EI Dorado.


II statements that have recently been
made by Washington correspondents con-
cerning the Mexican question shall prove
to be well founded-as they probably will
we may shortly antici pate another hegira
to the land of gold.
The assertion is, that in consideration OF
the " friendly offices +" assumed by the Gov
q ernment Of this country towards Mexico,
the Government of that country, whose
stability will thus be assured, cedes to the
United States the peninsula of Lower Cali
fornia and SO much of Sonora and Chihu-
ahua as lies northwest of a line drawn from
the Rio Granae, at or near El Paso, To
the sea of Cortez, south of the port oi
Guaymas. .ooit
4 The territory thus sliced from Mexico
would include the most valuable portions
of Sonora and Chihuahua, which are said
to embrace the most valuable regions In
Mexico. The peninsula of Lower Califor-
mia is Of less value, save in the political
view that it would be projection of our
Pacific coast line southwark at least 200
miles, and would give us absolute control
of the sea of Cortez, its numerous bays and
harbors. The peninsula is a volcanic form
ID alton, $50 miles long, and from 30 to lot
miles wide. grlculturally, 1t is almost
worthless. 1t has no streams of any mag
Ditude, and no springs save such as well up
from regions of sulphur, boiling hot. The
scanty soil that sometimes covers even
volcanic rocks and fields Of lava, is there
blown away by the fierce tOrnadoes that
sweep over the region. The climate is not
inviting, though hardly so bad as 1t might
be, the mercury seldom rising above 90 de-
grees, excepting in the northern end of the
peninsula, which, reversing the natural Or
der, is said to be good deal hotter than
the southern eud. The mountains, which
rise in places to the height Of 5000 feet, are
supposed to be full of gold. Were the
peninsula in all other respects even more
internal than it is, this will suffice to tempt
the cupidity of whole armies of Americans,
who will doubtless flock to the new El Do
RADIO as soon as the stars and stripes are un-
furled there. OIL.
In striking contrast to the peninsula OF
California, Sonora is land abOunding In
all the elements OF agricultural as well as
mineral wealth. 1t is abundantly watered
by large rivers, whose broad valleys TEEN
with the products of both temperate and
tropical zones. while unnumbered herds OI
cattle feed upon its thousand hills. West
ern chihuahua is of much the same char
Gls
less mines of silver and other precious ores
The region is such as Yankee would call
splendid"
Guaymas is the principal seaport for all
this region. The harbOr is capacious, IL
entirely sheltered from the sea, and is in
all respects equal to that of San Francisco
The town nccuTies an area about one mile
long by quarter of a mile wide, which
comprises all the available real estate thai
lies between preciptOus mountains and thu
bay. There are, however, three or toul
considerable islands in the bay, upOr
which, a few years hence, corner lots viii
doubtless command high prices. The eli
mate of GuaymaS is not desirable. The
heat, during three months in the year, il
said to average 40 degrees in the shade
The shade spoken of must be product o.
art, as the siTOccOs that, during this season
sweep down from the north (the heat ir
that region seems to come from thC
opposite direction of heat in othel
places) literally burn up all foliage
and every living thing that find
not shelter from the red hot blast
One easily imagnes that Gnaymas must bt
an efficient place in which to inculcate The
orthodox doctrine concerning the future
state OF those who reject the truths o
christianity Ten miles from Guaymas
however, the scene changes, and one enters
region salubrious and charming as III,
Elysian Fields-a circumstance which still
further illustrates how short is the space
which separates those noted localities
which the old Pagans designated by the
names Hades and Elysium.