New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-10
ARIZONA.
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENCE


II Utah and other sections, where the excitement a.
lending the building of the Pacific Railroad ina,.'.
,crbblers to exercise Their powers, aud whera ;n,~
esting events are of daily occurrence and tho 49,.
facture of a readable article is But the narration
daily events for the week pat. Yet occasional
from Arizona appear infLe New-York papers .ns
published IN Inc Nv York Mail of June % nu,. Ous
ing to be written by soldier stationed a. c.
Wmpple, near Prescott, has given such a terrihIo'
count OF the country, its productions and 49,.
ltants that am persuaded to write few woraa"
way of demurrer.
The letter referred TO speaks of the country s.s.
ing evold of every attraction to the settler alv;ss
the farmer, miner and bold adventurer 10 keen 49,"
from Arizona, as it is place for either Eyidepv
the writer does not and never did, belong to eitb.,
class and the fact that hundreds of miners hayevsd
here for years, and have possession of mines ~ ~
traordinary richness; that hundreds of farmers ga
getting rich from the profits of farming IN The Ter
ritory, notwithstanding the losses of stock by In
craving for new sensation, at any time by iittls
excursion in pursuit Of Indians the gamest Linz
of game. known on the continent, is sufficient
repy to his assertion.
lie states in general terms, that the countrv;.
almost uninhabitabe; that all vegetable productions
even including the grasses, covered with th.,nS
that good water does not exist in the Territorv ,h
where water is t9nnd IN springs, it is brackish. snI
phnr,o filled with frog.spawn and tadpoles, and
infested by swarms OF waSps and hornets: that
game is very scarce, q few lean deer and ants.
Iope, and half starved rabbits filling m.
bill; and that the bear cannot live here.
because there are no berries nor clover that With
the exception of few pines near Prescott there
no timber in the country except few crooked cot.
tonwOods and that the face Of the earth Is covered
for hundreds of miles with deserts of sand, diyers
fled by ranges of barren rocky mountains and call,
the Territory the American Sahara. The veraciom
writer in speaking of the inhabitants saws tbs
country is the asylum of white assassins. hons.
thieves. and bandits driven hither by the laws from
every part of this vast continent that the most san.
ouinary acts are perpetrated by white tends 10 tbs
manor born and speaking the AngO-SaxOn tongues
and charged to the Apaches who m hall the cases Of
theft depreciation, and murder credited 10 them ara
entirely free from blame He admits that there are
mines of gold silver and copper here but states that
for want OF water they never can be worked, and
closes as he began his epstleby remarks on the sick
ness prevalent in the country calling one OF the mil
itary posts the camp OF death
He saws he gives slight bnt true description Of
this country but If he had said slightly true it would
better describe the letter.
Without accusing the writer to The Mall Of bass
motives it is but justice to the territory OF Arizona
and TO ArizoniaHs. to refute some of the msstate-
ments in his communication.
II seems probable that the correspondent OF Tbs
Mail has been but short time in the Territory, that
AZ n soldier he came through from California with
his company has been stationed at camp "hlppis
and other posts, and knows but little OF the Ierr-
tory he vllifes OutrageOusly except what he has
seen on the road, or on short scouting trips after
Indians in the vicinity OF Camp Nnlpple. l0a
stranger coming from older, more cultivated better
watered, and more civilized STATES, Arizona presents
an arid rough, uninviting appearance; there are
deserts barren mountains, thorny plants, Venom0us
reptiles mineral springs, alkaline streams, and I'M
doubtedly bad men among the inhabitants so il
admitted there are facts for the basis of the letter.
But as an Arzonan, an old resident, having
knowledge of the minerals, soil, productions, and
people ia 81 settled portions OF the Territory and
consequently having an abiding faith In its future
prosperity desire TO give some better report OF the
| land.
Arizona has been. until within a few years almost
unknown To citizens of the United States and tho
larger portion Of its territory Is yet unsettled by
white men, The great overland mail passing through
the southern part of Arizona: over the Butterheld
route as it called IN 1885, 80 and 90 first caused
Americans Ia give some attention tn its resources.
and from the settlements then made along the mail
creased 70 about 10 600 souls Evidently so many persons
have settled here without some motive, some induce
ment. some prospect OF immediate or prospective gam
Mexcans who worked mines here while the country be
Onged TO Mexico was the principal object IN view OF me
first settlers aud Nploraon Of the old mines So
nOraand the discovery Of new ones scattered through the
mountain ranges for $40 miles northward and extending
IRON eSs 70 s recnt repaTt of i Ross Browne
10 Congress- the minerals and mines OF the Western
states and Territories mentions by name over goo OF ns
best known mines OF Arizona. and there are several
thousand quartz mines located ana partially developed
which lie does not refer to-
The fact that the mountains OF Arizona
are continuation OF the silver and gold producing noun.
tans Nevada aud Of the Sierra Nevada Mountains OF
Mexico prolific IN silver for years past Is OF Itself sur
ccnt proof of the existence Of rich mines within her
limits to Justify any reasonable expense In following
down such surface indications Of mineral as thOuSahus VI
The agricultural portion Of the Territory IS estimated
y those best Informed about onethrteh OF the whole
area which would give 100000 OF tllable land
The Territory has an area OF l3lOIo square miles ans
the estimate referred TO only covers bottom lands along
aud rivers. susceptible Of being irrigated Ihee
millions OF Of land lying in large tracts betwees
good SOIL which will be cultivated when artesian wtlh
sunk. common wells. with windmlls TO Iae inc
water needed for irrigation as has been done IL Caoth
and other states.
The climate Is 30 mild in the whole Southern hall Of the
while in country north the climate is cooler late snS
early frosis prevail ana the country ana climate roa
supply the military posts OF Fort Whippe. Camp Nc
PhersOn aud Camp Lincoln all near Prescott am9nntN
witnp 50 miles OF Fort whpple Thousands OF tuns o.
hay annually al sS f pEs 8 as al
the section and free from thorns grass OF New
York.
RADIO Missouri Kansas, Texas and other agricultural
states agree that better grazing country ever
laid Of doors Within the last month OF Tex
as cattle have been driven through the Territory 10 Calf
ornia and the assert most emphacay that TINS
is better stock country than Texas one person owning
1900 head OF cattle kept them weeks In the valley %
the Pedro aud stated that were II not Tor the hos
~ OF the Apache Indians he would have dozen Texan
families settled In the valley within six months and
would move himself with his iocks and herds saying
that he never saw better country for stock sheep
There are dozen varieties of grasses OF most nutri
tous qualities growing ia tho valleys on the mesa OF
tabesnds and from the base to the top of many OF the
mountains 40.
The few pines near Prescott" consist of belt OF tim
Der at least 40 miles in length by IS IN width. densey
covering granite mountain range, rising 10 hlshs O
1000 feet above the town Of Prescott covered win nn
bunch grass aud supplied with many springs OF as pur
cold water issues from the granite mountains OF Ne"
Hampshire. =.
During the Fall and Winter months fat antelope meat
and yonison is and has BEEN for five years as cheap ~
the Prescott market beef. and is generally OF better
quality. Wild turkey abound in certain sections Dut arr
getting near the settlements. though several NAYS
been Killed within 10 miles of Prescott within ms year
Every citizen OF Arizona will testify 10 the trut Oh NY
assertion that for frontier country no more qWe
DERBY. law-abidng population has settled IN any ~
Uncle Sans borders than Is TO DO fouhn -
this Territory Arizona divided into five counties
named after Indian tribes follows Pah-Ute M"jaye
ln nj white settlers ia inc