Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-09-28
LETTER FROM ARIZONA.

The following letter from Governor
A. P. X. Stafford of Arizona, to Colonel
John H. Mills Of this town, we are
permitted to publish. It will be
read with interest
Tucson, August IS, 1869.
DEAR MILLS: l am not unmindful that
l agreed to write to you, and have
waited to see more of the country be-
fore doing SO. But l find it so difficult
to get over the country with safety that
I have not been able to travel very ex-
tsnsively so far expect to leave here
in a few da, $, however, and 60 over the
northern part of the Territory.
l ind the resources Of the country
superior to my expectations. As a
grazing country it is superior to any
thing I ever saw ; stock thrives the
year round. As IN agricultural country,
/ believe it will rank with any | have
ever been acquainted with. The farm
ing is mostly done by Mexicans, in their
rude way /; they still pillow with a
crooked stick, and their oxen draw by
the horns, still the land produces two
crops each year-one OF wheat, barley
or oats, and another Of corn. In front
of my house ia q farm, I 4 m told, which
ha, been cultivated continuously for the
last hundred years, producing yearly
two crops, and has never yet been ma
nured, still the land does not seem e1-
hausted. Everything in the way OF
goods here is enormously high, but
| home products are reasonable barley
sells for q to 3 cents per pound, cur
rency. The population of this place is
about 3~,OOO-mostly Mexicans. We have
q very good Catholic church, but no
school, so far (; however, it is well to
care for the soul first; l suppose.
found the government OF the Terri
tory very much confused the only
Territorial officer I found here, on my
arrival, was the Treasurer. Ambition
and ~jealousies had melted quarrel:
among the officials until they had eI'
hausted themselves and Disguised the
people, and thrown so much doubt az
| to whether there was any law or not,
that the people began to believe the
best way was to obey no law. It viii
take some time to get the wheels OF gov
eminent again in good working order.
find the Apache the worst element
10 deal with he don't seem disposed
to be friendly with me nor give q chance
to befrieud him. He won't come neal
me, nor | can't find him when l 20 t.
look for him. | was out last week siI
DAYS in the mountains, climbing craggy
peaks and wadiug in water, but only
found q few Of his deserted wigwams,
V appreciated the difficulties o
getting to him until l came here. These
Apaches live in the most impossible
places to get to, and if apprised Of you
coming Ave minutes before your ap
proach, they will fly over the deeI
| gorgss and no white man can catct
them. From these places they send GU
small raiding parties who are rs fleet a
| the wind they wait in the most favored
places for their prey and never strik'
unless they are almost certain Of sue
cess, withou. receiving harm on thei
part. With plenty Of troops moved int
the couutry where they live, and vel
supplied, they would soon DO obliged Z
leave the country or u for peace, 70
if they were constantly agitsted at HON
they could not raise crops nor send GU
the stealing parties. So far the war ha
mostly been directed toward these it'll
raiding parties ; rs long as they ar
securs ut homo, the wal will neve
cease. They come all round this town
two raids have been made upon stool
this week; u band was, however
recovered. I am in hopes the next Con
gress will give me the power to raise
native regiment. now guarantee,
they will, to make a lasting peace in on
year.