New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-03
WESTERN EXPLORATIONS.
Srx MONTHS ON THE LINE OF THE SOUTHERN
PACIFIC RAILWAY.

-rur COLORADO OF THE wEsT-siLvEh
MINES OF THE CoLoRADo-EVIDENCEs Uf
PREVIOUS CIvTIzArIoN--CHiMNbn IN
AND CASTLE DQME-RUINS OF THE UibA nv
THE yIRGIN-FUTURE PROSPECTS, ETC
TUCSON. Arizona, July 10.-Not many m 1',l.Ia
AGO passed through the southern portion oil O'nOiD
~ Fort Yuma in company with an expeo'lon
ers and surveyors. into the central ana uo, tion
,ortions Of Arizona. The country throuk .sh =,
AZ this district is barren and sterile, looklns q"
" ,',o ulS'.'N 80 nerIod upheaved by volcanic
"s ~ ,hoD hasalt and scora are frequent,
~ ,ho as,oot ~ the mountains ON either manu- 10
gloomy and forbidding, the very ei"e ",i" ~
hooking like the pro1les of persons "ii'nne " II
The landscape becomes more anu i"O,0 .ia 5
-, rraso6 a range OF oakcovered mountains ana
having ,. nshnd the stronghods Of civilization,
=. .,. enters upon the great Colorado Desert, an
soso oYpanse Of level sand without WOOD OF waeer'
hIch even the predatory savage holds IN aDhorrenee
Ioooupanied by a troop OF cavalry, ana cumpereo
I'm wagons overloaded with baggage ana forage, we
80 etteen DAYS IN reaching Fort Yuma This, an I'm
r,ant post was the of great activity during the
rv mining excitement, when Arizona City was founded
itety opposite There is every evidence throughout
, portions Of Arizona watered by the Colorado River
Of the richest mineral Only twelve miles DIS
tant from Fort Yuma at ella City, IA place which ex-
lists only in name) my mueteer, with common bread
man, took out of the soil In few minutes dollars
worth of dust which he washed in the waters of the
ella adiaeent and in the Of weeks excursion TO
Castle Dome, In company with some OF the officers To-
Gated" claims in sverbeang leads, of which the rich-
ness apparent to the eye-the lodges cropping out
for miles along the surface. Here lie field for cap
tai all expense for land transportation being avoided
The ore may be "shunted" down from the mines d.
recty into the which take 1t TO the mouth OF
Gulf OF California, where sailing vessels may receive
It. Nearly all the energy of the people has been eA
pended in the vicinity Of Prescott in the northern p"
OF the Territory, where is situated the Vutne lead
Great difficulty ia still experienced from the Indians
Tonic and other Apaches, who 1--we In the more central
portions and also those who dwell toward the east
Several years ago one Witenburg, poor prospecter'
living principally upon game and the money earned Dy
such odd Jobs passing Government trains might throw
in his way, by desuory employment at the interior
posts accidenty discovered lode of silver and gold OF
extraordinary richness which has since become ceebra
ted as the Vulture lead. Wittenburg, poor yagrant
with at that time, not coat to his baek became
suddenly rich and famous he sold out for s5ocO and
the little town which laid out at the mine received
the name of wltenburg But the poor fellow did not
live long to enjoy his suddenly gained wealth ma
rauding party of Indians upon him Unexpectedly
IN one OF his expeditions search OF the roOt and
scalped him TO death a reward for his temerity.
Much has been said Of the availability of the Colorado
River for the purposes of navigation. During the
warmer season 1t has abundant flow Of water, some
times in time Of floods overspresding the low banks
for distance Of miles either side But In Winter and
Spring the water reoede until the river In many places
may ,be forded without wetting the knees Then the
whole country below the line of North La Paz has the
appearance Of having just recovered from deuge The
Colorado Desert evidently been in remote
the bed Of a vast inland sea- the ancient watermark
being yet visible the sides OF the boundary mountains
with the herOgyphes left there by the Indians ago.
terrible earthquake reft its barriers and discharged Its
waters into the Gulf of California at the time thor
oughly permeating the soil with 0ka which impreg-
mates the little water that be obtained, and in some
places saurates the vegetables Surprise has been
experienced by travellers noticing the brilliant white
ness Of the teeth OF the Indians of all ages and sexes
This is due to the akal which minges 80 literally with
their food and drink Indications of silver exist in In
Vulnerable places along both banks OF the Colorado
River, and found the traces of gold wherever
iourneyed on the line OF the expedition. Opposite
Fort Yuma Arizona City, at present small coectoh
Of mud novels destined IN the future TO De point OF
great Importance, it is directly In the line OF the
southern Pacific Railroad 1t several years ago the
center of large floating population drawn together by
a gold excitement similar to that prevailing in San
Diego but the war drove the prospecers away andput
an end TO the mining. Wandering one day among tue
mesquite groves, several miles from this center 1
stumbled upon deserted hut covered within and With
out with the placards of Wells Fargo Co.'S Express
1t had used by the agents during the excitement as
an Office Everything be sold in this country is rated
at California ol prices. and, there are few farms,
everything that eaten must be imported from Mexico
and Upper California AS for water, though in some
places wells be sunk, at great labor ana expense
to obtain 1t, in others 1t is abundant.
Within twenty miles above Fort Yuma, lying directly
upon the banks OF the Colorado of the richest
silver leads yet discovered Below, at the fort where the
little hatbottomed steamers receive freight and passen
gers the mines the channel shallow ana the stream
is crossed by Aaboat attached to ropes running upon
a cable suspended from poles either bank; but here IL
Is somewhat deeper flowing between precipitous noun
tains of rock and volcanic debris At the point known
as the Rosario Lead the silver ore crops out on the sur
face of the hills where have traced for miles In any
direction 1t has been matter OF surprise to me- as
A. has been to others, that these odes, lying many OF
them so near the river that the may be shuned"
from them into the barges steamboats, should be over
looked while silver mines opened hundreds Of miles
from a seaport, in the heart Of the wilder
ness from which the must be transported at an
enormous cost Of freghtage The diner sends to the
head Of table for the salt which lies beneath his nose
Hitherto the Mexican is the only process Of mining
IN USE but large plates, buttons. and rough silver III
"chunks" may be at the trading store in Arizona
City, where IL has sold by the few struggling mir
ers accept clothes tools and provisions at exorbi
tsn prices, in part payment The locality known to ex-
porers Chimney Peak the center OF Of the rich
silver and copper districts the continent but the
"prospecters" keep their counsel and little is
heard of the mines Of the Picacho Copper is Of the
most important Of the mineral of the Ga1sden
Purchase but asraroad is required TO bring within
reach of market. This road will be completed
As an instance Of the typographical knowledge and
foresight Of Gen Fremont who is greatly interested in
the road may recall observation made to by
him long before these discoveries "The world regards
this section Of country Wilderness said he, "but the
time not far distant when will prove to be the richest
Of our domain aud win be densey peoped The man who
drives down his stakes there today prepared work
Tor as well as to wait for developments but
coed"
All the way from San Diego, the western terminus OF
the Southern Pacific Railroad speaking Of the old
town, place rendered famous by the exploits OF John
Phoenix and Judge Ames Of the defunct San Diego
Herald the country through which Ourneyed is wild in