Arizona citizen., 1871-04-15

desired, but this is attributa able to the amount of labor the command is daily called upon to perform. The morate is usually good and the amount of dissi- patton unusually small and limited in extent. Not case of malfeasance has been brought to the notice of head quarters perpetrated since the organi- zation of this department, 8 feature as creditable as it is gratifying.
 It is thought that the means of transportation now on hand will suffice for the next twelve months; 1t cer- tainly will if the troops are concentra- ted in accordance with the foregoing recommendations
 The military affairs of the Territory are so intimately connected with and so dependent upon the postal arrange ments therein, that the privilege IS claimed of making a few remarks in regard to this subject.
 Like all sparsely settled countries, mail communication is very infrequent, irregular, and uncertain. To such an extent has this been the case in Arizo- na, that communication between de- partment headquarters and large portion of the Territory has had to be kept up by a military express. Let ters miscarry or are detained, and are frequently lost on their way, and re- ports and returns are often months be- hind in consequence. The failure to connect, due to bad roads and poor stock, is frequent and fruitful source of inconvenience. It is respectfully suggested that there be three routes established, and so organized as to run with regularity and dispatch, one leaving the coast and going via Ari- zona City, Maricopa Wells, Sacaton, Florence, and Tucson, to Mesilla, ill New Mexico; another leaving the coast and running via Ehrenberg, Prescott, and Camp Verde, and con- necting at Fort Wingate with the road thence to Santa Fe, m New Mexico ]; and the third or cross route leaving the northern or Santa Fe route at Prescott, and connecting at Maricopa Wells with the southern route, via Agua Fria, Camp Mcdowell and Phe- nix. Some of these threeroutes would run through nearly every prominent or important point in the department, and no military post, except Camp Thomas, would be more than one days ride from Q post office. A semi-week- ly mail over each is all that would be required for the present, and branch routes can be established when war ranted by population.
 The all-absorbing topic in Arizona, the irrepressible Indian, is approached with no little reluctance, fearing that the authorities at headquarters, in San Francisco as we'll as Washington, may have already become surfeited and wearied with its consideration. It will, however, be proper to state that since the organization of the depart ment the Hualpais, Apaches, Moiaves or Yavapais, and the Coyotero Apa- ches have become qniet and are fast becoming domesticated. Cachies, with his band, which during the past eight years has caused great trouble, has expressed a wish to go on reserva- tion, become quiet, and be let alone There remain now but two branches of the great Apache Nation in Arizona that are i'll open hostilities, and meas ures are being taken to bring them to terms. These two are the Tontos and the Finals. No treaties or promises have been made except to assure them all, that-as long as they behave them selves they will not be molested, but if they mis-behave they will be pur- sued and punished.
 The Apache Nation in this region, as compared with what knew it more than twenty years ago, is nearly harmless, and their destitution is great in the extreme. They must either starve, steal, or be fed; and as they are unwilling to do the former, it be- comes simply 8 question as to which is the best policy, feed them or con- tinue the endeavor to prevent them from stealing. The Chi-ma-hue-huas and that portion of the Mojaves not on @ reservation, though we'll disposed toward the whites, are at war with each other, and few weeks since had a battle, i'll which quite 8 number were killed and wounded on each side. The Yumas and Pah-Utes are also peaceable and well disposed. The Pimas and Maricopas, both semi-civil- ized tribes, and 8 fraction of the Mo