The weekly Arizona miner., 1872-01-20

it very excellent one.
 It was late in the afternoon when we pass ed tine Vulturc Mining Company's p-s,ainP mill, and little later when we en'ereu 'ne town of Wickenbnrg, where friends anu d' auaintances condescended to greet u' ' friendly manner. This, be It Teihenoc' ., was Sunday afternoon, and the streets o' 'ne town were alive with people, aiIohS S"o'' we recognized many old, familiar i"oo'- ! Wickenburg. how it had grown s'hce ou' ] last visit. several years ago, ana no" u'hei- ent the day of the land, around about, ap- ,,e,red to ,is from what it did early m looi, rben we first alightcd from the back of a fayorite stecd since stolen and eaten by good ADaches. At that time (early Tn b4), not house was to be seen between the sink oi the Uassayampa and Walnut Grove-a distance of about 70 miles-and only seven men. Hen " Wickenburg, (the discoverer of the Nul- ture lodc). his partner, Jas. A. Moore, now of Moricopa Wells, Jas. A. Young, (Coho), now of Phoenix; Valentine, since murdered 1 by Indians, "Yank" Simmons, Draper and, we believe, Fritz Tegcner, now member oi the Texas Legislature, were found at or near the present site of Wickenburg, and how we'll do we remember the two kind, noble | friends who accompanied us to Wlckenburg I from Agua Calicnte on the Gila-P. ". Smith and George II. Wilson, both now re- siding at Wickenburg. And what trip we 1 had, over a new road, laid out by Col. Wool sey said road having been very poorly sup piled with water, and so sandy that Tn many places, Wilson and ourself were compelled to help the team through by making our saddle animals tow the wagon along, canal boat fashion. Sixty-fvc miles did we make with out water or sleep, but, when we did strike water, we enjoyed it the more. But all this was now changed. True, the ruins ot WICK enburg's pioneer arastra were yet visible, uii- der the point of a hill upon which while sleeping, one night, an alacran, stung Wilson Wickenburg's tent had disappeared and given pIace to an adobe; but, strangest of all changes was that made by the several fine houses that make up the town of Wlcken- burg prominent among which are A. II. Peeples', Barnett $ Blocks, II. Mannasse's, M. Peral;a's, and those belonging to James Grant. mail contractor upon several routes m this Territory.\' Then, the great quartz mill, with the village surrounding was pleasing feature in the picture. And all this, We thought and knew, was the legitimate result of working one gold mine-the Vulturc-the largest, perhaps, and the best yet discovered on this continent or any other. Looking west. we could see the dome-lke picachO near the mine. which lies some l2 or Is miles from Wickenburg and the mill The creek bot toms. too. had been fenced and worked into productive ranches, so that scarcely anything had been left undone by the good people oi Wickenburg and vicinity. The little mill, in town. was idle, but it will not remain so long, as our old friend, Bill Smith, its pres cnt owner, contemplates fixing it up and set ting it to work, soon. Its operation will in stil new life into tue Wickenbnrgers, and perhaps, do more to develop the Nuture and the Territory than its immense rival, further up the creek, has done.
 1 Henry Wickenburg, the pioneer of the place, has good ranch, and wondrous neat residence chambered in hill, overlooking his ranch. The residence is curiosity worth seeing, and Henry will be glad to show it. It is nothing more nor less than a long, wide tunnel, well t;mbercd. at one end of which is a large room. In this place, the temperature is always the same, and, in the hottest season, meat, etc, can be kept Ill It, without spelling.
 But here comes Dr. Pierson, who informs us that the buck board, with four good ami mals, awaits us. We jump into the sald venl- ole, " men is no more and no less that four
 wheels with body open above, containing two seats, upon one of which Major Veil, the driver and ourseli managed to seat ourselves
 The other wa, occupied by the late Charles Adams and Mexican lady The body of the vehicle being filled with mail sacks, baggage, canteens, etc, legs had to be poked into very awkward positions, and rifles and pistols had to be watched that premature explosion might not occur. The team, however, was good one, and we rattled along, down the HasSa- yampa, at fair rate of speed save when, as frequently happened, we had to ride through the water and sand. In passing through the canon, Mexican train of oxen and carettas was met with, the drivers Ofwhich were yell. ing louder and faster than we have ever heard the Apaches yell The train was from Altar, with barley, &c, and the drivers seemed to think that by yelling they would scare .ne Apaches, should any of those human pru'es be lowering in the neishborhood. .,
 We soon reached Tom. McWillians, 'he the last house on the Hassayampa, ana iearn, ed from Tom. than near his house was al, o'u mine then being explored by W. IS. Heii'hSs 4 Co the ore of which was very rich 's ST ver and lead. He was also pleased to '''loI"' ms that from an old shait |" s,''u . ,,;niur mining toois, coohi,S "s ' nre.h;storic antiquity, had been taken. Inav;nr Toms and the llassayampa, the .oad takes a southerly direction, and follow ;n, along, rapidly, we arrived at
 AGUA FRIA STATEN
 About o'clock in the morning slept about an hour. got up, ate something, took look of the premises and started. The station is kept by Darrell Duppa, formerly of Prescott. He has a deep well, in the bed of the Agua Fria, out of which he can pump an unlimited supply of water by mule and whim power.
 It was after daylight when we started for Phoenix, and although our new team was not as good as the old, we made that place late in the afternoon. Most of
 THE COUNTRY
 Between Wickenburg and Phoenix Is what minimizing people would pronounce desert, vet the soil thereof is rich, and covered with brush, stunted trees and cacti. In past wet seasons the whole face of the country was covered with grass, and nought save the want of water prevents it from being good farming and grazing country. But, here We are. in plain view of