Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1872-01-20
nEsouRoEs 81 AR1zoNA.

With the compliments Of Governor
A. P. K. Stafford, v have just received
a copy OF a neatly printed pamphlet
entitled the Resources Of Arizona
Territory" including q description Of
the Indian tribes, ancient ruins. prom
inent Indian chiefs, stage and wagon
roads, trade, commerce, ETC., compiled
and printed by order Of the Leglsla-
ture. Relative to the nature Of the
country and its resources, We condense
the following:
The valley Of the Colorado is from
two to ten miles In width; the soil Is
rich alluvial, and Is generally covered
with a dense growth Of vegetation.
and Is we'll wooded with mesquite and
cottonwood trees. Very little attempt
has been made to cultivate these lands,
except by the Indians, who In a rude
way produce some vegetables, corn
and wheat.
/ The ella river valley Is from II to
three miles in width; the soil ia rich
and covered with vegetation, and by
Irrigation Will produce almost any
thing that grows; 1t Is uninhabited,
except by statiou-keepers along the
| overland mail road. These stations
are usually located about fifteen miles
apart. The soil and climate are un-
doubtedly we'll adapted to tho pro-
duction Of cotton, rice and sugar cane,
as we'll as the cereals, and nearly all
kinds Of vegetables. Experiments
made in planting figs, lemons and
oranges encourage the belief that these
fruits can be raised in abundance.
Many lodes Of gold, silver, copper
and lend have been located, and quite
a profitable business engaged in by
shipping tho ores via the Colorado
river to San Francisco. The success
of these enterprises would warrant the
belief that by the erection Of machin-
cry and properly opening the mines,
they could DO made very profitable to
the owners. Along the Colorado river
placer gold in considerable sums has
been extracted. No effort has been
made to conduct water to these mines;
the gold has generally been obtained
by what Is called the dry washing pro-
cess. TO pay by this process, the
mines must necessarily DO very rich,
but If water could be obtained, they
would undoubtedly pay well, even
when once worked BY the other pro-
cess.
The general health Of the country is
| good and the climate excellent. The
greatest drawback to development,
prosperity and the setting up of vast
districts Of fine agricultural lands
seems to be the Apaches, although in
favored and protected localities excel
lent crops are raised. After the wheat
and barley are harvested, corn q be
planted on the same soil, with ample
tImc for It to mature. Much Of tho
land of Arizona Is cultivated In this
way, and produces two crops each
year. The average yield of corn Is
from 80 to GO bushels per acre. Vege-
tables, with the exception Of Irish
potatoes, do remarkably we'll. Sweet
potatoes in particular grow to a large
size and are very prolific. Fruit trees
grow rapidly, and It Is thought that
oranges and lemons may be raised In
abundance. Experiments In planting
grapes have proved very successful.
Vines in two years after planting pro-
duce abundantly Of All excellent
quality.
Tho country north Of the ella valley
and cast Of the settlements, Ia gener-
ally broken and mountainous. There
are q number of fine streams Of water
flowing through it, and each Of these
contains many rich valleys. Wood
and grass are found In abundance, also
many large forests Of heavy timber.
The savages have held possession OF
this section Of the country with such
tenacity, that very little prospecting
for minerals has boon accomplished.
Sufficient explorations have been made
to know that gold, silver, copper and
lead exist In most Of the mountain
ranges, and it is believed, when oppor-
tunity Is presented, valuable mines
will be found and worked. An excel
lent vein of coal has been found near
Camp Apache, and also a mountain OF
pure salt on Salt river. Many legends
have been told by captiyes who have
escaped from the Indians, and BY In
dams who have been taken prisoners,
of the existence somewhere In this
section of rich placer mines, but all
efforts to find them have so far proved
futile.