Arizona weekly miner., 1875-12-17
VERDE, AGUA FRIA RUINS, MONTE
 YUMA WELL, ETC.
CAMP VERDE. A. T. Dec 4 1,


 }. at the suttler's store, and by Major Braytor . commandant at Camp Verde, Captain Ora
 mer. Lieutenants Carter. Kendall and oth - CTS, both military and civil residents. Before writing of Camp Verde, wish t
 say few words respecting the
 l, OLD RUINS
 in and about the Agua Fria. Mir. Bowers
 house, "n what is now generally known a
 the "Agua Fria Ranch" was erected by the
 Hon. King :. WoOlsey, some l2 years since
 It is a double stone house, and is on the site
 of what was in prehistoric times, very
 large edifice, which find by measurement
 was l6O feet square. The Bowers house
 was built wholely of stone from the old
 ruins, being flat blocks of slate, granite and
 gniess. Some eut-houses were built of the
 same material, hundreds of loads have been
 drawn away for walls, stoning wells, etc.,
 and yet there remains large amount on the
 ground, and in places the debris is oprr flee Jeet high.
 From the above the reader can obtain some idea of the immense amount of mate rial in the old ruin. On the hill west of the house, and in many other places in the Valley are many old stone ruins, the most interesting to me was that on the top of sugar-loaf like mountain, nearly two miles south of Mr. Bowers and but a little southeast of the Bashford mill. This moun- tain rises up abruptly to the east of the Agua Fria Creek some 500 or GOO feet. On Its summit IS an old stone ruin 90 feet in diameter. The walls have fallen down and are strewn on the ground from 20 to 50 feet down the hill on ach side. What it's use, whether for defence, religious worship, or both, none now can tell. Its size and ex- 1 tent and the labor necessary to erect it de- | notes numerous and industrious people.
 The ride from Bowers to Camp Verde was to me pleasat one, as the weather was lovely and such as can be found nowhere outside Of Arizona. The distance is 9 miles, and the road winds around and over low, rolling hills, mostly of granite until near Copper Canon, where is found belts of slate and DOT. phyry with an occasional overcapping of limestone or sandstone. The new road and grade through Copper Canon for four miles an excellent one and made under the di- ectIons of Gen. Crook and Mai Brayton. 5etween Mir. Steamers g miles from Bow ITS raneh-and the Cienega is the Cornuco- ia mine which is being worked, but the { ock seems to be almost exhausted, it being l Vidently slide, and the true vein is not S ct discovered. saw many quartzte veins c n the way which have no doubt indicate t lany good mineral veins yet undiscovered. II D Copper Canon are many evidences of cop a CT and silver. In and along the Valley of V ne Verde, near the Post, do not think il ,ere IS much mineral, as the soil is not of l, ie right character; but the soil in many e aces, both above and below, IS excellent t r farming and the whole country good for a 'azing. Stock can be wintered in the Val a y without otEer food than the wild grass 6, the valley and hills. The altitude is u 2OO feet lower here than at Prescott. and tc 'nsequently the winters arc much warmer t, i'd more favorable for stock. p md the officers at the Post, as else m here at other Posts in the Territory, to be d' morally intellectual and cultivated, gentle ol aniy, and generous to a fault. The soldiers vi quiet and orderly, and the company of co dian scouts orderly and obedient to com Fl inds. In case ofa difficulty with reserva- S' 'n Indians, which many fear, these scouts II be of great service, as they were under th 'neral Crook in subduing hostile bands. m Opposite the Post on the east side of the pr CT there are many old ruins of stone houses VI fortlfications or temples on the bluffs three miles down the valley, at Mr. i' 'ivin's ranch, between Clear Creek and po river, there was an immense pile of ruins, a'' m which tue early settlers 10 or l2 years oe ce built stone corrals and Notifications '"' a protection for themselves and stock ' ilnst the hostile Indians. One mile be- the Post Is an extensive burial ground of .. re than ten acres cf ground. The graves m u' mostly East and West, and all are mark ~ by piles of cobble-stones heaped up over oo' b grave. Some of them have been open. 'n. but nothing found except few ashes ,., pn' charred bones, from which fact judge VI" t they were cremationists. ""' ', ger he Valley of the Verde is being settled W; both above and below the Post for many hr, es, and the soil being good, with plenty .o Tater tor irrigation, the Verde Valley on, mises well for the future. Measures have c.. n taken to organize school district at settlement below the Post by Messrs. .v, win. Davis, Campbell, Johnson, Maxwell D others, which speaks well for the settle h., It.
 eaver Creek enters the Verde from the h nearly opposite the Post, and in the - .s, up the creek, are many wonderful .L. dwellings of the old prehistoric race e.. have left so many mementoes of their lstry and numbers all over the. Terri. :. Most of these cave dwellings are wall o"' 10 in front with stona and roort.- a w.