Arizona weekly miner., 1875-08-20
LETTER FROM COL HODGE.


 ly explored Southwestern, Southern and
 Southeastern Arizona, in pursuance ot my
 design to visit and examine all sections of
 the Territory, have been for over month
 past rambling through the Northeastern
 portion of it, and propose briefly to give my
 views of the country to your readers, as well
 as 10 California and Eastern papers for whom
 have been writing up the country for the
 past eight months. In early June left the
 hot plains and valleys of Sulphur Springs and San Simon and other southern valleys and came north into a region where the
 whole face of Nature seems to be changed. Those valleys with their surroundings all
 have their advantages which I have tried fully to point out in my letters to the pub-
 lie press, yet must acknowledge sense of relief and satisfaction in coming into this elevated mountain plateau where the pure air, pure water and miles and miles of grand old pine forests meet the eye m all direc- tons. But to particularize, l will say that San Carlos is almost due south of this Camp, that it took me the best of two days to make the distance, 65 miles {; that l2 miles back of Camp Apache the trail crosses Black river, which, at that point, is in deep canon, the deepest and most abrupt of any have yet passed through in Arizona that three miles back the trail enters the valley of the White Tiver and that the Black and White rivers are both bold, sparkling mountain streams which at their junction, some 20 miles below here, form the Salt river. The upper branches of these two rivers are we'll stock ed with the genuine mountain trout, of which had tangible evidence, in a fine string of thirty which I took one day. Camp Apache is on the south side of White river the two branches of which, North and East, unite just below Camp. The Camp is one of the finest on the Pacific slope, on level, beautiful stretch of mesa land some hundred feet above White river. This is 4-Company post and the grounds are we'll laid out, and kept neat and clean. Both, officers and soldiers quarters are made of pine logs or pine lumber, and though plain and inexpensive, are cozy and comfortable. Lofty mountains rise in every direction all around covered with pine and other ever green timber, and to the north and north cast the heavy pine timber extends for over forty miles.
 In agriculture I find considerable doing by the Indians of Camp Apache or White Mountain agency, which is just across the East branch of White river, short mile north of the Post As near as can judge, l these Indians have in cultivation from POO to 300 acres of land mostly in corn, all of which ought to yield over and above the l roasting ears, of which they are very fond, 0,0OO pounds or more, which 1 am inform | ed good price will be paid them by the | military authorities here. The land they | cultivate is in patches up and down both | branches of White river and on the different tributaries of both the White and Black rivers. Within a distance of fifteen or twen ty miles of the agency there is no doubt | more than 900 acres of good farming land, | which, in process of time with good, honest | and judiciOus management of the Indians, | W Il trouble in the management here, and when fully understood, will give your readers the facts as 1 learn them, "without fear, favor or impartiality, as have no axes to grind" and regard truth as above men or party.
 The White Mountain reservation includes both this agency and that at San Carlos, both now normally under the charge of J. P. Cum, who has just returned from hur- ricd and anxious visit to Washington. The object of his visit is not known at present, but the public will soon be the witness of the labor of "his giant intellect"
 The immense body of pine timber to the north of this Camp will at no distant day become source of great profit to the Ter ritory as we'll as to individuals. I was per fectly surprised in going from here to the Little Colorado to find for 45 out of the 70 miles it was pine, pine all the way. I made no estimate of the amount, for it would take weeks and months to do so and approximate to near the amount there is enough to SUD- ply the whole Pacific slope for this and the coming generations The Little Colorado, 70 miles distant, is being fast settled up, and in a few years will be large, rich and popu- lous district. There are now some thirty or more families in the upper settlement from tine bridge to Milligans, and room for hum dreds more. The soil is rich and produc- tive, and most of it easy to be irrigated Mir. Mlligan and some others have fine crops of barley. corn, etc., and all the set tiers seem hopeful of the future. From the bridge down the river to Col. Hunts is six miles, but i'll health prevented my making . the Colonel visit as intended Down the river for fifty miles there are stretches of | fine natural meadow lands from which thou sands of tons of hay could be made if there was a demand for it. In time when the woods are filled with lumhermpn this nro l ,