, 1877-05-13
The Mining, Farming, and Grazing In
terests Of Northwestern Arl-
IONA.
Good Indians Who Have Turned Their
Scalping-kniycs Into Sichles.
How the Pioneer ArizOnlan
Adapts Himself to Cir
curnstanceS.
Our Correspondents Visit to the oele-
brated Mc0racken Mining District.
Other Noted Mines in Mohave County.

AUBREY, A. r., April 30.-From Ehrenburg
to this point, distant about 150 miles, the scetl-
cry Is about the same as between EhrcnbuFg
and Yuma, but from here north the river valley
is narrower and huge mountains encompass the
stream at every turn, alforlIng some Of the
erandest scenery on this continent Some 300
miles above Aubrey begins the Grand Canon OF
the Colorado SO loudly PRAISED for its grandeur
BY Lieut.. Wheeler and hfaj. Powell, who were
among the first whites to explore its wild re-
cesscs.
While the nature of the country hereabous Is
quite similar to that around Ehrenburg, should
iudec there has been more done here than att the
latter place to develop its agricultural prospects,
We passed numerous ranches on the Arizona
side, where quite extensive and seemingly thrifty
farms have been started. It is not the growing
season now, and, Of course, | could not judge
Of the farms from their products, but in few
weeks the landscape will change from brown to
green, when the broad valley will present a
more pleasing picture. Farmers find a ready
market here for everything they mag raise at
very high prices. The Indians On their ressrva
just south OF Aubrey grow considerable quaint,
tics OF barley, corn, and other produce, NJ
they have been cntcrprising enough to tut
AN 1RRlGAT1NG DITCH
through their reservation for several miles, tak-
ing the water from the river ut point where
some islands form kind OF natural dam. They
are thus to 4 great extent independent OF the
river overflow. and frequently grow two crops
year on the same ground, one before the inun-
dation and one after. They have considerable
herds of cattle. I never saw better-looking,
fattcr stock anywhere, although it would not
seem possible for cattle to subsfst on the meagrc
hcrbagc to be found on the riyer-bottom ut tile
present time. But they do live the year round
on these barren-looktng plains. and keep lat.
There is a kind Of grass which springs up quickly
after tl~ subsistence of the river, of which stock
are very fond During the fall it cures on the stalk,
ana ca.t,c prefer it to any other food. They aso
cat the bcans, which grow in great numbers on
tho mcsuuit bushes They arc very nutritious.
STOCK RAISING
seems to be especially adapted to this section
of the Territory At present it is quite profit
able, for the expense OF caring for herd is
comparatively nothing Stabls arc not needed.
flne ,s ' the herd at night. Even houses for the
herdsmen arc not absolutely necessary. It
scldom OF never rains, and the mercury in the
thermometer never reaches freezing point in
the valley. Tn the mountains one may select
Of e. doors @ in this country almost al
together. Ones blanket is his house and
he'd. The true Arizonlan spreads it
upon the ground wherever night happens
to oyertake him, md sleeps as swcetly as though
he were in fcatbcr-bed. Such tri1ling him
ORANGES AZ eaud-storms, rattlesnakcs, scorpions,
tarant11las. and centipedcs. do not disturb his
rcnnsc~ II It blows. he rolls his head closer in
the blanket aud lets it blow, Indifferent to the
fact (which sometimes happcns) that around
about him IS forming miniature sandhill. The
sand-storms clear the air and ditfuse electricity
through the atmosphere. They at Us kind Of
tonic IN the human 6ystetn filling one with life
and animation. The Stories OF Arizona reptiles
are grossly exaggerated. There are some, to be
snrn hut like other animals. il let alone they
arr harmless. During n,y travels of some 1o00
miles through the Territory | have failed to sec
either of the REPTILES above mentioned, though
have been constantly looking for them.
The most noted mines hefeabout are those in
TIE M'cRAcKEN
lead has been worked since 1S75. II was dis
covered by McCrackcn j. Owens, who decided to
the McCracken Company the south half OF the
lead, and to the Signal Company the north half.
With an average width Of thirty feet, and Is
prospccted to q depth OF 375 feet. At the depth
OF $50 feet the lead is forty-scvcu feet In width.
The course OF the vein is north and SOUTH. dip
ping to the east, with splendid walls and clay
every Indication OF true tissure ven 1t is free
milling ore, worked bY wet crushing. 1t yields
mostly pure silver, with, however, little lead.
The McCracken Company has j, ,00u tons OF ore
on the dump and knocked down in the
drifts and shafts that will assay SIS per
ton, and will work to within Is per cent
OF It's assay value. This may be considered
an average, but four feet Of the ledge assays all
the way from 5000 to $1,000 to the ton. The
McCracken Company las an old tcn-stamp mill
on the Biz Sandy, about eleven miles from the
mine, with which they produce an average OF
$4,000 bullion per month, giving, it is claimed,
a net profit OF $4,000 per month, working
twenty-five tons per day. They are preparing to
put In new twenty-stamp mill.
THE SIGNAL MINING COMPANY
is an outgrowth OF the new era in Arizona
mining It was organized in San Francisco
few weeks since with capital OF S10, ,00O, QUO,
divided into 100000 shares, OF which Col.
Thomas Ewing, ex-Goy. Stafford, aud William
n Lect, Of Arizona, and ]. D. Frey and 4. X.
p Harrison, Of San Francisco, arc the sole
owners. They have purchased new twenty
stamp mill, which will be soon In operation. The
Signal is prospcctcd 150feet has the same body
Of ore as the McCracken. They expect to crnsh
fortr to fifty tons per day, and they calculate
that the cost of milling and reducing their ores
will not exceed $17 per ton, leaving net profit
of $50 to SIS per ton. Miners wages are 81 per
day The mine is only twenty eight miles from
this place.
One advantage the miners in this district have
is in the abundance Of timber near by: Mesquit,
and cottonwood are found IN large
quantities in the mountains
There are great many >
OTHER PROMISING PROSPECTS
In this district, among others the Buro, Centcn-
NAL, and Alta, which are no doubt as good
nronertv AZ the AtcErackcn and which q live