Salt River herald., 1878-04-06
A DECAYING TOWN. The Vi>iOnary'S Dream
 of Prescott. WHAT JOHN SAYS IT WILL BE And What a Disinterested Party Knows it Will Be-0ut
 in the Cold.
JOHN SAYS IT WILL BE

l
 from the Tucson Star of March 2S:
 We read in the Enterprise of the 2Oth inst. the editors idea of the future of Prescott. The follow ing is part of what he says:
 "A few years more will see her a city of 10000 or 10000 people the terminus of several railroads and the pride Of Arizona. Mer- chants will come here from Tucson, Tubac, Tamacacori, Florence, Mari copa Wells, Gila Bend, Phenix, and all the towns of Mohave and other counties to purchase supplies. see the sights, wrestle with the Tiger and get religion. Here will be United States Mint, fine Capitol buildings, grand institutions of learning, museum, gorgeous thea ters, manufactories, an immense postoffice and other institutions which we will not now name"
 "This is really q very glowing picture of the future, but we would like to know through what sort of glasses John sees all of this |?
 "We see Prescott in very differ ent light, and if the editor is not blind, he will see it from the me standpoint. PrescOtt's situation is unfavOrable to a larger growth than it has at present; lying on the east ern slope of the Sierra Prieta, with all its freight coming from the west, it is impossible to reach the town except by passing around the north ern part of the range and then driv- ing south. The nearest point on the river is Aubery City, a distance of nearly one hundred and fifty miles, and as the Sierra Prieta has only one break in its slope, where the Hassayampa leaves the range, it is not probable this distance will ever be shortened. On the eastern slope the range is broken by numer- ous streams, and it Is easy of ac- cess to the greater portion of its mines. All of the mineral wealth of Iovapai lies to the south and east of Prescott. and must of ncces- si:y look for its outlet U the south.
 "When the railroad reaches Mari copa Wells, the Peck, Tiptop, Tiger, and other mines of the Bradshaw Basin will be within hundred miles of a railroad depot, and not a single pound of freight destined for these mines will ever see Prescott. In fact, the town of Prescott itself will go to Maricopa for its freight, should there be any to be sent, which is very doubtful. Yavapai will always be a rich country, but Prescott is not the coming town of that county. We have always thought the coming city of our sister county would be near the junction of the Agua Fria and Black Canon creeks; or possibly where the town of Gillette is now being built. If you were not carried away by your own day dreams, John, you could see that your business men appreciate these facts, and whenever they seek to establish a new house they go al- ways to the south and east, but never to the north and west; some of them having gone so far south as to establish themselves at Phenix
 We will admit your town is neal : the geographical center of the Ter
 ritory, but you must admit that i
 is the northern limit of our popula
 tion unfortunately we have beer
 north of Prescott and if you eve
 have population in that direction
 it will be after some new geologics
 period.
 :. "We hope you will take this i