The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-11-07
LETTER FROM ARIZONA.

PICKET POST, AR, OCT. z1stss1S.
Nh. EDITOR Having givenstou q
short account of our travels to Colorado
and of the country generally, Thought
q few words in regard to ou6 journey
from there to this place might not be
uninteresting to some of our friends, 30
if you will allow us little space in your
most valuable paper we will give You .
short account of our travels. 2
After staying three weeks at Canon
City we saw it was not the place for N,
so on the 10th day of june, in company
with one other family, we struck out for
Arizona. We travelled in q southern
direction over some rough, mountainous
country, passing through one place called
Masses Hole (and you will permit me
right here to say that it was the worst
hole I ever was in, but you understand
it has to be . pretty bad hole that get
into if I can't get out). We travelled on
to Alamoosa, which is q new town Of
about five hundred inhabitants and one
hundred and fifty miles distant from
Canon City. II is at the end of one
branch of the NJ. K. & T. railroad, and
on the Rio Grande river. The Rio Grande
at this point is beautiful stream about
the size of the Neosho, clear as crystal
and full Of mountain trout.
From the time we left Alamoosa our
road led through deep sand. Some
places for thirty miles the sand would
go half way to the hub. When our
mules gave out we would take our loads
out of the wagons and carry them on the
backs of the mules for four or five miles,
ourselves walking through sand shoe
mouth deep and the sun hot enough to
roast an egg. Our supply of water gave
out one day which caused some suffering
full. Our next point was Santa Fe, one
hundred and fifty miles from AlamoOsa.
That portion of New Mexico through
which we passed is sandy and barren.
The city of Santa Fe contains some five
thousand inhabitants and is mostly built
of adobes, or sun dried brick. We staid
here two days. ! thought l would gath
er few items for the benefit of my
friends but could not get much. The
old records of this town are all lost. 1t
was first built by the Aztec Indians, but
of the exact time of its first settlement
they have no knowledge but they profess
20 know the city is over three hundred
and fifty years old. Over three hundred
years ago the Catholic priest was there
counting his beads and invoking the
blessings of the saints. There is one
adobe house there, all in good repair, that
is said to he over three hundred years
old. Col Fisk, the great mail con-
tractor, keeps his Office in this house.
But the most singular thing in regard to
Santa Fe is that it seems to have been
built upon the ruins OF another
ancient city You can dig down
anywhere in the city from fifteen to
thirty feet and find these ruins. You
can find in the cityal manner of ancient
vessels, tools and implements of singular
workmanship. The great majority of the
inhabitants are Mexicans You will
permit me right here to say that the
great majority of those Mexican women
have no mere shame than a COW and just
about As much virtue as a she goat
Our next point was Albuquerque. one
hundred and forty miles from Santa Fe.
Albikurky is little town on the Rio
Grande river and the country in this
vicinity was better than usual. There
we're better crops than We SAW almost
anywhere else and more thrift in the town
and country. We crossed the river here
and our course led almost due west
through very deep sand. Our nextpoint
was Fl. Wingate, two hundred and sixty
miles from Albuquerque. The country
was rough and sandy with but very little
feed except Sage brush. But, Mr.. Editor,
I must say that the natural scenery Of
this country is simply splendid, but there
is the worst water here ever saw. Along
our road we would often see trees thirty
or forty feet long petrified solid. Some
times we could tell what kind of timber
it was. On Dead River saw lying near
the road block of wood about fourteen
BY sixteen inches that had been cut from
a cedar log and was solidly petrified.
There were quite number of U. S. sol
diers at Fl. Wingate and they treated US
very kindly, giving us good supply Of
vegetables for which they have our
hearty thanks for we got but few on the
road and we thought Uncle Sans vege
tables as good as any ones We came
on from there, crossing two deserts, one
thirty and the other about forty miles
wide, without having any water except
what we hauled. Our animals suffered
at those two places. Everybody
when they cross those deserts.
We landed at Picket Post on the Both
day of August, having left our home in
Missouri on the 18th day of April. When
we landed here l was very sick, having
taken sick some time before. MY friends
at once sent for doctor and he relieved
me pretty soon. am now able toiwork
a little. Every one seems to think l am
sure to regain my health here. If l do
l am well paid for all my trouble.
Now Mr.. Editor, few words in regard
to this portion of Arizona. To begin
with, it is surely not an agricultural
The face of the country is
very rough. 1t is a fair grazing country,
stock keeping fat on the grass all winter.
As to its mineral resources, it is surely |
vastly rich. There are two quartz
mills running here all the time both day |
md night. They are furnished ore from
me mine. the great Silver King mine.
It is simply wonder. A man that is
lot acquainted would hardly believe the
mount of mineral matter that is taken
tut of that one mine. They had gone
Town two hundred and sixty feet and
week before last they struck richer min
,ral than ever, There seems to be no