The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-09-18
(CONTINUED.)
CCAMP THOMAS, ARIZONA
| o. June %, 1879.


The buildings in Yuma City are of the
most ordinary character, constructed
most generally out of mud dried in the
sun and called adobe. They are all one
story with earth roofs. The foundation
of the roofs is made of poles laid close
together, across them willow, hay, straw,
raw hides or canvas is laid, on top Of that
about two or three feet of earth to turn
the water The weather is 80 intensely
hot during eight or nine months in the
year that the people sleep out OF doors,
and ON the roofs of the houses in many
instances, the least possible amount OF
bed clothing being necessary--a choice
bed chamber for an astronomer to study
the heavenly bodies.
The citizens, MexiCans most generally,
are do-less kind of people, and are not
much IN advance, in any respect, of the
Indian. They seem to want to get along
with as little work as possible, and put
the time in as easily as possible. Live
about in miserable ranches and dug
outs, &c.
In Yuma City there are quiet num-
Der OF stores, having for sale a general
variety of all the various articles of mer-
chandise usually to be found in stores in
Eastern villages.
From San Francisco to Yuma City, as
/ stated before, the direction is nearly
southeasterly; the distance 725 miles,
and down along the Pacific Slope. Now
we half face to the left and look straight
in the direction of the rising of the sun.
Our course is due East, directly in the
territory of Arizona, and on parallel
line to that of the Central Pacific, rum
ming due west from Ogden. The reader
will naturally ask why is it necessary, in
order to get into the western part OF Ar
izona, to go directly west the entire dis
tance to the Pacific Ocean at San Fran
cisco, thence southeast to the Colorado,
725 miles, thence directly east through
the territory. l will answer this by
stating that in order to get to this out of
the way country l had to travel around
by the way of San Francisco, out of a
direct or near line to this post, fully 1900
miles. By consulting the map, you will
see that camps Apache, Thomas, Grant,
Bowie, Crittenden, and old Fort Good
win, near latitude 9251 north, and long
itude 109.48 west Of Greenwich, are
southeast of Salt Lake City, and yet
from the latter point, instead of going in
q southeaster)y direction, l proceeded
west over 500 miles to San Francisco,
thence south over 700 miles to get at
given point to turn about and proceed
directly east distance of 500 miles or
more. The reason for all this is, the
Great Southern Pacific Railroad is not
yet completed through Arizona, That
great and important enterprise once
contaminated, travellers and others will
not be obliged to travel 80 great dis
tance out of the way to reach Arizona
a land full of native silver and gold and
only awaiting the introduction of rail
road transportation to carry out the pre-
Cious metals and spread their benefits all
over the country. But the day is not far
distant when this great southern route
will be completed, thanks to the people
to ex Governor Leand Stanford and the
gigantic minds who crossed the Sierras
with rail and opened out the first rail
road route from the Pacific to the East.
These same minds are now at work
night and day driving the Great South.
ern Pacific Railroad through this terri
tory at the rate of three miles per day
reaching forward to meet the road build
ing and pushing forward from the east
westwardly, The AtChison, Topeka and
Santa Fe Railroad is now completed as
far as Clifton, Cofax county, New Mex.
leo, and by next July it will be as far as
Los Vegas, same territory. The Southern
Pacific will be completed to Tucson by
July. Thus you will perceive at the pres.
ent time of writing the great Southern
line is being pushed forward to speedy
com petion from the Pacific ocean, thro'
Ariz ma and New Mexico, to Join hands
with many other roads now diverging in
almost all directions from Colorado,
Texas and Kansas The same energy
seems to be at work now on the part of
the two approaching lines-Southern
Pacific, pushing directly east from the
Pacific ocean, and the Atchison Topeka
and Santa Fe Railroad, coming directly
west from Colorado and New Mexico as
there WAS between the Union Pacific
running directly west from the Missouri
at Omaha to Ogden, and the Central Pa.
cific pushing directly east from the Pa.
cific ocean at San Francisco to Ogden.
On the part Of the Southern Pacific the
most perfect arrangements exist for the
speedy completion of this end OF the
road, leading through this territory into
New Mexico. At the time of writing
nearly 100 miles have been completed
from Yuma City directly east In this ter
ritory. The arrangements are perfect on
the part of the Southern Pacific for the
driving forward of the road at the rate
of three miles per day The contracts for
the necessary rails, ties, &C., are Of the
most perfect and satisfactory order. The
steel rails are being delivered far in ad-
vance of the contracts Thousands Of
laborers, principally Cinnamon, track.
layers, engineers, skilled mechanics, &C.,
are now to be seen on the line driving
ahead at this great National undertaking,
and in the course Of the next year the
civilized world will be informed that an.
other great route from the Pacific to the
Atlantic has been completed. Then this
territory, now rich in mineral wealth,
will be opened up to settlers--to the far.
mer, the stock raiser, the mechanic, the
miner and capitalist. The whole terri
tory seems rich in mineral wealth, both