The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-09-25

la river, IN the valley OF tno nnuo nH n .I
latitude so 81 north, and longitude lO9'4S
west. It is laid out and built in regu'
lar military form, fronting north, on par,
allel lines, running east and west, ana |
oconpies portion of long level site OF |
conntrv. which extends for miles east
and west. called the "Hee-le" valley.
Extending from the post north the val
lev is also very level for perhaps half
mile, where the Gila river flows, running
in general direction east. On the OPP
posite, north, bank Of the river the nee
lee" range of mountains rise up abruptly
TO very considerable altitude, and runs
east and west close along the shores,
forming, Just north of the post, the north
bank Of the river. Immediately in the
rear of the post is the base, or foot OF a
succession Of hills which gradually as
cend from the post in a southerly dlrec'
ton, until they rise Is or 20 miles to the
south and rear of the post, to the dignity
of a mountain, called Mt Graham. In a
southwestw twardly direction is another
lange called Mt. Turnbull. -,
This location seems to be very healtnV
The climate in the winter months 10 the
finest ever experienced. The nights
are pleasantly cooffor sleeping, and the
DAYS sufficiently warm to not require the
use of oVercoats or gloves. Since land
ed at this post, early part OF December
last, the weather with but little excep'
ton has been exceedingly pleasant
more like the opening out of spring. up
uAtil Christmas morning the weather
was really delightful, and seemed more
like the pleasant fall weather OF Penn
sylvania. On Christmas morning the
sky became overcast and we had sud
den fall of snow of perhaps three or four
inches. 1t soou disappeared, however,
in the course of two hours, and that was
the only covering of snow we have had
here since my arrival. But we expect to
pay up for all this during the summer
months, commencing very early and
continuing very late, with the extreme
heat. IL is not, to be sure, as warm Gil
mate in summer as that of Yuma City,
but from what can learn it approaches
| it pretty nearly on many occasions. AS
a general rule it is too warm here during
the late spring and summer months to
sleep in-dools; and for the purl lose OF
reposiDg outside of the quarters, the
same are surrounded with arbors con
structed of willow branches eight or ten
feet long, stood upright and placed close
together around the sleeping apart
ments.
This post, on an air line, is directly
southeast of San Francisco. Distance
from that city by rail, jerky and Buck
board line, ,214 miles. The country in
this section is covered with mesquite
timber, which makes excellent irewood,
Cottonwood grows abundantly along the
bottoms of the Gila, but makes misera-
BILE irewood. The land in this valley is
susceptible of high state of cultivation,
but extending off from it, it is of very
inferior character for cultivation. The
surface is principally covered with sand,
pebbles and gravel, and there is, most
generally, an entire absence OF soil. The
buildings of the post are constructed of
adobe, logs built stockade style, and can
vas--roofs of earth similarly formed to
those previously explained in this letter,
The garrison of this post consists of
two companies one II, Twelfth Infantry.
Col. Stacey and the other +, Sixth Cav
airy, commanded by myself. The latter
company numbered 81 men. The horses
are California horses and are in excellent
condition.
We have the usual routine Of post and
company duty to perform guard mount
ings, mounted and dismounted drills, es
cort and other similar duty. Although
at this far out of the way post, yet we
have the regular Sunday morning in
spections, morning guard mountings,
monthly inspections, and dress parades
in full dress uniforms. The company is
armed with the Springfield carbine and
pistol and saber
Since l arrived at this post the com.
pany had the misfortune to lose one of
the men. The soldier referred to aCci'
dentaly wounedd himself in the arm
by the discharge of his carbine, while
guarding the company horses after
night. In a few days afterwards gan.
creme set in and amputation had to be
resorted to, and he died soon after the
operation. He was buried on an emf.
nence within the limits Of the post, by
the usual military forms. The troops of
the post; in full dress, followed his re-
mains to the lonely grave. met while
here Col. James Biddle, Major Of the
Sixth Cavalry. He is the A. A. Inspec-
tor General Of the Department Of Ari-
zona, and is stationed at Headquarters
of the Department, Prescott Barracks,
Arizona. He is a Pennsylvania by
birth, and of the Nicholas Biddle family
of Philadelphia.
The posts in this Department are'gar.
risoned by the entire regiment Sixth
Cavalry, Gen. James Cakes, Eighth and
Twelfth Infantry, and four companies Of
Indian scouts. The garrisoned posts in
this Territory are as follows: Camps
Apache, Bowie, Grant, Rucker, Lowell,
Mcdowell, Mogave, Thomas, Verde,
Huachuca, and Fort Whipple.
The Apache Indians have given a
great deal of trouble in this Territory,
but they are now principally on reser
vation about 35 miles west from this post.
The principal agency is called San Car
los, and there are located there now
over 5000 of this tribe. They are in
charge of an Indian agent, named II. L.
Hart, from Marietta. Ohio. They are
furnished rations weekly at the agency.
About 100 head of beef cattle are issued
to them as part OF their rations the bal
ance of the ratiOns consist Of sugar,
coffee, rice, &c. They are also furnished
at the agency with annuity goods, such
as blankets, calicos, shoes, pants, coats,
yarn, thread, &c. The beef cattle are
turned over to them in the corral at the
agency, and they soon dispose of them =
shoot them down in the pens, drag them
to the outside, and proceed at once to
dress them in a manner peculiar to their
own taste. They are not at all fastidious
about cleanliness, and make use of the
principal part of the carcass. These In.
dams do some little farming in the vicin,
ity of the agency. They are not allowed
to 90 of the Reservation. yet in inetan-
Ces they do, and are followed and driven
back. As general thing when they do