The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-09-18

From Yuma City 10 tnle PooC
by so called 'ierky" wagon and DUCK
board" conveyance nearly 6OO miles
The names of these Conveyances are ap'
propriate, for you get thrown about, tor'
ward and back, up and down, without
much notice or ceremony. From Yuma
City to Tucson, distance of 325 miles, l
came by 'jerky." ! travelled night and
dav, having relapse every twelve or tit-
teen miles. Our course was directly east
and principally along the course OF the
Cila river, pronounced "Hee'le," a prln,
cioal tributary of the Colorado, and
which empties into the latter at Yuma
CITY. The 'jerky" was first class trans
portation for this country, the next in
order being mule teams for inerchan'
disc, making ten or twelve miles per
day; next, OK teams, making the trip In
about six or eight weeks. The road near
lv the entire distance was through a
sandy bottom and deep with gravel and
sand and dust, the latter of the hrst or
der, warranted to penetrate thoroughly
all the linen busters and canvas overslls
to be Produced; and almost from the
time we got aboard the jerky, in Yuma,
until we arrived in Tucson, we were en-
veloped in a cloud of dust. The whole
institution was covered with dust-the
driver, the passengers -four in number).
the stage, the animals, and baggage,
Never experienced such trip in all my
life. Then, added to this, the weather
was oppressively warm, and with four In
the stage, and mail matter under the
seats, and in the narrow space allotted
to the feet of the passengers, and with
out regular sleep for four consecutive
nights and days, it was, / assure you,
enough to try the endurance of any old
and experienced traveller and "stager."
Besides all this, you had to pay well for
the luxury fare, $50 to Tucson, and all
baggage over 40 pounds 80 cents per lb.,
and limited amount of baggage could
only be taken even at that price. L had
two trunks, and much as the agent OF
the line desired it, but one trunk could
90 on the conveyance with me and
which cost me $24 overweight. The
other trunk was forwarded TO me by
next stage, when it happened fortunate
ly there was enough of room to carry 1t.
It overlook me before | got to the end OF
my journey at this posi- and, assure,
was exceedingly glad that it did, for IN
this country, it is from months to 3
months contract to get here any article
of mdse or package of goods otherwise
than by registered mail. 1t takes about
fifteen DAYS for a letter to reach here
frompthe Eastern cities and, as for any
certainty of receiving express matter, 1t
is totally out of the question. For in
stance, a package of goods containing
carpets, &C., was shipped to me from
Pittsburgh in the commencement of De-
Cember last, and up to this hour has not
put in an appearance, nor accounted for.
When do get it, expect to have to pay
about so cents per pound on it, and that
express freight from San Francisco only
to this point. l hope this climate will
have the desired effect to take out all
the moisture and reduce the weight,
otherwise / leok forward to have to pay
about $50 expressage on it. left Yuma
City on Monday and arrived at Tucson
on the following Thursday afternoon.
The charge for meals on the route is eU
erg time one dollar each, and having, for
tunately, a noble appetite, can eat al
most anything in the shape of the worst
kind of butter and miserable burned up |
meats. In one instance, pretty much all
the viands placed on the table were in
one or two large dishes. The reader
should make haste and indulge in trip |
over this road before the great Southern |
Pacific Railroad has taken it's place, 9TH
erwise he will be too late, and will never
have such an opportunity afforded to
see dust in all its grandeur, and get such
general shaking up in such short
space of time. In leaving Yuma City |
passengers are warned to not take any
money or other valuables with them on
the stage. Portion of the route is thro' |
a wild desert, and no habitation for a
distance of 25 miles, and that watering |
station for the animals. The stage has
been stopped quite number of times by
robbers and highwaymen, and the pas
sengers compelled to deliver over all
their money, watches and jewelry. The
stage aud passengers have been robbed
recently in the most daring and bold
manner, on several occasions, by sim
gle desperate who, in the night tim e, af-
ter haltng the stage would present a
double barreled gun close to the passen-
gers heads and order them all to deliver
up or die. He managed the matter very
successfully on, l think, three occasions,
in all of which he succeeded in getting
all the loose change and other valuables
belonging to the passengers and stage
line. The desert referred to is in very
remote portion of the country, the stage
route running through and among thick
underbrush, while for miles to the right
and left of it are ravines, swamps and
mountain gorges, and the location can
be called the Robbers roost."
Tucson is a large city of mud build.
ings, built of sun dried adobe. The pop
ulation is about 5000. There is very
considerable mercantile business carried
on there-largely to supply the wants of
those engaged in mining adventures.
There is also considerable trade from
here with Sonora and other towns in
Mexico. The houses in Tucson are
principally one story, with earth roofs
similar to those described of Yuma City,
but of a much better order. Tucson
City was, 1 believe, the first settled in
North America, and before San Au-
gustine, Florida. The Spaniards pen.
etrated Arizona as early as 1910, and
in 1850 the Jesuit Fathers settled with
their followers at Tucson. In172l there
were thirty missions in the present linn
its of this Territory, besides II Indian
villages in charge Of the Jesdh mission
aries, at which time the missions were
in full tide of prosperity, but from which
time they commenced to decline, owing
principally to the difficulties with the
Indians. Many of the missions were
burned and the priests killed. All over
the territory are ruins of former babita-
tions, perhaps Of the sixteenth century.
Near this post are well defined ruins Of
former centuries, which l intend to visit
coon, and will write you further on that
and other subjects in this territory. A
number of the officers and ladies Of the
post visited the location several times