Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1880-12-29

DR.. Terry Says "Stay Away "A
Poor Place for Doctors.

Foor Place Tor Doctors.
Tucson, Dec. 20, 1880.
EDITOR SENTINEL: Allow me to write
you a few lines about the Territory Of Ari-
IONA.
l started from Typo on the 18th of Nov
ember, and arrived at Phonix, Salt River
Valley, in twenty-six days. After a very
pleasant trip across the country Of over
600 miles, as far as l have seen, Arizona is
not so bad a country as it has been report
ed to be. Some parts are really q fine
farming country, comparing favorably with
california in every respect; soil and eli
mate suitable to produce sufficient grain
to supply q large population. Indeed |
was astonished to find such rich land in
the Salt River and Gila Valleys, with an
abundant supply of water for all farming
purposes. The ella and Salt River VAL
legs are equal to Sacramento Valley and
others in California. Every kind of fruit
is abundant about Phenix. Even orange
trees have proved o success, and q few
years hence it will be one Of the finest val
leys in the world, fully equaling Santa
Clara. will attempt to write a few lines
in regard 10 the ella Valley. The desert
portion is about 400 miles long. A large
tract is described by Professor Pumpelly
as follows: Broad, gravelly plains, bearing
only cacti, with here and there the leafess
palo verde tree, and the never-failing
greese wood. In the distance, on either
side, arise high, granite mountains to
which the eye turns in vain for relief.
They are barren n dazzling masses of
rock. These wastes are marked by count
less skeletons Of cattle, horses and sheep,
and the traveller passes thousands of the
carcasses OF those animals wholly preserved
in the intensely dry atmosphere. Many Of
them, dead for many years, have been
placed upright on their feet by previous
travellers. These mummies seem to be
sentinels guarding the valley Of death.
Over the center of those arid plains de-
scribed there stretches from north to south
a mass Of lava, extending south as far as
the eye can reach. One could look down
the long and perfect vista of regular cones |
till they fade away in the perspective, and
behind the curvature of the earth, as YOU |
get near Florence, a 1ourishing town on
the river springs into sight. Here the
valley is well watered, with an abundance |
OF fertile land, capable Of sustaining a large |
population and several large canals run
ming through the valley, sufficient for all
farming purposes. Florence, q few years
hence, will supply the Territory with grain,
flour, etc. Salt River Valley will rival the |
ella. This Territory is conceded by all
mining experts to be the largest mineral
country in the world. Mines have been
developed at every point of the compass.
Towns are s~pringing up like mushrooms
on a wet morning. A good many of these
mines are yet in their infancy, but are now
paying dividends. Mining spectators are
met at every step. The Pacific Coast is
well represented here. B~roken-down Spec
ulators are coming here by the drove, and
about all the talk you can get from them
is big prospects, running into thousands to
the ton.
A few words about this town would prob
ably not be amiss. This is an old Mexican
pueblo. 1t is built like all Mexican towns,
with adobe, and with streets running every
way and Astounding in dirt and filth. 1t is
situated IN the Santa Cruz. Just above
this place the river sinks for many miles,
to enter by a subterranean channel into
the Gila River near Maricopa Wells. The
Jesuit Fathers had raised the symbol Of
Christianity and erected houses of worship
among the savage tribes in the very center
Of a wilderness. Some nice residences are
building near the depot. As the streets
here are laid out in American style, most
" bAC Olu DulAQAu6b 4 tOIA QUWus "a |
the present day they are demoralizing the
old Mexican barracks, where soldiers were
quartered a century ago. The population
is like most Of our California towns. In
early days they had gambling houses like
those of 40, from monte TO poker dice, and
like all towns on the Pacific Coast the hand
Of the Californian Is to be seer. Nevada Ia
we'll represented here. You come across
people here you have thought dead 20 years
ago. Many are old FOUNDERS, like myself
with a blooming nose) from the Base
Range.
I hardly know what everybody Is going
to do here. By the arrivals, 1t seems that
everybody is coming. II q man can get
anything to do OF all he had better remain
wherever he is, as this place is already
overrun with all kinds Of laboring men.
Wages are low here. You will have to
compete with Mexican labor ct 81 a day,
boarding yourself. Mechanics are getting
from 81 to SIS per day when work is found.
The fact is, II you get two meals per day,
with an occasional snoot OF whisky ct the
Base Range, you had better remain till
something more Is found.
As for myself, the country is too healthy.
A poorer country I could not have found
for my business. Medical men and law
yers are plentiful here. How they manage
to extract an existence Is more than I can
see. Some of them have not felt the
~roughness of q dollar for many days. The
chances with me are on the small end OF
the horn. I nm thinking already Of that
country 's~northward," with q good pros
pect OF punching the breeze" all the way
to the Base Range. Hoping probably to
shake hands with you once more, / remain