Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-08-07
ARIZONA.
TIE TRUTH ABOUT ARIZONA. ITS
MINERAL WEALTH. CLIMATE, ETC.
Some objectionable Measurements Cor
rected-Tucson- Business-Tne Facts
About the Alleged Great Heat.
TucsoN. July q. 1880.

ance may develop IN this communication,
trustI shallnot commit the dastardly otfense
ofwillfully and maliciously disappearing
the country, its people or It's material wealth.
There is a prevailing impression IN the
minds of many with whom have coDversed
in this Territory that Californians are
"down on Arizona" For the life of me,
/ can find no cause or excuse for any such
opposition, if any exists I never heard Of
any until | came here. Arizonians have
concluded that Californians are very slow
to bring their capital into this section.
With all the evidences Of great mineral
wealth awaiting development before them,
the people of this country, particularly the
old settlers, cannot understand why the
men of wealth of California should hesitate
SO Ieng and so persisteutly before making a
venture Oar answer uniformly is that
men of means in California have been too
frequently "bulldozed in mining stocks
and mining specuations, not to have now
very great caution before ventnring again.
There certainly exists
NO JUST REASON
Why our people should be down on
this territory. Their interests in many
ways are identical, and SO soon as the men
of wealth are absolutely certain that the
mineral deposits here are as permanent
and as rich as present developments indi-
cate, there will be no lack of funds to
open every mine, tunnel every mountain
and construct necessary railroads in every
direction. Arizona has been cursed by
MISREPRESENTATION. / presume that the
general Californian knows about as little
of Arizona to-day as people IN the East
know of California after thirty years IN
vestigation. Casual observers, disap-
pointed prospeetors, railroad haters and in
tiated spectators have in the past greatly
moderated or overrated the truth. Many
sensational newspapers TEEN with false
statements concerning this section. As
for instance, some correspondent writing
for the San Francisco Chronicle OF Arizona,
over month ago, speaking OF Fort Yuma,
describes it's inhabitants as being in a
state of "squahd poverty" Doubtless
he sat in the cars, with MS white necktie
properly adjusted, looked out over the
adobe buildings, saw the gardens fenced
in with cactus poles, saw a few tumbled-
down walls, saw the Indians with their
red rags flying in the breeze" and at
once came to the conclusion that the peo-
pie were in state of "squalid poverty"
Had he visited the hotels and business
houses, and heard the din of silver dollars
on their counters, he would have
CHANGED HIS TONE AT ONCE,
And thus qualified himself to have truth
fully represented the place and people
During my short stay of one hour in Yuma
l found the people smiling, hospitable,
prosperous in business, and far removed
from the confines of "squalid poverty.
Another incorrectly imaginative scrlbbler
asserts that the people OF Arizona are
walking batteries, aud that innocent
lives are IN jeopardy thereby" Astound-
ing Misrepresentation Now as a matter
of fact there are no visible weapons of any
kind seen on the person Of any body in the
streets of Tucson, Tombstone, Harshaw
and other places | have visited, except
when parties come in from their prospect
ing tours or are about starting out. These
aud other statements eonrerilies-thv neat
and scarcity of waterfall OF which we will
notice further on-have misled thousands
in making up their estimate OF this
country.
TUCSON,
Ore Of the oldest cities on the American
continent, is situated on vast plain nearly
surrounded by mountains from two to ten
miles away. The southern portion of the
city is washed by the waters of the Santa
Cruz, a small stream, called here river
III Missouri it would be 90 run, in Ohio
" creek, in Maine branch here it
is a river" But by whatever name it is
called, it is benediction to all the thirsty
land through which its life-giving waters
meander. The banks on either side of the
river are productive of all kinds of fruits
and vegetables The water is clear, sweet
and wholesome, and when supplemented
with ice is delicious. Tucson contains
population of about six or seven thousand,
over one-half of whom are Mexicans and
Indians. The town presents to person
arriving from San Francisco or the East a
very fatand squatty appearance. More than
nine-tenths OF the buildings are adobe, one
story high, the older ones presenting ex-
ternally an unartistic and rough appearance.
The streets are comfortably wide for
Mexican town, and make some pretense to
running at right angles, but decidedly miss
st in many places. There has as yet been
little done in grading che streets and side
walks, so that belated pedestrians are
obliged to look sharply and move eau
tiously. However, at this time con-
siderable work is being done on the
sidewalks OF the principal street Restau-
rants are quite numerous many OF them
very plain, few quite fair, but none Of
them comparing with such institutions IN
San Francisco. Indeed this could hardly
be expected in a country where many
delicacies are not to be obtained Lodg-
ing-h0uses are quite numerous, where Tor
so cents you can obtain cot IN a room
with several others, and if snoring and the
close proximity to pair OF dirty feet do
not seriously discommode you, you can
obtain a comfortable nights snooze. Tucson
is busy place and has
NONE OF THAT DULL, SLEEPY APPEARANCE
About it / expected to find, and pArticu-
larly that part of it that has ieltthe touchof
The magic wand of American progress. In
the busy portion of The city large mercan-
tile houses are seen, principal among which
are the wholesale houses OF Lord & Will |
Jams, who send out supplies of all kinds 10
the remotest parts Of the Territory. Tully
Il Genoa, contractors with the Govern
ment to furnish supplies to the troops,
carry on a very extensive business. The
Pima County Bank is an institution that
is doing heavy banking business, very
greatly promoting the material interests OF
the country. Large sixteen.mule teams,
drawing two immense wagons, are going
and coming, furnishing supplies for distant
camps and mining localities. Mules and
donkeys, loaded with general merchandise,
20 grooming, crowding and sweating
through the streets, bound for the g dig
gngs.h In many regards life in Arizona
is the re-enacted early days of California,
and old Californians seem to enjoy
it. l am quite sure that do.
During the evening the streets are
crowded with a truly cosmopolitan
community. Men and women OF many
nationalities crowd and jostle each other
thew r,rasa their UaV III along the !