The weekly Arizona miner., 1881-12-02
The Resourcss oT AriZons.
B. HCn. Pa. HzaEtOr

the founding of San Augustine, and long be-
 fore Puritan or Cavalier had established
 themselves at Plymouth Rock or Jamestown,
 Spanish adventurers had explored the Wilds
 of Arizona and Nesg Mexico. Aivar Nunez
 de Vaca, one of the followers of Pamphilo
 de Naryeaz. iu his d.sastrous expedition tC
 the coast of Florida. ID 1858, being left by
 his commander. Wlth four companions, oil
 the desolate shore, resolved tO penetrate the
 great unknown wilderness to the westward
 and join their count ymcn in Mexico. With out coInpass Or prov slOrs, they struck across
 the continent, dIsccvered and crossed the
 hississIppI two years before De Soto stood
 upon its banks and found a burial place be-
 meath its turbid waters They traversed
 the great plains of the West, entered New Mexico, visited the pueblo towns, passed through the country of the MOquis, and, after many hardshIps and privations, joined their ceuntrynen at Culiacan, III SinalO2
 They gave glowing accounts of tho country through which they passed and their de- scrlptIon nf the ''Seven Cities of Cibola, ' the Moquis towns. excited the spirit Of ad-
 venture and cupidlty among the Spanish -oonquerors and fired the Jealous ardor of
 the missionaries Padre Marco de Niza, under the patronage If the Niceroy Mendoza. A by a single companion, in search of the fabulous Seven Cities They passed through the PapagueriA and the country of the Pimas, by the s.,lley of the Santa Cruz and into the country of the friendly Yava- psis, and at last came in sight of the goal of their arduous quest. Father de Niza sent his companion Ahead, with some Indians, who had accompanied them from the Gila
 The Moquis massacred the whole party. Father de Ma did not enter the city He set up the cross. named the country the New Kingdom of San Francisco, and re- turned to Culiacau.
 The public mind iu New Spain WAS greatly excited by the news which the z pod father brought on his return. The thirst for gold and glory, and the desire to extend the in- hueuce of the cross bore down all vppo- sition. The Niceror, Mendoza, projected two expeditions to explore the maryelou. country tO the EarcG; one by land undes Nasguez de Coronado, and the other by scar under FerIaHd" Aiaicon in Apnl. I540. CorOnad" marched from tgi.actn with nearly a thousand msrl '.r.rg-!ly lndIansl He visited the runs o- t.ie Case Giande. on the GIa and n f"r.y-at. days after starting. reached the rr~' ,i t'y seven Cities In- stead of the rcH and l"Fu!ous re4ion which their imagination aaa pictured, they found a poor and insignificant village The pro- vince was comrases .i seven villages. the howes beng laall @gl built ln terraces, as they are at the 'le-,Ht day. The inhabi- tants were intelligent rad industrious They rsised good crops .T corn. beans and pump kin., drr,-cj iu c.t;,n cloth. aud were the same m all IcsI.cts as their descendants the Moqus ana /uuIs, are at the present time. CuroLaao penetrated to the New Mexican pu-h,". on the RIo Grande. ex- plored the Country as ter east as the Ca nadIsn u'er. aaI i.Itb Co the iortieth de- gree of latitude. a-.spaiatoj "a his search for the riches L. cs y.-.t-j to ,iud. the exne- dItiou returned tr Nre ~IAin iu the surinp of l542 I.c expedition If Alsrcon sailed about the sam" time Coronado marched 1 The Gulf oi California Was discovered. and naraCd the Se8 uT I.rt,z The Colorado ! and the GI.a Tiy--s Verc also discovered ! Two boats assembled the former stream ta the Grand canyon. For forty wears after these vNtciItioU.. nD further efforts were ! made to explore the country. In 1882, An ] tonln de Lspelr penetrated the country | northWsrd and discovered many populous l puehius ln the RIu Grand valley. which are I not mentioned by the historian of Coro- ! nados expedition. He visited she Zuni.. | and passed westward e the Noquis. who mes him with presents of com and mantles ! of cotton. FuIty-dve leagues south west | ward from the Moquis villages. ! discovered l r!ch silver ore ln mountain ess. ' asceuded. Numerous Indian puchIos were found m the ! vicinity of the mines. and two rivers. on | which grew wild grapes, walnut trees and flax. We're slso discovered. Those streams were no doubt the Colorado and the Verde More than a century elapsed after these eK- plorations bei~re any permanent settlement was made m the territory now known as Arizona Towards the close of the seven tecsth century. the Jesuit Fathers cstab- hshed the missions of Gucvavi. Tumacacori. and San Xavier. Missions had been estab- hshed some tune before among the Moquis In l720 ther. were nine missions m a pros porous condition within what IS now the ter tory of ArIznnA The fruits of the untiring labors of the jealous fathers were shown Tn the peaceful and industrious Indian colonies which sprung around their missions
 Despite the expulsion of their founders, the Jesuits. m l1G7 and the constant raids of the savage Apachcs the missions con- tinued to flourish and grow rich. until the revolution for Mexican independence. De priyed "f the protection of tie vice regal government. and constantly harassed by the Apaches, they lsLguished and declined. un- til they were finally suppressed under de cree of the Mexican government in lS27 By the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. in 1s46. all that portion %! the present Terri tory of Arizona north = the Gila river was cedcd to the United States At that time the population uf the Territory was confined tn hnfe. of Tucson and Tuhac What IS now known as northern and central Arizona did not con tam single white settlement. Outside the Pima and Maric"ia villages pn the Gila and R" SalJdo. and t.r - a., towns m the extreme northeast. tl~ savage Apache was lord of mountain, E. cy and mrsa. In 1854. that I.",ri.'n .t 2 . Teui'ory between the GIla river sai ,ae '.ne nf sonora Was acquired fr,ll ,l- u.a sau government by purchssc. lt r..- -.- auaan as 'hc Glad sen Purchase .lr n,- :; ...,l,iss for it. acl'Ii- sition having '..1 ....i. l.-ej hy ,ae Hon James GiaI,.,.. .....r '.,E.,,rs Jr HcA.o". The prIce la;a ,...- ..."sp 'f1 and, III the light "f its recc:r ,.y. :iuy..t, yi marvel uus miucrai u,a.ta. !, -t- b, considered E. good bar-s,iu. TuHacai.G Tucson were taken possession "t '.} ;..e a.,.' States tro,Irs in Is:,3: the Ne,..H e....- were lowered. the Stars and S,u,..- ....- . .i r9yis stead. and the auth"Utv .. -.- l---i States cstab- lished where > >..a..... and Mexican held sway-f"r u,ai,s .-Jt gras,.
 Subsequeu, T. r.. r--.fy sf Guadalurc Hidalgp. th" IyI-.-..E. raei pa:: If New Me1 icu. ! ...s.. .... presented to tlic L,..,isia.a4.. .f N.. N. ..u uu The first dav .,f Deoe,,l,-r. l-r9 ... fa.are territorial I. -.,.-r .1. !