Arizona weekly citizen., 1881-12-18


 Condemns she Book-LsaTaei Minsrlogist 0 ths East Whilst Eglcgiaag the PrSctica
 Mlners or tho West Practice vs Theory.
 Reporter Well, old gentleman, some
 say that you are the Indians Montezu
 ma, Is it really SO 7
 Old Man de Casa-The Indian build.
 his house with the door facing to the
 east, SO that an easy access may be given
 the Idol of his longing should he come
 early from the East, and daily does he cast his eyes wistfully to the westward al
 the hour Of setting sun, that he may catch glimpse at him arrayed in the gorgeous twilight of an Arizona sky. We're I the Montezuma you speak of, then indeed may the air castles of the poor Indian be said truly to have cruul- bled into nothingness, for he has had no further aid from me than words of coun- sel, and from time to time l have shared wlth him the meagre supplies that my humble cabin here affords and that you see IS sparse.
 l Reporter-ln what light do you look on these improvements that have taken place Tn this Territory within the last l two years?
 Old Man de Casa-I look on them in | a light the most favorable as pregnant with results the most suspicious for the 1 future of this Territory.
 RepOrter-Are there any dangers that i you see at present liable to do harm to | our Terrltory's advancement and prob ! able retardation of her assumption into the condition of novitiate State? Old Man de Casa.-I observe one thing i'll particular that seems to | be fraught with mischief to this country, and that is a wholesale influx from the east of men reputed to be learned Ill the metallic world, bear ing titles numerous and various. Pro fessors of metallurgy," professors of bi- carbOnates," professors of copper met al and bullion" scientists skilled in the world of minerals" ledge-pitching pro- fessors," rock wall professors" geo logical professors" hanging rock pro feSsOrs." Men of far-seeing prochvities, who, with the magic wand of metallurgy Tn their hands, borrowed from the theo- retical writings of eastern theOreticians, have planted themselves as Itheir pre- sumptive to the gold, silver and copper reputation of Arizona, country totally new to them and whose mineral deposits are to be found in locations as different from Nevada as are tine mountains of Nevada State different from the hills of Territorial Arizona. The geological sci enlist of Pennsylvania cannot positively assure oIl in certain localities, but the methodical boring of the drill and the three different stratas of sand passed through tells the oil miner that he is in close proximity to that for which he is seeking, be it 300 or 1000 or 1500 feet be- low the surface of the ground and it is an acknowledged fact that If there Is any practical theory, these men who leave the hotels, handle the rock and watch the changes of descent are really and uJde- niably the practical theoreticians, and whose say and opinions are and have been the basis of many enormous for tunes. But those who stand on hill tops and proclaim from the looks of the sur rounding cOuntry-that there IS all emptiness beneath that their eagle eye has surveyed 1t above, below, beneath and within, that they hear not a ring of metal nor a voice even from Inger- soils hell; 1t Is such as these that place our richest mineral belt in a position detrimental before the world and fling the money of Eastern capitalists into holes barren unproductive. Theory fOs- sillized versus practical mining cannot go hand in hand, for the former is the offshOot of fossillized fossils whose self constituted theories should have been buried along with the originators of such stupendous ideas. The say of the vet eran miner is valuable in a superlative alisss as T gold tP is sBKdGt R2S9klearned 9t met over copper. Not until just consider ation is given to this difference between theory and practice can the capitalists of the east expect just return for hls investment, nor will Arizona step full tiedged into the arena of her highest prosperity until this vital point IS ac- knowledged.
 Reporter.-How does this country compare with Nevada's mining claims upon the world as field operative?
 Old Man de Casa-"All that l can learn by close reading and communica- tion with those from that section gives Arizona the premium of preference, and refer to Nevada as a metal pasture de- nuded of mining activity. This IS sub stantiated, I think, by the constant mi grafton from that State of some of its leading men, who seek in these zones field of operations so broad and exten- sive that even the grandly conceived projects of the Comstock cannot eclipse or overshadow them"
 Reporter-"Your extreme age and your long identity with years now past should give your remarks prominence. Do you look with much hope for Ari- zona's future?"
 Old Man de Casa-"I regard her as giantess slumbering, unconscious of her strength and importance until she shall awake to find herself bone of conten- ton in the money markets of the world. Her past was recognized, her present IS realized. the immensity of her future IS beyond conjecture"
 Here the old patriarch seemed some what weary of speech, and begged your correspondent to excuse him until fu- ture day, which was done ln manner the most agreeable and polite, so char acteristic, as yoa know, of your humble ] servant