Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-08-20
Northern Arizona

Overland passengers per Southern Pacific railroad see the worst part of Arizona. South of the railroad, ln the Huachuca, Chiricahua and Dragoon Mountains, IS beautiful country. North of MaricOpa lies Salt River Val ley, capable, it Is said, of producing grain enough to supply the whole Terri tory; and north of thIs rises the Brad shaw Mountains, surrounded by smaller valleys in which good crops can be rals- ed when wet seasons occur; but hardly any land in the Territory can be relied upon to produce a crop except by irri- gation. The mOubtaIn ranges are cov- cred with timber, which affords plenty of fuel, and from which IS made poor quality of lumber for local purposes. The San Francisco Mountains, still further north, rlse to an elevation of l3,- OO0 feet, and are a prominent landmark on the line of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, now approaching completion. These mountains are heavily numbered, and around their base IS said to be large tracts of good grazing land. The el- mate of this section Is similar to the climate of Colorado; and when this trans-continental route Is opened, not only capitalists ID quest of mines, with which this section abounds, but tourists ID quest of health, and savants in search of ruins and relics of ancient races, will flock here.
 The prospect of the speedy comple- tion of the long-talked of thlrty-hfth parallel route Is attracting so much attention tO thls section of Northern Arizona, that 1t may be of interest to many of your readers to know how to come here, what 1t costs, and what the attractions are. I give the items: First-class ticket from San Francisco to Prescott, S75; second class ditto, S65. left San Francisco on overland express, per $. P. R. R., at 9:3O a. m-; break lasted at Los Angeles the next morning at a. m. dined at IndiO, point on the desert, said to be 2j0 feet below the level of the ocean. The railroad con- pany have erected a splendid station at Indio, and one gets tirst-class meal, served in style, for Sl. The sudden elevation m price from 5O cents Tor breakfast to S1 for dinner was said to be owIng to the depression of the country. Think of dining 2jO below the level of the ocean, It IS doubtful II old Jonah ever dined any lower down than that. and l am sure he never had half so good dinner. Supper (Sl) at Yuma. and a. H. We reached Marlcopa, where we took stage to Phenix, twenty five miles. From Phenix to Prescott 1t Is said to be no miles; but land Is SD cheap in this country that you get good liberal measurement. You have your choice of two routes, one via Wlcken- berg and Antelope, and the other yla Gillett and Black Canyon. The road IS macadamized with powders, and no matter which route you take, you Will be sure to wish had taken the other. l came via Black Canyon, and was pounded up ard down until | was both black and blue. It was rather warm and little dusty, and as 1t cost me twent y-tive cents a mile, decided not to growl at five cents Tn the cars, and resolved to patrOnize the first railroad that come this way.
 Prescott is the capital of the Terri tory, and Fort Whipple, the Headquar- ters of the Military Department of Arl- zona, is situated one mile east of the town, or city, I believe 1t Is called. It IS a nice little village, delightfully."- To- cated. The business portion IS built on four sldes of large public square, ID the center of which Is a court house that Is said to have cost over SlUO,OOO. It contains a large number of stores and a still larger number of gambling saloons and rum shops, and, although not near any mines, has all the vices and few of the virtues of q mining camp. All ot the mines in this section lie south Ot Prescott, and consequently nearer to the railroad. Hence, when the mines are worked the supplies will come from Phe- nix, or, more likely, San Francisco d. rect. Even if the talked-Of branch road of the Atlantic ard Pacific should be built to Prescott the supplies for the mines would all go direct to them, the only mills running being from thirty to sixty miles nearer the railroad than Prescott. Then there is prospect that the Military Headqnarter- will shortly be moved to the southern part of the Territory, where all the Indians have been removed to. l hear that Camp Huachuca is talked of for headquarters.
 Captain Jo Walker prOspected this section of country in lS6O-6l, and nearly twenty years ago there was reported the discovery of rich gold, silver and copper mines, but up to the present time the output has been insignificant. l see here wonderfully rich specimens, and am told of fabulOusly rich strikes made lately