Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-09-24
Letter from Gunsight.

tUNSIGHr, sept. ID, loo--
 EDITOR CITIZEN: Having recently re- turned from the southwestern part of the county and seeing 80 much that in- terested me, believe short communi- cation may not be entirely without rn- | terest to many who have never visited | that section and to whom the route, dls- tances and places to be visited may be l quite unknown. It Is interesting to see what the country has been, which the half deserted towns along the line and the evidences Of prosperity in former days Ill deserted mining camps falrly show. Quitovaquito, the westernmost | settlement visited, Is on the Papago | river; Fremont IS on the northern side. | There IS 2-stamp mill at Fremont built for crushing gold quartz, but 1t has been | idle for two years, not so much for want ! of work to do as for well directed work, | for there are evidently large mineral | deposits near the settlement which II ln the eastern part of the Territory would | soon be developed into valuable mines. | So also do remains of Mexican smelters | demonstrate the natural richess Of the country for the ores that once kept their | fires ln blast were taken from both sides | of the line and there Is hardly house | found on the Sonoita or Papago rivers | that has not the remRlns of one or more arrastras that at one time were buslly engaged in crushing ore from one or both sides of the line.
 Santo Domingo, five miles east of | Ouitovaqulto, Is the location of the Mex ! tFraF hua fAWlr h. | habitants than either of the line towns, gagged in smelting operations which were conducted more extensibly here than at any other point.
 Sonoita, nine miles further east IS the main settlement, located upon the Sonoita river. It has about one hun dred and fifty inhabitants mostly en- gagged in agriculture and stock raslng. Crops are raised by irrigation and con sist of barley, wheat, oats and corn. It | is au oasis aud the deep dark green of the fields of corn and foliage of the fig and pomegranate trees are most refresh ID gto the eye. The SOnoita Valley IS large and extends east, the Territory getting more of it as you go to the east, but the running water is upon the south side. Water can be got from wells on the north side above the American House, where Col l.. 4. Smith is fitting up arrastras. Water is got on Serventis' ranch at a depth of twelve feet and it appears as though the whole valley was a basin of water. Trees are very thrifty Tn their growth. Colonel Smith has commenced working group of mines he has sold to Eastern parties. They are the Turner, Excelsior, lilo Verde and Orion. My impression Is that how ever satisfactory the results have been and may continue to prove, by the slow
 going arrastra process, that ore of the quality and quantity they are taking out of the above group can be much more eIpeditiously and satisfactorily worked by our modern machinery. In this connection l will state that there are other mines Tn the vicinity of Col. Smiths workings that are soon to be opened, notably, the Wirt, an extension west of the Excelsior and the Picacho. northen spur of the extension by Hollsten & Co. If either proves nearly as good as the Excelsior, they should be well satisfied. This To- cality has not been prospected thor Oughly by the American miner, but this enterprise of Col. Smiths will serve as nucleus for the systematic examl- nation of quite large district by those who will not be satisfied with what sil- yer ore they can get from the surface.
 Mir. McMullen has stock of goods at Fremont, SO also has MT. Sorventi at Fremont and Sonoita. Both are hos pitable gentlemen and are ever willing to aid the non-speaking Spanish trav- eler with much valuable information concerning their respective localities, and assistance in carrying out his plans.
 On the south side of the line there are two valuable mines that have only been surface worked, and worked in that way a few years ago, supported large population in SOnOita and vicinity. A good class of American miners would give this part of the country a good shaking mp, and make it what It de- serves to be-One of the leading mining camps in this Territory.
 From SOnOita to Gunsight, 1t is thrty- i've miles, water must be carried for use between the two places, but the road is fair and the distance Is done easily Tn saddle or light wagon in eight or ten hours. From Gunsight to Gila Bend it IS sixty-five miles, weekly stage makes the the distance in thirty to thirty-six hours. The whole trip was instructive and new to me, and I think anyone having few days to spare, taking this trip will be convinced that Pima IS a large county, and that all it's best min eral districts have not been examined.