Delta chief., 1883-07-18
An Arizona wonder.

Very few'of our citizens are aware of the
existence of natural bridge in Arizona,
which in beauty and grandeur and beauty of
construction fully equals, perhaps surpasses,.
the great natural bridge in Virginia. Yet
such bridge exists, and may be reached by
Journey of less than one hundred miles from
Phoenix. The trip is an easy one, for the
wagon road comes within two miles of the
bridge, aud the tourist who turns his steps in
that direction will consider himself well paid
for his trouble.
During recent. trip through Tonto basin
aud its numerous tributary valleys, ! found
myself within seven miles of this great nat
ural curiosity, and of course availed myself
OF the opportunity to visit it. We were at
the Gowan mine, where DIR. Jones is running
ten-stamp quartz mill, AT the head of the
east fork of the Verde, aud saddling ami
mails one lazy afternoon, we soon left seven
miles of mountain trail behind us, and found
ourselves on the summit OF acypress-erowned
mountain, whose steep eastern slope descend
cd abruptly five hundred feet 10 a cosy little
valley hemmed in on the opposite side by an
abrupt precipice of still greater height. De-
scending with difficulty we find ourselves on
large fiat, with an area of probably sixty
acres with cultivated fields, in which corn
was sprouting and potatoes were already we'll
grown. We stood on the crown of the bridge
and did not know it, fer this beautiful garden
spot is fringed on all sides with shrubbery
and graceful trees and one has to 90 one hun
dred yards south and descend into precipi-
tous canon before he is aware Of the huge tun-
mel which Nature has cut through the solid
rock beneath his feet. This bridge was dis
covered three years ago by Mr.. John Gowan,
who still lives on it, and whose smiling face
we soon discover as he approached us from
the camp, under n beautiful grove of oak and
walnut trees.
We found in Mr.. Gowan most hospitable
host and ,.ntiring guide through the won
ders of the bridge underneath, and being
sincere lover of nature and very close OBJ
server he added greatly to the pleasure of
the trip, by pointing out various curiosities
and freaks of nature which might pass un-
noticed by the careless eye. We asccrtained
the next day, by the aid of a long fish line,
that the crown of the bridge at its southern
spring was los feet, and the span was so feet.
Its total width up and down the creek is 150
yards. About eight feet from its southern
edge. exactly in the center of the arch is
natural hole cut into the interior, and by
looking down this a birds eye view is obtain
cd of the bed of Pine creek, far below at a
perpendicular depth of los feet But a full
idea of the grandeur of this arch is not OBJ
tanned until one stands beneath it and looks
nloft. The gigantic limestone walls spring
in perfect curves 10 the perfect arch abere,
and the tiutcd columns meeting in the semi
obscurity above, reminds the beholder of the
interior of some vast cathedral. The stream
which winds among the huge houlders that
strcw the bottom, lies here and there in dark
pools of unknown Depth and its preciptons
sides are pierced by caves and grottos whose
numerous windings and alleyways lead one
far into the bowels of the mountains. Many
of these have been explored, and many more
have never been trodden by the foot of the
white man; though from arrow heads, pot
terry and charred wood, we can see that our
Indian brother has long been acquainted with
these retreats. These grottos are all hung
with beautiful stalactitcs, which take all im-
nginable forms, and any article, whether of
wood or other soft substance, if placed be-
meath the streams which constantly tricklc
from the roofs of these cayerns, will in u
short time become pctrifed. We gathered
several petriticd pine cones anil branches of
trees, which were as hard as rock, and as
perfect in form and outline us if they had
lately fallen from the trees.