Mohave County miner., 1889-11-23
4 Pr.spset.ps Notes By the way

mountains--the one to the north being
very high, that 10 the south being low ;
but after passing the town you are again
on an opsn plain. From the town the
road to Nogales runs dHe south and 10 as
cending nearly all the way. About ten
or twelve milet, from town commences
one Of the fines. bodies Of land ] have
seen in the Territory. The trees and
growth Of all kinds was rank, showing
the strength and richness Of the soil.
There were many ranches fenced in, gen.
orally with iron-wood brush, which here
grows to an extraordinary size. found
quite a number Of Americans who had
taken up ranches, and their ideas about
irrigation appeared to me rather clondy.
Some talked Of windmilIs. Last winter
some grew few acres Of grain without
irrigation. The winter was an exception
ally wet one and 1t would not do to de-
pend on rains every year to raise crops.
Windmils will do to water stock and ir-
rigate garden, but when it comes TO
raising grain OF other crops IL is differ
ent matter. They told me that there
was any amount of water below the sur.
face u. depth of from 30 to SO feet, but
the problem was how TO raise it. saw
one company that were trying 10 solve
the problem in very practicable way.
They had just erected a powerful steam
pnmp which wis calculated to irrigate a
section ofland, but they had made mis-
calculation at the start, the pump not
only pumped the water but pumped the
bottom out Of the WELL They were crib.
bing il as | passed. II this is successful,
Of which ] have no doubt, others will
adopt this plan, After leaving this val
ley you get into the hills and crossing
several low benches you come to Gala
BASES Creek. The road runs along the
creek to Nogales. There is an exceeding
ly rich but small body OF land OIL the
creek, hardly mile wide at any point.
The ranchers were nearly all McxicaDs
who were raising crops on small scale
and appeared TO be very poor. The most
OF them had few head of cattle, horses
and burros
Tubac is little Mexican town, at one
time it was quite an important place, WAS
a garrison town before the cession to
, the United States. As an instance Of
how scarce money is, / stepped into the
store TO buy something ! needed THE
store was kept by an American and his
wife, who were the only ones there.
They had -four, beans, corn and few
other articles, and l believe that s5J
would buy ont the whole stock. The
man told me he had y ranch and done
some teaming while his wife tended the
store; but as their customers we're Mexi.
cans they kept but small assortment.
While We were talking Mexican and
Dutchman came in. From their con-
versation il appeared that the Mexican
had employed four Yaqui Indians that
their job was finished and that he owed
them ten dollars which he was trying to
raise. The other parties seemed to be
under some obligation TO him, as they
formed themselves into a CON nmittee on
ways and means to raise the money. The
Dutchman proposed to take load Of
grain to an adjoining mining camp, but
the others said il would be Of no use, as
somebody had tried that last week. The
storekeeper said be would take load to
Nogales, but could not get money as he
would be compelled to take trade for it.
After many plans had been proposed and
rejected the woman, who had been in q
deep study for some time, asked the Mex
ican II he could put them off for four
days, II 80 she could raise the money.
He said he thought he could, as they
were going to work for nei2hbor Of his.
The matter being settled the Mexican
left. l remarked 10 the man that money
must he scarce IN that country. He
laughed and said, "you can see how
scarce it is by the trouble we have to
raise ten Mexican dollars" Mexican
dollars circulate at Is cents to the dollar,
American money, though there is more
silver in the Mexican than in the Ameri-
can coin. The one circulates at it's coin
while the other ciFculates at its bullion
value. A stranger is likely to pay for his
knowledge, as learned to my cost. /
learned that land on this creek was sup
posed to be On Spanish grant, which
had mp to this time driven of all who
had attempted to settle, and in some
cases bad bought ont persons who were
difficult TO deal with, but the people
finally came to the conclusion that there
was no valid title, as there was nothing
on the records at Washington, and con-
saqnsntly they jumped the land. Twas
told there were about two hundred set
tiers on the grant. A great deal more
produce could he grown II there was q
market, but owing TO the closing OF
nearly all mines there was llftle demand.
The great drawback TO southern Arizo-
ma Ia the want of market for agricultnr-
al productions. There il no demand for
anything grown here, outside the Terri
tory, and the home market il limited.
A. C.. LoSdMoRE.