Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-08-28
TRIALS TO EDEN.
Desert, Cactus and Sand, Dead Cattle
and Coyotes.
THE SICK HORSE PLAYS A PART
[FouRTir LETTER.
cerr,,pona.ne. pE.Ennr Naw.

Corrsipondenes DIsEaEr NEws
[FouRTH LETTER.
From blackberry we followed the
line Of the Atlantic and Pacific rail-
way eastward for distance or nifty
miles to Aubrey valley. There we
leftthe railroad aud followed the valley
Of the upper Verde southwark towards
Prescott. Our route most Of the way |
was through billy country covered
with cedar and pinion pine. We were
now fairly In tbs slock.growing dis.
tricis Of Arizona. The country was
covered with stock but barren Of feed;
the Iong.continued drouth had dried
up the pasturage and as n result the
whole country was covered with tho
dried.up carcRses OF the cattle. Wolves
were numerous in this region, at
trscted by the dead cattle. At night
they would prowl around our wagon
and leave their footprints IN the sand.
Sometimes when they would approach
too near us, or their bowling would 10.
come almost unboarAble, we would take
down the rife carefully aud pointing
II out through the cover at some object
moving about In the darkness would
pull the trigger. For an instant there
would bs flash OF IRE, then u report,
and we could SEQ streRks Of dust la
every direction, and hear the sound OF
hurrying feet; then all would bo still
again.
think there " some OF the
most beautiful country between Aubrey
valley anu Prescott that ever saw.
The mountains sink 10 low bills; tue
higher knObs RTe covered with cedar
anu pine, aud the lower hills and val
lrys with grass. Tho soil II OF the
Richest. ., what a country this would
be ~ there were only rains In tbs pro.
perseasons. And yet thore ate rains
usually enough TO insure good crops If
their waters were only stored ana ueli
In reserve until the dry season, aud
not allowed to run OF Into the rivers
and do no good. The country IN 80
situated that reservoirs could be con
Htructed almost anywhere. All that
IL necessary is n union OF effort on tho
part OF tho people, and that with tho
present inhabitants 10 an ImpOasibilily.
Prescott was formerly mining
camp and Ia still kept up largely by the
wealth It receives from that source.
1t h situated In narrow valley high
up Among granite hills. The climate
10 pleasant anu agreeable. II was for
many years tho capital OF Arizona but
the uevelopmont OF the southern val
legs removed the center Of populatioI
there aud the capital was changed 10
Ph@nix. Formerly this was the head.
quarters OF n large military district
AMI largo number oil troops were kept
there; but since Geronimo is no more
and the a paches have ceased 10 be-
trou biesome, Uncle sam has taken his
headquarters 10 Denver. Prescott has
some lew nice buildings. The court
house IL certainly n crsuit TO the town.
Tho old state house, aud the district
school buildings are conspicuous OBJ
jects among tue wooden shacks hat
usually constitute the main element OF
mining town, though there are
number OF fne brick and stone s,ruc-
lures. To our Inquiry as to what Kept
the town up, gentleman repllei,
"Her gambling dens and prostitutes"
and after Walking over the town we
came to tho conclusion he did not miss
itmuoh.
From Prescott we took this road for
Phoenix that runs through the Ague
Fria valley and down through the
black canyon. Tho distance IL about
Ito miles, and there IN plenty OF water
In wells At distances from ten 10 fifteen
miles all along the road, except be.
tween New river and Phoenix, where
there IL IA desert Of tvsniy-siK miles 20
cToss. There IL no feed anywhere
along the road except tho hay kept at
tue stage stations, and that Is usually
sold at a very handsome figure. GTaiu
can also be bought at the stations. DO
not expect to huy oats-thore are mono
in this country. went into u store at
Prescott and asked for oats. The clerk
said they had some. told him to put
mo up ABOUT 100 pounds anu l would
call and get II. He seemed thunder.
struck. "Man,o said he, "whAt are
you going 10 with 80 much?" "Feed
Il TO my horses" l replied.
"Why, 1t will kill them; horses
can't eat outs.0 remarked,
that they could In the country where |
came from. Well no one here ever
heard Of such a thing ~ that" l
asked him TO show me the oats, aud
when no pointed to few packages on
n shelf labelled, "QuRksr Oats" /
wllted. Barley IL the grain feed Of
the country, II you want anything
else you must bring It with you from
Utah.
The country between the Ague
Frla valley and New river Is one OF
the toughest l ever saw. We were
told that II would shake the dust OH
our wagon, aud II did. Up long steep
hills, and down longer and sleeper
ones. The road through what they
call the Black canyon, though didn't
see much Of a canyon, IL the T0ughest
We saw on the entire trip. IL " q
puzzle to me 10 know how the stage
aud heavily loaded wagon ever get
over IL. And yet It would not be "A
difficult matter TO make good road.
IL would cost some money, and Arr
coma don't seem 10 have much money
TO spend In that direction Just now.
But II does seem as though they would
keep up some srmblance Of road be-
tween the capital anu ons OF the chief
towns when there ~ no other mode OF
communication between them,
Deserted mining camps are quite
numerous In this part OF Arlzlna. We
saw one on the mountain above Hacg'
berry, ind another just back OF Big
Bug. There were the mile, the
torres, boarding houses, ana homes Of