Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1896-01-01
TALES OF OLD AND OF GOLD ! Why This Section Startled People on
 the Outside. And Some of the First White Men
 Who Ventured 10 lt.

The closing of the year D today, and the dawning of that of '9i to- morrow, brings to one in memory the doings of the days that time has
 m its heeting way accomplished, and, on the other hand, it seems al-
 most Co say what the future will
 bring In other words. the history of Prescott in the past IS the same
 history which may be expected oi
 her m the future. In this, It was founded on the basis of mining. and through no other channel has it lived aud prosperrd, and from no other source can It likewise be sup ported aud encouraged in time Go
 come. lt seem, but just and reason
 able the today tu recall some oi the so-called ancient transactions.
 as they apply to mines and mint Ig. and thereby give to the new Comsr,
 as well a. serye Co the old Hassl
 yamper, why tho metropolis oi Northern ArlZOua has grown from a single IOyl0 log hut Go the Propnr- tIons now to be seen. and which IS
 presented on this page.
 Previous to its becoming known that gold was to be had for the mere
 asking of 1t, nothing authentic IS known of the reign of the white ms1 in aEy of the mining districts.
 which are today so fsmiiiarly known in ani around Prescott.
 With q knowledge. however. that every gu!ch and ravine throughout
 Yavapsi was well worth the eNp"TI
 men, of at leas; 2 prospect hpi-, ,mmenc 'd an era that has resulted
 m that tn been scca today on every
 homl. in the desire for the yellow
 meal. Some ol ths tales told in consequence, have snch
 romant c hue closet..l with the dn- ings of "early birds" that they >cem almost incredible, but as they arc sub-tsotiated bv fact. and require
 no affidavit they ars epltom z't
 from the general tone of the m'1v
 who relate such, and considering the tight" times of he present,
 may possibly prove of interest. aud
 serve otherwise as a founiatio1 frr the belief that tue coIrfry i- urt
 yet worked to bel rock
 From the lips of such old one, ls
 Ed. Peck, Judge Moves, Dau il.z,
 Y. \. Stephen, W. \. Kelly, Jos
 Ehle. Dr. Kendall, John c. Camp bell, John Dickia,Da. Judge Bro ,k-. Sam. Miller, B. 4. Hussey. N l.. Griffin and others who still hold the bloom of youth and bid fair to live on perpetually, even if they were iu
 [ IsGcott when naught but the "P,lr
 Pan" was ID its thriftiest state, ant when the winter of '63 Is referred to as . very 'mushy aud wet one, Wa gain much information of the early transactions of this surround ing section, and Tn each and every instance mining is entwined as the basis of Gll doingS, and that that one idea was ths sole induc .meut that stirred them and others to come in.
 The frs, regularly organized bod, of minIug EIsn to put foot m thI~ immediate section, was the historical Walker party. They met in Contra Costa County, California, and on the 7th day of May, 1863, took up their "residenos" on what Is now known as Groom creek. In this party there were twenty-five souls. and from that pioneer company, there are only left in our midst today Joe Walker, Jake aud Sam Miller, X. Shupp and Mir. Chase. The remainder, includ ing the leader of the party, Uncle | Joe Walker, were either killed by | or passed away through other causes. This gatL ering were l gold hunters and moved 1 at once to the HassayamPa, aud inf June of the same year drove stakes for good on Lynx creek, where they | rocked out thoussnds of dollars ot the yellow metal, securing, in short the cream of the product. Some l idea of the wealth obtained, can b. by the statement that from one pan S350 was the result, George Coulter being the lucky one. The above party kept up it's organi- zation for some time, but cue by l one its eXistencs was shattered, and s now only of remembrance, as of | be days of long ago.
 Later iu the sane year October 96-the Lount party Of San Fran ,isco, pulled into the cienega near Sam Miller's present farm, composed | ,f thirteen souls, and of that nun per Judge Moves aud Judge Brooks, . of Prescott st present. and 5 9. Freter..a.. ore .eI. nr earth.