The record-union., 1899-04-05
MATTERS DOWN IN ARIZONA.
Evolution Of Office in the Land of
Deserts-Developme of
Mining.
Correspondence Record Union.)

CORRESPONDENCE RecOru-O H1oL-J
In reply to the query, What has be-
come of cur Arizona correspondent!
permit me to say that am much ike
the neWsboy who while having plenty
lof news, had ''nothin' to holler. But
now that the nineteenth Territorial AS
sembly has closed, the silence must De
| broken
The other day, in conversation with
representative from a southern county
in relation to some Act passed by the
recent Legislature, said, Now IN Cal
Iifornia"-this was interrupted by
stormy, Say, what is the matter with
the thirty-second California not elect
ling a Senator'S
1 lneekly replied that I was about
to say that was delighted to hear that
California was being treated to copl-
Gus downfall of that most needed Tor
a bountiful harvest. We Immediately
compared notes on the standing Of Mer-
curry, while I mentally concluded that
one should be guarded in his conversa-
ton nowadays.
Whatever may be written of the Arr
IONA Territorial Legislators, it cannot
be said that they are opposed to pro
gress, for by sundry legislation or ol-
verse Legislatures most of the Ierrl-
torial officers have come to be thing
devoutly 10 be wished by the average
politician. As an instance of this leg
Iislative evolution one certain office paid
a salary Of $500 per annum ten years
ago, having no emoluments or fees and
a brawny Arizonian held the office TOT
| four years, paid his own office rent,
clerk hire. and fuel bills. Now the same
office pays $4,000 in fees and the Nine
tenth Assembly, by requirements I'M
posed on insurance companies, railroad
| companies and foreign corporations,
has raised this delicious aggregation
$40 600 more, making a comfortable in
come of about $50, 900 per annum.
There was an effort made to legislate
lagainst the infamous "billeta' system
lpraeticed by some of the wealthy min
ling companies of the Territory. BY this
system ticket isl issued to the employe
instead of cash. 1t is only good at the
lcompanys store, and for life's necessl-
tiles. Should the employe desire cash
the company discount their own paper
100 per cent. Thus the employees are re-
duced to poems, and all their trade IS
held in the avaricious grasp of the
wealthy mining company, to the utter
exclusion of tradesmen and others IN
that particular locality.
Be it said to the credit of Arizona that
there are few companies using this sys-
Item and these are made up of aliens
However, they must have heard of the
leffort on their behalf, and one morning
1.-THE Tate arrival" column of our morn
ing paper was full. The miners had
come to town for a purpose, and it was
not lost, but the anti-billete system
Twas
It must also be said of us that we
have color line in Arizona. Red,
white and blue barber poles must go.
Now, if they could legislate the Bar
bers' Union into using the Spanish coll
ors the design would be apparent, and
the wary Spaniard would be constantly
reminded of the close shave he had, and
another was to be had but for the ask
ling.
Arropos to the mining-it might be in
order to say here that the signs Of the
times are ripe for a mining boom in
Arizona, if it may not be said that one
lis now in progress. Perhaps few of
your readers know that it is not rare
thing here for mine to turn out from
$4,000 to $50 000 per day.
The United Verde mine of Jerome
turns out eighty tons of finished copper
per day, carrying high values Of gold
and silver.
/ The Copper Queen at Bisbee is turn
ling out about seventy tons of pure cop
1 per, and, with other plants operated
jby the same company, 125 tons of pure
"copper" per day.
7 The Arizona copper mine of Clifton
yields a gross output of sixty tons per
day, and numerous other mines from
item to thirty tons.
The Pierce mine, a few years ago a
COW camp, is a gold producer and has
a gross output of close to million dol
lars of bullion per month.
The Arizona King, near Yuma, now
being opened, is expected to exceed
ever this mine, IT having several mill
iors of free milling ore in sight.
There are many other mines of more
or less magnitude and the country is
swarming with prospectors and capt.
taiists who are eager to pick up any
favorable prospect.
1 The foundation for our new Capitol,
which has been in course of construc-
ton for several weeks, is now being
stayed or account of a strike among
the stonemasons, who object to work
ing nine hours a day. They are ex-
pect2d to resume work very soon, as
the contractor told them he could get
all the workmen he desired by tele-
graphing to Las Vegas.
Arizona has more than her usual
number Of winter residents, and while
we who come from California do not
find it SO agreeable, the majority rave
about the fair skies and the bit Of
green scattered about True. there is
less rainfall here but it is a mistake to
think it does not rain here in the win
ter. We have had a week of rainy
weather, and it showed for three sue
cessive days in January. The north
wind blows chill, while we miss the
gentle warm rays after shower that
are SO pleasant in Central California.
And. after all, there is no place like
home. c. H.
TLcenix, A. T., March 3d.
| SAMMY" wACHHoRsT.