The Arizona sentinel., 1900-06-27
l GOLDEN STREAM.
CeIs Brooks Writes e DFedgeY 0per,
 atioBs OR the Colorado,


 The grand old Colorado of the Wes the scene of activity. Its tributarie reaching back to thousand Mining Camps, through rich gold fields 0
 Wyoming, Dakota, Colorado, Utah
 Nevada, California an1 h~izona
 With Q penetrating thought that may prove the early periods of crea-
 tion Q million of years since, and ar
 eye expanded to see, and @ brain cap
 able of appreciating the conditions oI
 the earth's surface at the time, and
 the changes that have taken place tc
 the present time, and, srasping the
 truth, fully realize tLe fact that our
 great mountains of the day, are but potatoe hills compared to their former magnitude.
 The powerful forces of disintegra- ton, followed by the influences of gravity and water, the work of very many ages, that have been wearing down the gaint sentinels, and convert ing them into plains and valleys; fore ing the sea-beaches back from their rock-bound fastening, as has been the case of the grand old Colorado of the West and the Gulf of California; gathering in its studendOus work, the i precious cargoes of gold, from the highest and most remote mountains, and distributing them upon the lower bars and broad arroyos, strewed along its course from the Grand Canyon of the Colorado to the tide-water oi the Gulf of California, distance of 800 miles upon each side of the river. And we are forced to accept and acknow- ledge the evidences of immense de- posits of gold in the bars and mesas as conclusive and absolute.
 From a reliable source, data is ob- tained of the wealth of the river, ex- tending back to TITO, period long prior to the acquisition of the territory from Mexico. The pioneer padres, for reason, no doubt, of the great abund- ance of gold discovered upon the bars and mesas, established 8 mission house, crude cathedral, twelve miles above Yuma. relics of which are to be seen today. Sad to say, the whole party was killed by the heunappreciative aborigines, the Indians that inhabited the county at that date
 Jumping darker period, of which we know but little, up to 1G48, when tie live Yankee fought his way to the Pacific goli field, and we have from Uncle Joseph Staple and Uuclo Jim mic Fears, who crossed the continent ID OK teams, that coarse gold was banned out by the party at Old Glla City, and on the Colorado river. From that time thousands Of miners have worked the slopes of the hills, the bars and aTroyos by primitive appliances; the dry washer and rocker, and have taken out millions of dollars; tracing the gold from the mountain source, to the waters edges, where for want of appropriate machinery to handle the water, they were compelled to suspend operations and to leave the highest part Of the territory to be utilized by a more progressed period in the science of mining.
 Tie mighty modern gold dredge has come 10 us and 1t has announced the arrival Of the period, by demonstrate iuG the fact, that the gold, though mbedded far beneath the surface, in water and in gravel, can be taken out and at & handsome profit.
 4 very conservative estimate of the average value of the gravel, as made by many mining men, makes the average from 30 cents to $4 per yard, though Ill many instances, as high as S6 to $l2 has been obtained.
 With these evidences in view and fixed confidence in the successful work ing of the modern dredge, four citizens of Yuma, Ariz., in @ quiet manner, proceeded to investigate and to pro- cure lands and to bend their energies D a manner that has led to the in troduction of this vast acreage. ot wealth to the general public; and to the forming of many companies and to the buying and leasing of 5O,0OO to 60,OeO acres of placer dradge and and hydraulic land upon the river.
 The pioneer company of the Lower Colorado River, composed of Messrs. John {. Deyine, Nulford Winsor, Ira P Smith < Co.,, have disposed of up- ward of 2000 acres of dredge land to Inc Crosby Enrich Syndicate of Colo ,ado Springs, who are building a modern dredge, with a capacity of 1000 yards, at a cost of about T60,O00. The Iredge is being built o1 the banks of he river, ill the town of Yuma, and when finished it will be lowed up the river by steam, 10 Pot Holes, where, ly the Ist of Oelober. it will be nlacad