The copper era., 1901-05-09
Gold Fields of La Paz, Arizona.


 h tion, is the old town Of La Paz-we l. named-the City Of Peace," fo X where but a few years ago hundreds
 people thronged the busy streets goin - to and from the wonderfully rich place = diggings Of Ferara and Catarini p gulches, but few miles distant, toda l not a soul tenants one of those ruined 7 adObes, some of which give the ap : pearance of having been large an l cOmmOdiods structures. Iron doors ant
 shutters, broken from their hinges lie partially imbedded in the crumb . ling brick fast scaling away with rust
 marking the site of some bank CT mer-
 camille concern.
 While out prospecting one day few
 miles from the river Don Juan Ferara
 weighing over four pounds. The news
 of his fad quickly spread, '" within
 a few months an army of p- tors were at work dry-washing or wI.S = ! ing the gold from the soil in all of tn l gulches back of La Paz. Numerous rich strikes were made, and many a ] poor miner suddenly found himself the ! possessor of nuggets and dust valued at thousands of dollars. The methods used in extracting the gold were ex- tremely crude, in most instances the percentage lost being undoubtedly greater than the amount saved.
 The town of La Paz was at the night of it's prosperity from 1862 to 1865, sup porting population of nearly, if not quite. 5,000, the estimated output of Ferara and Catarina gulches being placed at S5,OOO,O ,OOO.
 Captains Polhamus and Mellon, who have navigated the Colorado river for forty years, tell of the large consign- ments of gold dust they freouently car ried down the river. N ore than once, in lieu of d safe, the mattresses of their hunks concealed bags of dust weighing upwards of Sl0O,OOO.
 During those days La Paz was in- tested with gangs of Mexican and American tOughs; street and saloon brawls were of common occurrence: an ounce of gold dust had greater value than a human life. The notorious Boss Danewood, afterwards hanged at Los Angeles, terrorized the camp for a time.
 One day, while Captain Polhamus was in La Paz collecting freight, he happened to be walking from one store to another with "Texas," a notorious suddenly he heard some one | aside, if you please, captain; I'm gong | to kill that d-d scoundrel." Pol ! hamus barely got out of range before Red Kelly opened fire. "Texas" did his best in returning the compliment, but after three or four rounds threw up his hands and fell forward dead. No objection was made to Red Kelly talk ing his departure for other diggings.
 The camp was d hot-bed of secession. Two volunteers were killed there by rebel sympathizer in the early eos. After the war was over comrade ot the murdered man returned to La Paz, found the slayer of his friend at work in the mines, and without warning shot him in his tracks.
 The usual fate of placer camps and surface pay dirt in the surrounding wulches had been winnowed of their treasures; the distance from the river placed the town at disadvantage for commerce., so it came about that the population gradually drifted away.
 During 1867 and 1868 Captain Pol hamus and John Day surveyed and plated the town of Ehrenburg, which was directly on the river and about five miles from La Paz. Michael Gold water and one or two others opened up large trading houses at this point, making it quite a business center. The place soon had q population of several hundred, and was very prosperous until the advent of the railroads north and south destroyed its prestige as a distributing point for the interior The town now is only a ghost of its former self Genial Tom Hamilton is merchant, postmaster, judge-and the only voter. About two years ago a half-breed was caught stealing pigs from the Blythe estate. just across the river in California. Hamilton being | the nearest justice, albiet in the terri tory of Arizona, the culprit was rowed across the river and brought before him. prospector happening along,
 offered to defend the prisoner, and, addressing the judge, said: Your
 honor. though I have often been seen
 at your bar, I am no lawyer; but this is a case where it is plain to be seen
 that you have no jurisdiction, the crime having been committed in the state of California"
 No jurisdiction" quoth the judge;
 we will see pretty d--d quick If
 have no jurisdiction, Pig-stealing has
 got to be stopped about here; fine the
 prisoner $50 and fifty days in jail
 And to Yuma prison the unfortunate
 went, without thought of appeal. Ere ouant aGjournments being taken from
 bar to bar, trials before the justice
 court at Ehrenburg are by no means dry proceedings
 5 Ten miles east of Ehrenburg, along the divide, between the Ferara anC :. Catarina gulches, is large ledge O F ore which is now being opened up b. l the Inglewood Mining company an( I |. lla IrNa= ha