The copper era., 1901-10-10
GRAND OLD DAYS.
A Thrilling Story of Rich Strikes
 in Arizona.

Wickenburg district, the rehabilitation of the Vulture, and the general re- vival of gold mining prospects, re- minds us of grand days, when pioneer commerce steamed up the Colorado riyer to Ehrenburg, thence across the desert for 2J0 miles, where every cactus bristled with defiance and every rock sheltered d hostile savage. The last chapter in this great span of Ari- zona pioneer history relating to the remarkable gold discoveries in the Harqua Halas. It forms golden link in the chain of prosperity, from wilderness of desolation to a garden of beauty. from dreaded desert to a land Of cheer and plenty, from the midst of savage barbarism up to the threshold of magnificent statehood.
 The present generation of the east will never know the sacrifice made to bring Arizona to its present stage in the history of American progress.
 Tn this struggle to reclaim a terri tory broad enough for nation, with sunshine, soil and gold for millions. the splendor of youth has cooled with age, and the ambition Of 10000 manly '-es has crumb bled with the weight Of
 Across the desert and among
 -5untains of that splendid ter
 A |, the way of those brave souls may be traced by lonely graves and unsculDtured head stones where death by famine, thirst or savage hand, lifted the burden from their shoulde rs, and folded their tired hands for ever lasting rest.
 The year '64 witnessed a scene of ex- traordinary activity in the country bordering the big Colorado in the east.
 From Yuma to Castle Dome, Lapaz, Ehrcnburg and Aubrey, and the Plo- mosa valley, were teeming thousaads of successful gold prospectors. She smoke of the steamers trailing the river for 800 miles, loaded to the guards with machinery, stock and pro- visions, the eastern bank studded with mills and smelters and camps. where now the descendants Of the ancient Moiavc wander about contemplating the ruin of thirty years, and the dim foot prints of the white man, long since departed like the receeding tide of the ocean.
 As the outgrowth of that wonderful movement, stream of commerce flowed oyer the old route from Ehren- burg to Prescott.
 Thousands of men and teams from the Colorado to the Bradshaws, thriv- ing stations such as Tyson, Desert and Cullens wells whore more money changed hands in old 'doSe walls in few hours than a thriving town can boast of in these tame days, and where now nothing but bats and coyotes reign supreme.
 Travelling along this old thOrougfare from Cullens wells to Granite Wash you will observe a broad valley, some ten miles to the southeast, with low desert mountains on every hand; there was tho old Centennial station, now known Us Harrisburg. There is locat- cd the Harqua Hala district.
 Antelope Peak, with it's fabulous riches, had been brought to light in '63 by the Peoples expedition; Vulture had thrown up it's hands before the vigorous enterprise of Henry Wick enburg, to be subsequently, known as the Tabor Bonanza, but the Harqua Hala district lay obscure, mysterious and unexplored. Little attention was paid to it until '76,when King Woolsey, George Munroe and Dick Halstead, in passing through the little gap nine miles northeast oi Harrisburg known as Pinhatchipet, (water hole) pass, rich gold ore. It was found in several small heaps few feet apart, and em- braced a small area, 20x30 feet. Most parties acquainted with the circum- stances believe it was poured out of sacks. That the party having the same was killed by Indians and the ore turned out by the latter, as they had more use for the latter than they had for the gold
 It was even reported that the guns and some clothes of the murdered par ties were found, but not corroborated. Monroe insisted that the ore was float, detached from a ledge in the vicinity
 The discovery caused great excite ment, and prospectors from near and far turned their attention to finding from whence this ore came. At first it was thought it might have been stolen from some rich mine already ccas iissCUS cred, but close mparisou dis proved this theory, and to this day discoveries have thrown no light on the origin of that ore. Indian traditions came in play about this time, all pointing to rich propo- sition in that locality. Not long after the discovery Yuma squaw conduct ed Roman Valencia, now residing at Phoenix, to this same locality, but be- came alarmed at indications of Apaches and left without results.
 Several small prospects were opened during the sos and in 'S7 Harris ten stamp mill was built and has been operated for years on obscure proper Al l.. i. l..