Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1903-01-14
Hostetter's Stomach Bitters.
PIONEER
 "REMINISCENCES
interesting Scraps of Early History of Arizona and Truthful Tales of Thrilling Experiences.

Paper Prepared by Mrs. T. W. Otis
 and Read at the Monday Clubs
 Arizona Day.
 Arizona with its mysterious past. | its wild scenery. and its untold
 wealth, differs materially from any
 other part of the country and pos sesses an interest all its own. Its his
 tory, whose book is now closed for ever to human knowledge, extend:
 back into dim and silent past, per
 haps more remote than that of Baby
 lonia or Assyria, possibly antedating the building of the pyramids or the carving of that old Egyptian riddle, the Sphynx. Yet it is almost the lat est territory just redeemed from say agery. The high mountains and deep canyons are veritable treasure houses of fabulous mineral wealth. The sun lighted mesas and fertile valleys l cover the remains of great cities once peopled by millions of an unknown race whose unwritten story lies bur jed under the dust of ages Only fierce wild animals and wandering tribes of savages inhabited the land until the advent of the white man. Then what a wondrous change. was wrought. But the contest with savage nature, where every tree and shrub was armed with thorns, and the fight with the cruel Apache, was bitter and long. the memory of which has
 burned itself into the hearts of those first brave pioneers.
 In those early times, 'the sixties" as they are called. there were no wagon roads. and long pack trains winding over the rough trails brought all the clothing. food and mails into the territory. The goods were taken by steamer from San Francisco around Lower California, up the long. hot gulf to the mouth of the Colorado river, there to be transported by boats two hundred miles up that river to Ehrenburg From there. packtrains brought them two hundred miles more, over deserts destitute of water, through mountain passes where the murderous Apache lurked to kill the unsuspecting traveller, till they reached the pleasant little valley where Prescott now stands Every mile of ground traversed was at the risk of the lives of these herioc men at the hands of the willy red men.
 The freighting was largely done by two brothers Jacob and Sam c. Miller the latter of whom is still living at the Miller ranch. a mile from town. They were men of great courage and endurance. Coming as they did in 1863, many a thrilling adenture and hair breadth escape were theirs. They did all the government freight ing, taking soldiers and their inpedi- menta into and out of the territory, to and from the various forts then be- ing established. and ''toting'' the capital from Prescott to Tucson and back to Prescott again and finally to PheniX. probably its last resting place. No history of Northern Arizona would be complete without mention of them. The Indians had many places for out looks usually on some high hill which commanded view of the country for long distance. From these they could watch the packtrains each way they had on the way to Skull Valley some miles beyond Iron Springs. Still further, on the trail, was a mar row pass called Devils Gate, because then and for years after the Indians concealed themselves there to attack the unweary traveller. Beyond this gateway sthe canyon widens out into Skull Valley. At this place, at one time. the Indians having seen one of Miller's trains of twenty-five pairs of mules, heavily loaded, approaching through the valley, prepared a most ingenious ambush. The trail here passed through a thick growth of shrub oak and other small trees. These they cut half off and bent them down over the trail weaving them
 nto an impenetrable thicket impossi- ble to break through or to pass. Con cealed here they gleefully awaited the approach of the unsuspecting freight CTS But Miller, just as they were about to enter the trail, decided as they had but little water, that they must go up the valley to TOnto Springs and into Prescott by the Granite mountain way. This change in plans saved their lives Had they gone on the trail not one could have escaped to tell the tale. It is gratify- ing in the extreme to picture the eX- ulting waiting of the savages sure of their victory, which gradually changed into a sickening fear and at last into a despairing certainty that their prey had escaped.
 Speaking of Skull Valley, it is in teresting to know how it came by such a gruesome name, for the valley Is broad and fertile, the inhabitants pleasing and refined. whose character istics are the reverse of bloodthirsti ness.
 A long freight train with eight team sters was passing through the valley. Signal fires on the hills told them of danger They hastily arranged their teams into a barricade to protect themselves and their animals and sell their lives as dearly as possible. A few Indians approached making signs of peace till very near when a squaw suddenly drew knife, this being the signal for the attack Instantly the place seemed alive with them. The white men fought for dear life and