Arizona republican., 1921-06-12

through the different passes. From | these new camps others would press | across the valley into the next range Of mountains. In that way the Con- zales Canyon and Ferrar diggings were established, then Middle Camp, some Is miles from La Paz camp; then La Cholla, some six or seven miles, from Middle camp, then Plo- mosa still further out, some IA miles easterly from Middle camp. Water had to be carried in rawhide bags on the backs of burros to all these dry camps from the Colorado river. And this water question, the haul or carry, was in those days the most awful burden in the whole game of gold and the new Fl Dorado. For some time water was delivered to the Plomosa camp priced and sold for $1.50 per gallon, it being the furtherest from the Colorado river. Gold was then
 plentiful in these new camps and close to the surface. It had to be in
 order to stand the following prices:
 Water, from soc to $1.50 gallon;
 sledge hammer, $5 shovel $4 to s;
 batere Ga large wooden bowl to hold the placer dirt), SIS. As all these new
 camps became better established La
 Paz became the supply point for all
 of them, everything being carried to
 them on the backs of burros, La Paz growing and increasing in population
 all the time. Everything booming.
 Gambling and drinking out in the open at first. Then one and two
 story adobe buildings went up and
 the next thing we knew La Paz was
 a thriving desert city with gold being
 weighed out day and night. After the thriving little city of La Paz was
 we'll established the U. s. government
 notified the business men of La Paz
 to move out across the reservation
 line, that their town was on Indian
 land. It was a hard blow to all who
 had built up substantial buildings.
 But the frontiersman was once more
 equal to the occasion The business
 men of La Paz located and layed out
 a new town, which is today known
 on the map as Ehrenburg. This place
 was then the supply point for all placer camps in this section of Yuma
 county. Through stage routes were
 established through the north end of
 Yuma county. This stage route start
 CT from Prescott, passed through the
 town of Ehrenburg, crossed the Colo
 radO and went through the Blythe
 estate (where the little city of Blythe.
 California now stands). and via
 Chuckwalla through San Bernardino
 and Los Angeles.
 With the Indians these early placey miners here did not have much trou- ble, but as these camps became well established there came into our sec- ton that early day parasite, better known as road agents. These bandits would holdup the stages on the Cali fornia and Arizona sides of the Colo rado river, rob the passengers of their valuables and if the stage carried bullion or placer gold it was also taken If the California authorities pressed these parasites too hard for comfort they moved to Arizona, and from Arizona back to California if they were pressed too hard on this side. This kept up until both Cali fornia and Arizona worked together to exterminate this vermin. U. s. marshals and sheriffs of Arizona and California pressed them hard for years. No quarters were given nor asked. When they met it was battle to the death. Many of these battles were fought in those early days. One of the last of those awful death struggles was fought in the town of
 Ehrenburg. The U. S. marsha1s had
 pressed the remnants of the toughest
 gang of road agents that ever in- tested any country from the Chucka-
 walla desert across the Colorado river. Some hours after these ban dits entered Ehrenburg. and were drinking heavy and gambling. U. s. marshals and sheriffs bearded them in these saloons and gambling houses 1 It was a fight to a finish. From the I inside of buildings the fight was car- ried out on to the front street, then I into the side streets of Ehrenburg Wounded and dead men could be seer in all directions, but the guns were still cracking. Few prisoners wer, taken in that awful fight, but as tn, smoke of battle began to clear ava,
 it was plain to be seen that law ant
 order had once more won. And to
 day one can often hear the remarl
 that Ehrenburg has a large graveyard
 and not two natural deaths among al
 its graves. That may be true, fo don't remember of many natura deaths in the early days of Ehrenburi
 and La Paz. but I can remembe
 many unnatural ones.