Year: 1869

|


may be situated in a locality where


there is not a regularity of rains.
The practical experience of tbe past
! few years and of the present, have


demonstrated that the most profitable
and abundant yield of grain has been
produced by irrigation.


Within thirty miles of Callville ex-
tensive veins of the finest Salts found
200 feet up on the side of the noun
tains, and varies from ten to ninety
feet in breadth. This is transparent
and is taken out by the pick and
crowbar and powder, and is supplied
to the inhabitants in the settlements,
and taken TO the silver mines at Pa
hanayat, to those at Eldorado canon
on the river fifty miles, and to the
mills along the Colorado river below.
This salt mine must be of great value,
as the unlimited territory of gold,
silver, copper, iron and lead in the
immediate vicinity are developed.
The quartz mines of this section, those
along the river, and in the center of
the territory must be TO the country
in their immediate locality what the
Placer mines on the head waters of
the Colorado, and farther inland in
Arizona, are to the surrounding cOun-
try.


Quartz mining requires at first more
capital to operate successfully than
Placer. In Summit county hundreds
of canals or bitches wind around the


mountains, these carrying sufficient


water so that two men with hose and
pipe can do more work with less Ia
bor) than one hundred by the old
system of the pick and shovel. The
/ quantity of mining territory is un-
limited. The average pay to each


miner is from six to seventy-five dol


lars per day.


Above Callville, the Black or Big
/ Canon continues for thirteen miles.


In this there is no opening leading
! out on either side, no vegetation is


seen struggling out from it, no clear
| streams fall into it, to mingle their


waters in the deep chasm below, as is
seen in the canons of the Grand and
/ the Blue. The sides of this canon


rise from eight hundred to fifteen
I hundred feet almost perpendicular.
/ These look like polished iron. As fan
I as the eye can reach is one continued
I chamber, whose sides echoed back the
successive strokes of our paddles, like
I the sound of a muffied drum or Sc
pulchral voice.


am satisfied that with a small ap.


preparation, steamers could ascend and
descend this canon and ten miles be-
yOnd. For all practical purposes at
the present time, there is no necessity
for this, as steamers can run at all
/ seasons of the year to its mouth with
10 In fol
Admitting for the sake of the ar
| gument that steamers cannot ascend
the Colorado for more than one humid


red miles, by improving the falls, it
does not follow that a proper knoWl-
edge of the river above will not pro-
duce great benefits to the Govern
ment, and unlock the hidden resources
of vast country. No two rivers can
differ so much in their appearance as
the Colorado at its headwaters, and
that portion of 1t from its mouth to a
point five miles above.


For seven hundred miles from the
Gulf of California but three streams
enter the Colorado, the Gila one hun
dred and fifty miles from the mouth,
Bill Williams's Fork four hundred
miles, and the Virgin SIX hundred
and sixty, while in the distance of
three hundred miles from the point
whence we started on the main di-
vide of the Rocky Mountains, twenty
streams carry their water to the Colo
RADIO, the principal of which are the
Swan, Snake, Ten Mile, Eagle, Roar
ing Fork, Little Grand and Granite.
In passing by the mouths of many of
these we were apt to be deceived in


the extent of country and quantity of
timber along each. In ascending sew
eral of these streams l was surprised
in every instance to find the largest


pine and cedar and the most luxuri-
Gus grass and grain, the latter not
confined to few acres, but extending
as far as the eye could reach. Along
these, and the country southwark,
the finest facilities are afforded for
stock raising. Tar wells or springs
are found about thirty miles north of
the Grand, below the mouth of Elk
creek.


This sticky or inf1amable substance
comes out of the ground over an ex-
tended section, and is similar to that
used at Los Angeles, California, for
making pavements and roofs. Birds
and squirrels are found in this where
they have died in their efforts to ex-
tricate themselves. At a number of
the smaller streams / saw oil floating
upon the surface similar to that in
Pennsylvania and near Bear River,
Utah. At the entrance of two can
ons l found slate banks five hundred
feet high, and through these were a
number of coal veins. believe there
is an abundance of this in the vicini-
ty. At the mouth of Salt River the
finest quality of salt is seen. The
salt licks near are frequented by vast
herds of deer and sheep. Above and
below these the steam from the warm
springs resembles smoke from distant
camp fires. This whole region is en-
phatieally the hunters paradise.
Here follow interesting accounts of
the people of several Indian tribes


living upon the river.


In Arizona many ruins are to be
found of cities, Notifications, canals,
mines, &c. 1t would be impossible
for me to enter into description of
all these. One of the most prominent
is that of Casa Blanca, or the Hall of
the Montezumas. This stands several
stories in height-looms far above
every other object on the plains
around. The walls are SIX feet thick,
plastered with lime or cement, which
appears to defy the power of the ele-
ments. Over the doors and windows
the cedar timbers are in perfect pres
ervatiOn, although it must have been
ages since these were hauled over the
long route from their native forests.


The Indians can trace il back two
hundred years. Such is the dTyness
of the atmosphere that time has pro-
duced but a slow change upon it. The
streets of the city of which this struc-
ture formed part, can be traced by
the broken pieces of crockery ware,
and the elevation on each side. I'M
mediately back is seen the canal,
which conveyed water to this city of
the past, and to the extended fields
bordering the river below.


At Tubac a more modern ruin is
found; the walls of the Cathedral are
yet perfect. The altar is covered by
shrubbery, which has grown up spon-
taneOusly, and over the cross the vine
yet clings, as if to protect it from the
beams of the sun, as they shine through
the roofless temple.


This city was but a few years since
inhabited by large population; but
the Apache had been there, and made
common waste, the evidence of
whose vandalism is seen over every
beautiful valley and deserted ranch
So complete has been their desolation
that oil that is noxf- laft 10 foil tho foIa