memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第3章

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superior　civilization。〃　The　Hon。　John　R。　Bartlett　says　of　the
〃Salinas；〃　one　of　the　Northern　branches　of　the　Gila；　that　it
alone　will　supply　food　for　a　great　State。　It　must　be　recollected；
in　this　connection；　that　the　great　mineral　wealth　of　Arizona　will
call　for　and　amply　repay　for　the　redemption　and　expensive
cultivation　of　all　the　available　lands；　and　that　irrigation
produces　immensely　greater　crops　than　the　other　method　of
planting。　Throughout　the　whole　of　Utah；　irrigation　has　been
resorted　to　with　the　greatest　success。　The　soil　in　Utah；　in　no
place　that　the　writer　saw　it；　could　in　any　way　be　compared　to
that　of　the　bottom　lands　of　Arizona。

Captain　Whipple　in　his　valuable　report　of　exploration　for　the
Pacific　Railroad；　published　by　order　of　Congress；　crossed　the
upper　part　of　the　region　alluded　to；　and　which　is　watered　by　the
Rio　Verde　and　Salinas。　He　fully　sustains　me　in　my　remarks　on
those　rich　valleys。

〃We　are　in　the　pleasantest　region　we　have　seen　since　leaving　the
Choctaw　country。　Here　are　clear　rivulets；　with　fertile　valleys
and　forest　trees。　The　wide　belt　of　country　that　borders　the　Black
Forest；　and　probably　extends　along　the　Rio　Verde　to　the　Salinas
and　Gila；　bears　every　indication　of　being　able　to　support　a　large
agricultural　and　pastoral　population。　The　valley　of　the　Rio　Verde
is　magnificently　wooded　with　furs　and　oaks；　affording　excellent
timber。　Ancient　ruins　are　said　by　trappers　to　be　scattered　over
its　whole　length　to　the　confluence　with　the　Salinas。　We；
therefore；　seem　to　have　skirted　the　boundary　of　a　country　once
populous；　and　worthy　of　becoming　so　again。　Besides　the　advantages
already　enumerated；　the　mountains　in　this　vicinity　bear
indications　of　mineral　wealth。　Vol。　3；　p。　93。〃

The　notes　before　referred　to；　in　the　possession　of　the　writer；
speak　of　great　farming　and　grazing　establishments　scattered　over
the　whole　face　of　the　Territory；　between　1610　and　1800；　which
produced　abundant　crops　of　cereals；　fruits；　and　grapes。　These
statements　are　confirmed　by　the　testimony　of　Major　Emory　and　his
report；　where　he　enumerates　several　of　the　most　extensiveby
Gray；　Bartlett；　Parke；　and　Col。　Bonneville。　Many　of　the　Ranches；
deserted　by　the　Mexicans　on　account　of　the　Apache　Indians；　have
upon　them　large；　well…built　adobe　houses　which　must　have　cost　the
builders　thousands　of　dollars。　Many　of　these　have　been　occupied
under　squatter　titles　by　emigrants　within　the　last　few　years。　Of
others；　only　the　ruins　remain；　having　been　destroyed　by　the
depredations　of　the　Indians；　or　by　the　heavy　rains　of　the
succeeding　years。

The　greater　portion　of　these　lands　on　the　Santa　Cruz　and　San
Pedro　are　covered　by　Mexican　titles…゛nd　many　of　these　again　by
squatter　claims。　It　is　absolutely　necessary　that　Congress　should
by　some　wise　and　speedy　legislation　settle；　upon　some　definite
basis；　the　land　titles　of　Arizona。　Until　this　is　done；　disorder
and　anarchy　will　reign　supreme　over　the　country。　The　present
condition　of　California　is　in　a　great　degree　to　be　attributed　to
the　want　of　any　title　to　the　most　valuable　real　property　in　the
State；　and　the　millions　which　have　been　spent　in　fruitless
litigation　should　teach　a　lesson　of　great　practical　value。　Let
those　Spanish　grants　and　Mexican　titles　which　have　been　occupied
in　good　faith　be　affirmed　in　the　most　expeditious　and　economical
manner　to　the　claimants；　and　they　will　immediately　pass　into
American　hands；　and　become　productive。　The　remainder　of　the
country　should　then　be　thrown　open　to　settlers。　No　better　code　of
mining　law　exists　than　the　Spanish；　adopted　in　the　Senate　bill
introduced　by　the　late　General　Rusk；　and　passed　at　the　last
session　of　Congress。　A　judicious　and　liberal　donation　law；　giving
to　the　actual　settler　a　homestead；　and　to　the　enterprising　miner
and　〃prospector〃　a　fair　security　for　the　fruit　of　his　labors；
will　at　once　make　of　Arizona　a　popular；　thriving　and　wealthy
State；　affording　new　markets　for　the　productions　of　our　Atlantic
States；　and　yielding　annually　millions　in　silver　and　copper。

In　addition　to　the　produce　of　Arizona；　the　immediate　vicinity　of
the　agricultural　region　of　Sonora　affords　an　abundant　market　for
all　necessary　supplies；　including　sugar；　which　is　manufactured　by
the　Mexicans　in　great　quantities　from　the　cane。　Guyamas；　which
one　day　will　be　ours；　is　one　of　the　largest　ports　for　the　export
of　flour　on　the　Pacific　coast　north　of　Chili。　She　also　exports
several　millions　in　silver　annually；　which　finds　its　way　direct
to　the　English　market。　Under　an　intelligent　system；　the　Sonora
mines　would　yield　a　hundred　millions　a　year；　and　the　supply　is
inexhaustible。　If　any　reader　doubts　this　statement；　refer　him　to
the　statistics　of　Humboldt；　Ward；　and　Wilson；　most　unquestioned
and　valuable　authorities。　Both　Humboldt　and　Ward　note　the　fact
that　the　silver　deposites　grow　richer　as　they　are　traced　farther
North。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　most　extensive　and　valuable
mines；　both　of　pure　silver　and　silver　mixed　with　copper　and　lead；
are　within　the　limits　of　Arizona。

The　yield　of　the　silver　mines　of　Mexico；　as　computed　by　Ward　and
Humboldt　from　the　actual　official　returns　to　the　Government；　from
the　conquest　to　1803；　amounts　to　the　enormous　sum　of
2；027；955；000；　or　more　than　two　BILLIONS　Of　dollars。　Again；　Ward
says：　〃I　am　aware　that　many　of　the　statements　in　this　and　the
preceding　books　respecting　the　mineral　riches　of　the　North　of　New
Spain；　（Sonora；　including　the　'Gadsden　Purchase；'　Chihuahua；　and
Durango；）　will　be　thought　exaggerated。　THEY　ARE　NOT　SO；　they　will
be　confirmed　by　every　future　report；　and　in　after　years；　the
public；　FAMILIARIZED　WITH　facts　which　are　only　questioned　because
they　are　new；　will　wonder　at　its　present　incredulity；　and　regret
the　loss　of　advantages　which　may　not　always　be　within　its
reach。〃

Of　the　present　mining　operations　in　the　Territory　of　Arizona；　the
most　considerable；　in　point　of　labor　performed　and　results；　is
〃The　Arizona　Copper　Mining　Co。〃　This　company　is　incorporated　by
the　California　Legislature；　with　a　capital　of　one　million　of
dollars。　The　President　is　Major　Robert　Allen；　U。　S。　A。　The　mines
are　old；　and　very　celebrated　in　Mexico　under　the　name　of　El…Ajo。
This　company；　at　an　expense　of　100；000；　have　supplied　their
mines　with　an　abundance　of　water；　extracted　several　hundred　tons
of　ore；　and　erected　buildings；　smelting　furnaces；　and　other
appliances　to　facilitate　their　operations。　They　employ　about　one
hundred　men；　mostly　Mexican　miners。　Their　supplies　of　breadstuffs
and　beef　are　obtained　by　contract　from　Sonora。　These　mines　are
situated　one　hundred　and　thirty　miles　from　the　mouth　of　the　Gila
River；　and　about　sixty　miles　south　of　it。　The　ore　varies　in
richness　from　thirty　to　sixty　per　cent；　and　the　proceeds　of　some
sales　in　London　were　quoted　as　being　the　highest　prices　ever　paid
for　ore　in　that　market。　A　portion　of　this　mine　is　owned　by
English　capitalists；　and　it　is　without　doubt　one　of　the　most
valuable　in　the　world。　The　profits　may　be　easily　calculated；　when
it　is　known　that　the　ore　costs　delivered　in　Swansea；　England；　not
exceeding　125　per　ton；　and　is　worth　from　200　to　375　per　ton。
Of　course　these　profits　will　be　greatly　increased　when　the
company　is　in　a　position　to　smelt　its　ores　at　the　mine。　The
Sonora　Exploring　and　Mining　Company　was　organized　in　1856；　with　a
capital　of　two　million　dollars　（2；000；000）。　Its　principal　office
is　in　Cincinnati；　Ohio；　and　its　seat　of　operations　at　Tubac；　in
the　Santa　Cruz　valley。　This　company　is　managed　in　its　mining
operations　by　Chas。　D。　Poston；　Esq。；　a　gentleman　of　much
experience　on　the　Pacific　coast；　and　of　great　energy　of
character。

The　Rancho　of　Arivaca；　containing　several　valuable　silver　mines；
and　seventeen　thousand　acres　of　valuable　land；　has　been　purchased
by　this　company。　It　has　also　acquired　the　titles　to　a　number　of
other　valuable　mines　of　galena　ore；　and　copper　containing　silver
and　gold。　Hitherto；　the　exertions　of　the　company　have　been
directed　principally　to　explorations　and　cleaning　out　the　old
mines；　but　they　have　at　present　above　ground；　ready　for　smelting；
several　thousand　dollars　worth　of　their　ores。　Prof。　Booth；　U。　S。
Assayer；　as