memoir of the proposed territory of arizona- 第3部分

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　well　as　other　distinguished　authorities；　have；　after
thorough　experiment；　given　to　the　company　certificates　of　the
great　richness　of　the　ores　already　shipped　to　the　east。　The
annual　report　of　the　Sonora　Mining　Co。　is　full　of　interest　to　the
general　reader。　The　Sopori　mine　is　another　very　valuable
property。　It　is　owned　by　Messrs。　Douglass；　Aldrich；　and　another。
Want　of　capital　has　prevented　the　extensive　development　of　this
mine。　It　affords　its　proprietors　a　handsome　profit；　worked　in　the
smallest　and　cheapest　manner。　The　vein　is　of　great　size；　has　been
traced　several　rods　in　length；　and　pays　about　one　dollar　to　the
pound　of　ore。　The　writer　has　examined　specimens　from　the
〃Sopori；〃　taken　at　random；　and　so　rich　is　the　ore　that　the　native
silver　can　be　cut　out　of　it　with　a　penknife；　as　out　of　a　Mexican
dollar。　Undoubtedly　the　Sopori　mine　is　destined　to　yield　hundreds
of　millions。　It　is　a　peculiarity　of　the　ores　in　this　district
that　they　run　near　the　surface；　making　mining　of　comparative
small　cost。　The　Sopori　mine　is　surrounded　by　a　fine　country；　well
watered　and　wooded。　The　〃Gadsonia　Copper　Mining　Co。；〃　after
taking　out　a　few　tons　of　exceedingly　rich　oreaveraging　over
eighty　per　cent。was　obliged　to　suspend　operations　on　account　of
the　cost　of　transportation。　When　the　Territory　shall　be　organized
and　capital　protected　by　law；　these　mines　will　be　worked　to
advantage。　〃The　Gila　River　Copper　Mines〃　are　more　favorably
situated　than　any　other　yet　opened；　being　directly　on　the　Gila
River；　only　twenty…five　miles　from　its　mouth。　The　ores　can　be
taken　from　the　mine；　immediately　shipped　upon　flat　boats　or　a
light　draft　steamer；　and　transported　down　the　Colorado　River　to
the　head　of　the　Gulf　of　California；　when　they　can　be　transhipped
to　England　at　small　cost。　Upwards　of　twenty　veins　of　copper　ore
have　been　opened；　and　the　assays　give　results　varying　from　30　to
70　per　cent。　These　mines　are　owned　by　Messrs。　Hooper；　Hinton；
Halstead；　and　another。　Several　thousand　dollars　have　been　already
expended　in　prospecting　and　opening　veins；　and　it　was　anticipated
by　the　proprietors　that　the　first　cargo　would　be　shipped　to
Swansea；　England；　this　year。

Smelting　works　will　eventually　be　built　at　the　mines；　or　at
Colorado　City；　opposite　Fort　Yuma；　and　the　profits　of　this
company　must　be　very　great。　The　vicinity　of　the　Colorado；　and　the
abundance　of　wood　and　water；　give　the　proprietors　facilities　for
conducting　their　operations　at　small　cost。

Silver　mining　is　also　carried　on　in　the　vicinity　of　Mesilla
Valley；　and　near　the　Rio　Grande。　Many　other　mining　operations　are
constantly　being　commenced；　but　the　depredations　of　the　Apache
Indians　have　almost　entirely　snatched　success　from　the
hard…working　miner；　who；　besides　losing　his　all；　is　often
massacred　in　some　ferocious　manner。
孨o　protection；　either　civil　or　military；　is　extended　over　the
greater　portion　of　Arizona。　This　checks　the　development　of　all
her　resourcesnot　only　to　her　own　injury；　but　that　of　California
and　the　Atlantic　Statesby　withholding　a　market　for　their
productions；　and　the　bullion　which　she　is　fully　able　to　supply　to
an　extent　corresponding　to　the　labor　employed　in　obtaining　it。

A。　B。　Gray；　Esq。；　late　U。　S。　Surveyor　under　the　treaty　of
Guadalupe　Hidalgo；　for　running　the　Mexican　Boundary；　and
subsequently　Exploring　Engineer　and　Surveyor　of　the　Southern
Pacific　Railroad；　has　probably　seen　more　of　the　proposed
Territory　of　Arizona　than　any　other　person；　his　statements　in
reference　to　that　region；　embodied　in　a　report　to　the　Hon。；　the
Secretary　of　the　Interior；　from　actual　field　reconnoissances　six
years　ago；　will　be　read　with　much　interest；　particularly　as　since
then；　repeated　developments　in　that　country　have　proved　the
correctness　of　his　judgment；　his　opinions　are；　therefore；　of　much
importance；　as　expressed　in　his　able　report。　It　will　be
recollected　that　this　was　then　Mexican　Territory。　Colonel　Gray
says：

〃The　public；　I　think　have　been　misled　by　misrepresentations　made
in　regard　to　the　resources　of　the　region　of　country　lying　along
the　Gila　and　upon　the　line　proposed　for　a　railroad　at　or　near　the
parallel　of　32　degrees　north　latitude。　That　portion　of　country
east　of　the　Rio　Grande　I　can　say　but　little　of　from　personal
observation；　having　been　over　but　apart　of　the　ground　near　the
eastern　division　in　Texas；　and　that　in　the　vicinity　of　El　Paso。
At　both　these　points；　however；　a　fine　country　exists。　Upon　the
Gila　river　grows　cotton　of　the　most　superior　kind。　Its　nature　is
not　unlike　that　of　the　celebrated　Sea　Island　cotton；　possessing
an　equally　fine　texture；　and；　if　anything；　more　of　a　silky　fibre。
The　samples　I　procured　at　the　Indian　villages；　from　the　rudely
cultivated　fields　of　the　Pimas　and　Maricopas；　have　been　spoken　of
as　an　extraordinary　quality。　Wheat；　corn；　and　tobacco；　together
with　beans；　melons；　etc。；　grow　likewise　upon　the　banks　and　in　the
valleys　bordering　the　Gila　and　its　tributaries。　The　sugar　cane；
too；　I　believe；　will　be　found　to　thrive　in　this　section　of　the
country　west　of　the　Rio　San　Pedro。　A　sort　of　candied　preserve　and
molasses；　expressed　from　the　fruit　of　the　cereus　giganteus　and
agave　Americana　was　found　by　our　party　in　1851；　as　we　passed
through　the　Pinal　Llano　camps　and　among　the　Gila　tribes；　to　be
most　acceptable。　The　candied　preserve　was　a　most　excellent
substitute　for　sugar。　It　is　true　that　there　are　extensive　wastes
to　be　encountered　west　of　the　Rio　Grande；　yet　they　are　not
deserts　of　sand；　but　plains　covered　at　certain　seasons　of　the
year　with　luxuriant　grass；　exhibiting　green　spots　and　springs　not
very　remote　from　each　other　at　all　times。　There　is　sufficient
water　in　the　Gila　and　its　branches　for　all　the　purposes　of
irrigation　when　it　is　wanted；　the　streams　being　high　during　the
season　most　needed。　The　Rio　Salado；　a　tributary　of　the　Gila；　is　a
bold　and　far　more　beautiful　river　than　the　Gila　itself；　and；　from
the　old　ruins　now　seen　there；　must　have　had　formerly　a　large
settlement　upon　its　banks。　〃To　many　persons　merely　travelling　or
emigrating　across　the　c