memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第5章

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along　the　whole　course　of　the　Rio　Grande。　The　town　of　Mesilla；
only　a　few　years　old；　contains　several　thousand　people；　and　is　a
prosperous　little　place。　It　was　not　settled　until　after　the
cession　of　this　territory　to　us　by　the　treaty　of　Guadalupe
Hidalgo。　Portions　of　the　valley　are　highly　cultivated；　and
produce　the　grains　and　fruits　of　our　most　thriving　States。　In
connexion　with　the　land　on　the　east　side　of　the　river；　the　valley
of　the　Messilla　is　capable　of　sustaining　a　considerable
population。　It　is　situated　centrally　with　regard　to　a　large
district　of　country　of　lesser　agricultural　capacity。　The　section
of　the　Rio　Grande　in　the　vicinity　of　El　Paso　and　the　valley　of
Mesilla；　is　proverbial　for　the　production　of　fine　vegetables　and
fruits。　Indeed；　about　El　Paso；　it　is　a　complete　garden　with
flourishing　vineyards；　equalling　in　excellence　those　of　the　most
celebrated　grape　growing　countries。

〃By　a　judicious　disposition　of　military　stations　along　this　line；
only　a　few　troops　would　be　required　to　protect　the　great　northern
frontier　of　Sonora　and　Chihuahua；　and　enable　us　to　carry　out　the
llth　article　of　our　late　treaty　with　Mexico　more　effectually；　and
at　the　same　time　prevent　any　depredations　which　the　Indians　might
be　disposed　to　commit　on　the　road。　Soon　after；　the　settlement　of
the　country　would　make　the　presence　of　the　military　unnecessary；
either　for　the　safety　of　a　railway　of　the　security　of　the
frontier。　The　strong　holds　of　the　Apaches；　and　their　pathway　to
Mexico；　would　be　cut　off。

〃A　wagon　road　established　from　the　Gulf　of　California　would
enable　supplies　to　be　transported　along　this　line　at　one…half　of
the　present　cost。　The　saving　of　one…third　or　more　distance；
through　a　comparatively　unsettled　country；　in　transportation　is
an　important　consideration　in　the　construction　of　a　railway；　more
especially　when　men　and　materials；　to　a　great　extent；　must　be
brought　from　very　remote　points。　The　navigation　of　the　Gulf　of
California　is　said　to　be　very　good。　The　trade…winds　from　the
northwest；　encountering　the　highlands　of　the　peninsula　of　Lower
California；　and　forming　a　counter　current　under　its　lee；　enable
sailing　vessels　to　proceed　advantageously　along　that　coast。
Returning；　by　keeping　on　the　eastern　aide；　or　along　the　shore　of
Sonora；　they　could　avail　themselves　of　the　prevailing　winds；
which　regain　their　usual　direction　after　sweeping　across　the　wide
expanse　of　water。　The　trade　of　the　Gulf；　with　its　pearl　fisheries
and　other　resources；　would　be　speedily　developed。

　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　

〃The　advantages　of　such　a　thoroughfare　are　obvious。　Five　years
would　hardly　elapse　before　inestimable　benefits　would　be
realized；　and；　should　war　threaten　our　Pacific　possessions；　a　few
days　would　suffice　to　send　from　the　Mississippi　valley　an　army
that　would　defy　any　force　that　the　most　formidable　power　could
array　against　us。　The　fine　cotton　region　of　the　Gila；　the　rich
copper；　silver；　and　gold　mines　of　New　Mexico　and　Sonora　would　be
at　once　developed；　bringing　a　vast　district　of　country　into
cultivation　which　now　presents　a　fruitless　waste；　owing　to　Indian
depredations　and　the　absence　of　means　of　communication　and
protection。　Mexico　has　tried　for　a　century　past　to　insure　safety
to　her　inhabitants　in　this　region；　but　notwithstanding　the
expense　she　has　incurred　in　keeping　up　her　garrisons；　she　has
failed　to　afford　them　protection。

〃The　deserted　appearance　of　the　country　from　El　Paso　to　the
Colorado　is　no　criterion　by　which　to　judge　of　its　value。　The
beautiful　valley　of　San　Xavier；　or　Santa　Cruz；　some　two　years　ago
when　I　passed　through　it；　was　entirely　deserted。　The　once
thriving　towns　of　Tumacacori　and　Tubac　had　not　the　sign　of　a
living　soul　about　them　except　the　recent　moccasin　track　of　the
Apaches。　The　orchards　and　vineyards　of　the　once　highly　cultivated
fields　and　gardens　bore　the　marks　of　gradual　decay　and
destruction。　The　ranchos　of　Calabazas；　of　San　Bernardino；　and
numerous　other　places　on　this　frontier；　presented　the　same
melancholy　aspect；　the　result　of　the　inability　of　Mexico　to
protect　this　portion　of　territory　from　the　inroads　of　the
savages。　There　are　now　but　a　few　settlements　throughout　this
district　of　country；　but　were　it　protected　by　a　power　that　could
and　would　defend　it；　what　is　now　a　waste　in　the　hands　of　the
savages　might　become　a　thriving　country；　with　safety　insured　to
its　inhabitants。〃　Senate　Ex。　Doc。　No。　55；　33rd　Congress；　2nd
Sess。

I　quote　the　following　language　of　Gray；　from　subsequent
explorations　made　by　him；　three　years　after　his　first　expedition；
and　contained　in　his　report　to　the　Southern　Pacific　Railroad
Company。　It　was　chiefly　from　the　discoveries　made　by　Gray；　in
this　adventurous　expedition；　through　regions　unknown　for　many
years　past；　between　the　Rio　Grande　and　Gulf　of　California；
together　with　the　Gadsden　Treaty；　that　induced　parties　at　great
expense　to　emigrate　there；　and　commence　working　the　vast　mineral
deposites；　such　as　the　Arabac　silver　mines；　the　Ajo　copper
mountain；　and　others；　but　which；　through　lack　of　proper
protection　and　means　of　communication；　have　been　greatly　retarded
in　their　development。

After　crossing　the　dividing　ridge　of　the　continent　west　of　the
Rio　Grande；　Gray　thus　alludes　to　the　country：

〃There　were　large　haciendas　and　fine　cattle　ranches　in　this
neighborhood；　until　a　war　of　extermination　was　declared　by　the
Apaches　against　the　Mexicans。　Remains　of　the　old　San　Pedro　ranch
are　seen　at　this　day；　also　the　〃Tres　Alamos；〃　and　the　ruins　of
the　hacienda　of　Babacomeri；　whose　walls　and　towers　are　still
standing。　These　were　among　the　wealthiest　of　Sonora　in　horses；
cattle；　sheep；　etc。；　but　it　has　been　many　years　since。　It　is　a
fine　grazing　region；　with　wild　cattle　and　mustangs　constantly
seen　roaming　over　the　plains。　The　district　from　San　Pedro　to
Santa　Cruz　valley；　nearly　due　west　from　our　present　crossing
（latitude　31　degrees　34　minutes）；　will　be　to　the　Pacific　slope
what　the　region　of　Fort　Chadbourne；　in　Texas；　will　be　to　the
Atlantic。　The　mountains　and　hills　are　covered　with　splendid
timber　of　the　largest　size；　and　for　all　purposes；　and　the　valleys
are　full　of　springs；　and　the　finest　grass。　To　Tubac；　a　town　in
the　valley　of　Santa　Cruz；　it　is　69　miles。　This　is　by　following
the　San　Pedro　about　a　league；　passing　over　a　few　insignificant
spurs；　and　ascending　the　Rio　Babacomeri；　thence　continuing
westward　by　a　gradual　rise　over　delightful　plains　to　the　divide
between　that　and　the　Sonoita　or　Clover　creek；　and　along　the
latter；　until　it　loses　itself　in　the　porous　earth；　a　mile　from
the　Santa　Cruz　river；　and　by　the　broad　valley　of　that　stream　to
Tubac。〃

　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*

Of　the　line　of　Gray's　exploration　from　the　Rio　San　Pedro；　he
says：

〃It　passes　through　the　most　desirable　region；　with　the　hills　and
mountains　for　forty　miles；　containing　inexhaustible　quantities　of
timber。　We　noticed　tall　cedar　and　oaks　of　every　description；　one
kind　more　interesting　than　the　others；　being　a　white　oak　from
twenty　to　forty　feet　in　the　body。　Pine　and　spruce；　with　superior
white　ash　and　walnut；　were　found；　and　the　most　gigantic
cotton…woods；　particularly　on　the　Sonoita。　*　*　*　*　〃The　mountains
in　the　neighborhood　are　filled　with　minerals；　and　the　precious
metals　are　said　to　abound。　The　famous　Planchas　de　Plata　and
Arizona　silver　mines；　which　the　Count　Raouset　de　Boulbon
attempted　to　take　possession　of；　are　in　this　section　of　country；
not　many　miles　below　the　present　limits；　and　at　several　of　the
old　ranchos　and　deserted　mining　villages　which　we　visited；　were
found　the　argentiferous　galena　ore　and　gold。　The　Sierra　Santa
Rita　runs　along　to　the　east　of　the　Santa　Cruz　valley；　and　forms　a
part　of　this　interesting　region。　It　is　very　high　and　bold；　filled
with　fertile　valleys　and　flowing　rivulets；　and　covered　with　a
dense　growth　of　timber。　I　saw　much　of　this　district；　when　here　in
1851；　on　the　survey　of　the　boundry。〃

　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*

The　country　bordering　immediately　the　head　of　the　Gulf　of
California；　through　which　Gray　was　probably　the　first　to
penetrate；　lies　adjacent　to　the　proposed　Arizona　Territory；　but
not　a　part　of　the　same；　being　a　portion　of　the　State　of　Sonora。┆He　t