memoir of the proposed territory of arizona-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Mining　Company；　and　now　boasts　a　population　of　several　hundred。
The　Calabazas　valley　is　also　fast　filling　up　with　an　American
population；　and　another　year　will　see　the　whole　centre　of　the
Territory　dotted　with　settlements。　Many　of　the　fine　claims　on　the
San　Pedro　River　have　already　been　located　by　emigrants　under　the
general　pre…emption　law；　but　until　protection　is　afforded　to　the
settlers；　but　little　progress　will　be　made　in　agricultural
pursuits。　The　Apache　Indian　regards　the　soil　as　his　own；　and
having　expelled　the　Spanish　and　Mexican　invader；　he　feels　little
inclination　to　submit　to　the　American。　A　small　settlement　of
Americans　is　growing　up　at　Colorado　city；　opposite　Fort　Yuma；　at
the　junction　of　the　Gila　and　Colorado　rivers。　This　point　is
destined　to　be　one　of　great　commercial　and　pecuniary　importance。
Situated　at　the　present　head　of　navigation；　at　the　point　where
the　overland　mail　route　crosses　the　Colorado；　and　where　the
Southern　Pacific　Railroad　must　bridge　the　stream；　it　is　a
necessary　stopping　place　for　all　travel　across　the　country。　Here
are　transhipped　all　the　ores　coming　from　the　Territory；　which
find　their　way　to　market　down　the　Colorado　to　the　Gulf　of
California；　thence　by　steamer　or　sailing　vessel　to　their
destination。　Here　all　supplies　of　merchandise　for　the　Territory
are　landed；　and　from　this　point　forwarded　to　their　various
owners。　A　thriving　commerce　has　already　sprung　up　between　Arizona
and　San　Francisco。　In　almost　any　daily　paper　in　San　Francisco　may
be　seen　vessels　advertised　for　the　mouth　of　the　Colorado。　Two
steamers　find　active　employment　in　transporting　government　stores
from　the　head　of　the　Gulf　of　California　to　Fort　Yuma；　and　goods
to　Colorado　city　for　the　merchants　of　Tueson；　Tubac；　Calabazas；
and　for　the　mining　companies。　Should　the　exploration　of　the　Upper
Colorado　by　Lieutenant　Ives；　United　States　Army；　now　in　progress；
prove　successful；　Colorado　city　will　become　still　more　important；
as　the　surplus　products　of　the　rich　valleys　of　New　Mexico；　Utah；
and　California　to　the　north；　will　all　find　a　market　down　the
Colorado。　Property　in　this　new　city　is　held　at　high　rates；　and　by
the　last　San　Francisco　News　Letter　is　quoted　at　an　advance。　The
population　of　Arizona　Territory　has　much　increased　within　a　few
months　by　emigration　from　California。　The　massacre　of　Henry　A。
Crabbe　and　his　party　by　the　Mexicans　at　Cavorca　created　a　desire
for　revenge　throughout　all　California。　Companies　have　been
formed；　and　large　parties　are　settling　in　Arizona；　near　the
Mexican　line；　with　the　ulterior　object　of　overrunning　Sonora；　and
revenging　the　tragedy　in　which　was　shed　some　of　the　best　blood　of
the　State。　The　appropriation　by　the　last　Congress　of　two　hundred
thousand　dollars　for　the　construction　of　a　wagon　road　from　El
Paso　to　Fort　Yuma；　and　the　two　mail　contracts；　semi…monthly　and
semi…weekly；　which　involve　an　expenditure　of　nine　hundred
thousand　dollars　per　annum；　will　afford　employment　to　a　host　of
people；　and　draw　at　once　to　the　neighborhood　of　the　route　an
active　and　energetic　population。　The　new　wagon　and　mail　route
traverses　the　Territory　of　Arizona　throughout　its　entire　length。
Along　the　mail　route；　at　intervals；　military　posts　will　be
established。　These　and　the　necessary　grazing　stations　will　create
points　around　which　settlements　will　at　once　grow　up；　and　the
country；　now　bare；　will　show　everywhere　thriving　villages。　The
Southern　Pacific　Railroad；　which　will　be　built　because　it　is
necessary　to　the　country；　will　find　its　way　easily　through
Arizona。

It　is　no　exaggeration　to　say　that　the　mining　companies；　in　their
own　interest；　will　be　forced　to　subscribe　enough　to　the　stock　of
the　company　to　insure　its　success。　The　Arizona　Copper　Mining
Company　is　now　paying　100　per　ton　for　the　transportation　of　its
ores　from　the　mines　to　Colorado　city。　One　year's　freight　money　at
this　rate　would　build　many　miles　of　the　road。　The　silver　mining
companies　will　be　only　too　glad　to　get　their　ores　to　market　at　so
cheap　a　rate；　as　their　proportion　of　the　subscription　to　the
railroad。　Iron　and　coal　are　both　found　in　the　Territory；the
former　especially　in　great　abundance。　Texas　has　guaranteed　the
road　to　El　Paso；　by　her　generous　legislation；　Arizona　will　build
it；　with　her　mineral　wealth；　to　Fort　Yuma；　the　eastern　boundary
of　California；　and　California　will　do　the　rest。　The　first
terminus　of　the　Southern　Pacific　Railroad　will　doubt　less　be　on
the　Gulf　of　California；　at　the　Island　of　Tiburon；　or　more
probably　Guyamas。　A　steam　ferry　across　the　Gulf；　a　short　railroad
across　the　peninsula　of　Lower　California　to　a　secure　harbor　on
the　Pacific；　（where　a　steamer　will　take　passengers　and　freight　in
four　days　to　San　Francisco；）　is　the　most　natural　course　of　this
route。　In　view　of　this　probability；　all　the　available　points　for
such　a　terminus　on　the　Gulf　have　been；　or　are　in　progress　of
being；　secured　by　capitalists；　either　by　obtaining　grants　from
the　Mexican　Government；　or　by　purchase　from　private　individuals。
Already　Guyamas　is　owned　in　great　part　by　English　and　American
capitalists。　A　port　on　the　Gulf　of　California　is　necessary　to　our
Pacific　possessions；　and　must　be　ours　sooner　or　later。　The　longer
it　is　delayed；　the　worse　for　American　progress　on　the　Pacific。
Arizona　needs　it　at　once；　as　a　depot　for　the　export　of　her　ores；
and　for　the　import　of　goods　for　the　supply　of　her　population。

The　Mormon　war　has　closed　for　years　the　great　emigrant　road　to
California　and　Oregon；　over　the　South　Pass　and　Salt　Lake　valley；
leaving　open　only　the　route　along　the　32d　parallel　of　latitude；
through　Arizona。　This　route　is　by　far　the　most　practicable　at　all
seasons　of　the　year；　and　the　closing　of　the　South　Pass　route　by
the　Mormon　difficulty　is　an　additional　and　urgent　argument　in
favor　of　the　early　organization　of　this　Territory。　Fifty　thousand
souls　will　move　towards　the　Pacific　early　in　the　spring；　if　the
route　is　opened　to　a　secure　passage。

The　present　condition　of　Arizona　Territory　is　deplorable　in　the
extreme。　Throughout　the　whole　country　there　is　no　redress　for
crimes　or　civil　injuries…﹏o　courts；　no　law；　no　magistrates。　The
Territory　of　New　Mexico；　to　which　it　is　attached　by　an　act　of
Congress；　affords　it　neither　protection　nor　sustenance。　The
following　extracts　from　letters　received　by　the　writer　tell　the
story　of　the　necessity　for　early　action　on　the　part　of　Congress；
in　urgent　terms。


TUBAC；　GADSDEN　PURCHASE；　August　15；　1857。

Affairs　in　the　Territory　have　not　improved。　A　party　of　Americans
（our　countrymen）　had　made　an　〃excursion〃　into　Sonora；　captured　a
train　of　mules；　and　killed　several　Mexicans。　Upon　their　return　to
the　Territory　with　their　ill…gotten　booty；　the　citizens　formed　a
company　and　took　the　property　away　from　them；　and　returned　it　to
the　owners　in　Magdalena；　＇a　town　of　Sonora┅Ed。＇　and　delivered
the　robbers　up　to　Major　Steen；　commanding　first　dragoons；　to　be
held　in　custody　until　Courts　should　be　organized。　They　have　again
been　turned　loose　upon　the　community。　In　justice　to　Major
Fitzgerald　I　must　say　he　was　in　favor　of　retaining　them　in
custody；　and　has　generally　maintained　favoring　law　and　order　in
the　Territory；　but　as　he　is　only　second　in　command　he　has　no
absolute　authority。

We　have　no　remedy　but　to　follow　the　example　so　wide　spread　in　the
Union；　and　form　a　〃Vigilance　Committee〃contrary　to　all　good
morals；　law；　order；　and　society。　Can　you　do　nothing　to　induce　the
government　to　establish　authority　and　law　in　this　country；　and
avert　this　unhappy　alternative？

It　is　not　desired　by　any　good　citizens；　and　tends　to　anarchy　and
mobocracy；　causing　disloyalty　in　our　own　citizens　and　bringing
the　reproach　of　foreigners　upon　our　republican　institutions。　It
is　impossible　to　progress　in　developing　the　resources　of　the
country　under　this　state　of　affairs。　The　greatest　objection　the
capitalists　of　San　Francisco　have　to　aiding　me　in　the　development
of　silver　mines；　is　the　insecurity　of　property；　want　of
protection　from　government；　and　general　distrust　of　fair　and
honest　legislation。

They　have　no　confidence　that　the　guarantees　of　the　GADSDEN　TREATY
will　be　respected　by　the　United　States；　in　regard　to　land　titl