782 



TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



for working them -are of a superior order. At the 

 ledges is an abundant supply of wood and water; 

 near at band are grazing and farming lands, and 

 roads may be opened in every direction without great 

 cost. Some of the streams are dry at certain seasons, 

 which fact renders placer mining an uncertain enter- 

 prise in this part as in other parts of the Territory ; 

 out for quartz mining there could not possibly be a 

 more inviting locality. The altitude is so great that 

 the temperature is never oppressively warm; and 

 1he nights, even in midsummer, are refreshingly cool 

 and bracing. The ascent from the river by the roads 

 from La Puz and Mojave is so easy, that with the 

 small amount of work already done upon the same, 

 the heaviest machinery may be readily transported. 

 The distance by either road is about one hundred 

 and sixty miles, and the charge for freight from six 

 to eight cents per pound. Contracts may now be 

 made for the delivery of machinery at Prescott from 

 San Francisco, via the Colorado," for ten cents per 

 pound. 



Weaver and Wickenburg, upon the Hassay- 

 ampa, south of Prescott, are important mining 

 centres eastward from Prescott, upon the Agua 

 Frio, the Verde, the Salinas, and other streams, 

 to tne New Mexican line ; exploring parties have 

 discovered evidences of great mineral wealth 

 and excellent agricultural districts. Northward 

 to the villages of the Moquis, and the San Juan 

 River, the country is but little known, but be- 

 lieved to be prolific in the precious ores and in 

 timber. Some of the most promising districts 

 Lave never yet been prospected. In the opinion 

 of many persons, the richest mines lie in the 

 unexplored eastern part of the Territory.' For 

 a year after the organization of its government, 

 the Territory was without a mail or post-office. 

 Now a weekly mail is established from Los 

 Angeles to Prescott, and eastward to Santa Fe, 

 via the 35th parallel, where it connects with 

 that for the Missouri River. Other routes 

 have been proposed, and a company is organ- 

 ized to furnish telegraphic communication be- 

 tween Los Angeles and Prescott, and so put the 

 Territory in immediate communication both 

 with the Pacific and Atlantic coast. 



Being primarily a quartz mining country, 

 Arizona has not increased so rapidly as other 

 Western Territories, to which the quick returns 

 from surface mining have attracted a large but 

 often fluctuating population. With the aid of 

 machinery and capital, and ready communica- 

 tions with more settled regions, a steady increase 

 in population may be expected. The present 

 number of inhabitants is between 15,000 and 

 20,000, exclusive of Indians. The latter have 

 proved a serious hindrance to the growth and 

 prosperity of the Territory ; but in consequence 

 of the superior ability of the United States Gov- 

 ernment to strengthen the military posts there, 

 a considerable abatement of this nuisance may 

 be expected. Arizona is at present divided into 

 four counties, each named from a prominent 

 Indian tribe residing within its borders: Mo- 

 jave, Pirn a, Yarapai, and Yuma. The Territo- 

 rial government is the same as in 1864. An 

 election was held in September for delegates to 

 Congress, at which 1,343 votes were cast, re- 

 tLting in the choice of John N. Goodwin, a 



supporter of the administration. The Territorial 

 Legislature consists of seven members, four for 

 Yarapai, and one for each of the other three 

 counties. 



Dakota. The absence of any special attrac- 

 tions in the form of rich deposits of the pre- 

 cious metals, has caused the progress of this Ter- 

 ritory in population or agricultural development 

 to be less marked than that of some others. 

 The chief sources of wealth continue to be the 

 various kinds of furs yielded by its forests and 

 plains, and which find a ready market in the 

 Eastern States. A very serious obstacle to im- 

 migration has been the hostility of the Sioux 

 and other Indian tribes living within the Terri- 

 tory, who, in spite of the efforts of the Govern- 

 ment, backed by a large military force, main- 

 tained during the year a predatory warfare 

 along the great routes of travel connecting the 

 valley of the Mississippi with the Pacific coast. 

 Many stations of the overland mail routes were 

 plundered and burned; small, isolated bands of 

 emigrants were cut off and murdered ; and travel 

 across the Rocky Mountains was rendered un- 

 safe unless by large bands, having a military 

 escort. During the spring and summer the 

 Government largely increased its forces west of 

 the Missouri River, a portion being composed of 

 men lately in the Confederate military service ; 

 and the vigorous measures adopted by Generals 

 Connor and Sully, soon induced the Indians to 

 sue for peace. On the recommendation of 

 these officers, a commission, composed of offi- 

 cers of the array and civilians, was sent to the 

 Upper Arkansas and the Upper Missouri, and 

 satisfactory treaties were made with such of the 

 tribes as could be reached before the close of 

 the season. The Territorial officers of Dakota 

 are the same as in 1864. An election for mem- 

 bers of the Legislature was held in the Territory 

 on October 6th, at which the Republicans were 

 successful. 



Idaho. The almost incalculable richness of 

 the mineral deposits of this Territory has at- 

 tracted thither a large population, although for 

 how long a time it is destined to receive so 

 rapid an influx cannot now be determined. 

 The present number of inhabitants is consider- 

 ably over twenty thousand. The capital was 

 in 1865, by act of the Legislature, removed from 

 Lewiston to Boise City, a substantial town of 

 about one thousand two hundred inhabitants, 

 in the southwestern part of the Territory. It 

 is the depot for all the mining region so far dis- 

 covered in Southern Idaho, although there are 

 no mines within twenty-five miles of the town. 

 The principal town of the Territory is Idaho 

 City, thirty-five miles north of Boise City, situ- 

 ated in the heart of a rich "placer" district, 

 and containing from five thousand to seven 

 thousand inhabitants on week days, and double 

 that number on Sundays, when the miners for 

 miles around assemble there for business or 

 pleasure. In the latter part of May, 1865, the 

 town was nearly destroyed by fire, the loss of 

 property being estimated at $1,500,000; but 



