CHAPTER IX. CONDITIONS IN ARIZONA IN 1863 and 1864. RESULT OF WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS - FURTHER LETTERS OF JONATHAN RICHMOND - PROSPECTING LACK OF WATER IMPEDES MINING HIGH PRICES OF PROVISIONS-ASSIGNMENT OF JUDICIAL DISTRICTS METHODS OF EXPLOITING PROSPECTS- EXPENSE OF SAME -ORGANIZATION OF COURTS-FIRST TERM OF COURT OF YAVAPAI COUNTY-FIRST SESSION OF SUPREME COURT OF TERRITORY SUPREME COURT REPORTS, IRREGULAR PUBLICATION OF EARLY LAWYERS OF TERRITORY-COMMENCEMENT OF TERRITORIAL AND STATE LIBRARY. As before noted, the troops having been withdrawn from the Territory, in 1863, everything was left in chaos. Fields were abandoned, mines deserted, and towns depopulated all through the southern part of Arizona. The Indians were practically left to roam at will and murder and rob at pleasure, the only resistance being on the part of a few Mexicans and whites congregated in and around Tucson, and the Pima, Maricopa and Papago Indians. The state of affairs as it existed in Southern Arizona at that time cannot be better described than in the following series of letters from Jonathan Richmond to his relatives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to whom we are indebted for a graphic description of the journey of the Governor's party across the plains to Prescott, and the condition of affairs in Northern Arizona. These letters are as follows: "Dear Father: "Tucson, Arizona Ter. "April 2nd, 1864. "When we arrived on the 28th ult., from Fort Whipple and the mines, found Judge Howell and Ex-Gov. Bashford comfortably located in a doby building adjoining a horse corral, (aristocratic). "My experience in the mining districts I suppose you are anxious to learn of. So, using a sea phrase, 'Here you have it.' I left Fort Whipple on the morning of Jany. 25th. My companion and ever stanch friend, Moses B. (jackass) bore upon his back some of the luxuries of these wilds, i. e., a few pounds of flour, bacon, beans, and coffee together with my mining tools, consisting of a pick, shovel, and mining pan, in all about one hundred and twenty pounds, a light load for a jack, which can easily carry from two hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds. On camping at night at Forbes, Sheldon & Smith's Ranch, (one mile from Granite Creek Diggings, and twenty-five from Fort Whipple), I was joined by my friend, Wm. Thompson, who came from the States with us as Deputy Postmaster, who joined me for a prospect in the mines. "Daylight of the 26th found us en route by a trail for Walker's Diggings some fourteen miles distant, which place we made about five p. m., having crossed five of the highest mountains in the country, besides passing through several dangerous canyons where our eyes were pretty busy reconnoitering for Mr. Tonto Apache, who very frequently gets the 'fall' on the 'honest miner.' We stopped at the first cabin on the Gulch, and in the morning strolled up the Gulch six miles, the distance which is 'claimed.' On our return we dined, by invitation, with Mr. St. James, a gentleman from Denver, Colo., who has a store on the Gulch. He gave us some valuable information regarding the mines, laws, etc. He also introduced us to Mr. Smith, Recorder for the District, who politely opened his records and presented us with a written copy of the laws. "We found that the mines were not worked to a great extent on account of the scarcity of water. There were while I was there but a few claims which had water on them. The workers of the few lucky claims were making from ten to one hundred dollars per day. Many claims had been taken up by miners who have since left the country and are now 'jumpable,' the law requiring that each claim shall be worked every ten days in order that the claimant may hold it. "During the night snow fell to the depth of three feet, and quite a number of 'hackells' (small cabins) were hidden beneath the drifts. At roll-call Mose turned up missing, and a search was immediately instituted by my partner and myself. We started for the side of the mountain where the snow was not so deep as in the Gulch; thinking he might have strayed in search of the very scarce article of sacarta, (grass). After looking around for about an hour, thinking whether or not we had better give up the search, we stopped to rest and consider. Thompson sat down on what he supposed was the fallen limb of a tree. Imagine his surprise at being suddenly pitched headlong into the snow by the rising of the lost jackass which had been so snowed in as to leave only the top of his head and his ears exposed, forming a tempting chair for his weary pursuers. By means of a good deal of hard tugging we got the old fellow down to the cabin before a blazing fire where he gradually thawed out. "We remained in the Gulch ten days, prospecting several deserted claims, but found nothing that would warrant our locating. Many of the miners were about leaving to join the Gov.'s expedition going East to the Francisco and Salt Rivers, seeking a site for the capital in a region which many supposed to be richer in minerals than any yet discovered. "On leaving Walker's we returned to Forbes ranch, where we met Surv. Genl. Bashford and Atty. Gage. The Surveyor being anxious to make prospects and get specimens and information in view of a report to the Dept., we joined him and put in a sluice on Granite Creek, which we ran until the water failed, (forty-eight hours), finding gold in almost every pan of dirt. As soon as the water fails, the digging suspends, the miner fails, pulls up stakes, and leaves. There are in Walker's, Granite Creek and the Hasiamp Diggings, about four hundred miners, most of whom have located quartz leads (lodes) and are holding on for capitalists to come in with means and machinery. The country is rich, but the scarcity of water ruins many a man's castles. "On returning to Fort Whipple Mar. 4th, I joined a small party, Maj. Duffield (U. S. Marshal) and others, about starting for Tucson. (I joined them and started on the 5th.) We made our first camp about twenty-five miles from the Fort; signs of Indians were numerous, but with a watchful guard, bowie knife and pistols at our belts, shot-guns with charges of eighteen six-shooter bullets to the barrel, within reach, we straightened out upon a soft rock and slept as comfortably as has been usual since our arrival upon the red man's hunting grounds, intrusting ourselves to Him who watches over the virtuous and the good. Since Morehouse and myself had that severe skirmish with the Indians before reaching Fort Whipple, my forelock seems dearer to me than ever. "At about daybreak Capt. Butcher of 11 Mo. Vol., came up with a detachment of his company, having left Fort Whipple during the night upon hearing that the Indians were in strong force upon the lower Hasiamp Diggings and had killed that day five Mexicans and three Americans. The Capt. thought it unsafe for such a small party as ours to proceed further, and advised us to go with him to the Hasiamp, whence, if necessary, he would give us an escort. We acceded, of course, and were not long making up our minds, knowing that by going with him we were sure of protection and but about twelve hours out of our time. On our arrival at Vickroy's cabin on the Hasiamp, we found about fifty miners congregated for protection. Indians had been seen at different points during the day and a large number of campfires appeared at night on the mountains. The Major being anxious to proceed southward, in the morning we were furnished with an escort and proceeded via trail to Antelope. We passed the dead bodies of the five Mexicans who had been killed the day before. They were muti |