Mails was carried three times a week through this Territory from San Diego, California, to Mesilla, in New Mexico, via Arizona City, Maricopa Wells, Sacaton, Sanford, Florence, Tucson and Camp Bowie, and there are post-offices at each of the points named. The mails are carried with regularity on this route, except when interrupted by Indians. Three mails have been taken the present year east of Tucson and one west. From Tucson to San Diego there is a very comfortable stage line. The time required to make the trip is six days, and the fare is ninety dollars. From Tucson to Mesilla a buck-board is run, but the road is not safe nor the accommodations comfortable.
A mail is carried twice a week from Los Angeles to Prescott, via San Bernardino, La Paz, Eherenburg, Wickenburg and Camp Date Creek. There are post offices at each of these points. There is a good stage line the entire distance. The time required from Los Angeles to Prescott is about seven days, and the price of fare about ninety dollars. There is also a mail carried twice a week from Wickenburg via Phoenix, Camp McDowell, Florence and Camp Grant, to Tucson. A weekly mail from Arizona City, via Eherenbnrg, La Paz, Mohave and Hardyville, to St. George, in Utah Territory; also a weekly mail from Maricopa Wells to Phoenix, and a weekly mail from Tucson to the Sonora line. There are money order post offices at Tucson, Arizona City and Prescott; and Wells, Fargo & Co. have express offices at Arizona City and Eherenburg.
WAGON ROADS
There is a good wagon road from San Diego, in California, crossing the Colorado River at Arizona City and following up the Gila to Florence, thence to Tucson. Considerable freighting is done over this road, from San Diego to Southern Arizona, at about two hundred and sixty dollars per ton. From Tucson this road extends to Santa Fe, and is excellent all the way. This road can be reached by good wagon roads from any of the Southern or Western States. Goods are shipped from New York to the terminus of the Kana Pacific Railroad, and brought over this route at three hundred and sixty dollars per ton. Persons desiring to emigrate or drive stock to Southern Arizona or California, will find this a favorable road to travel on. Good grass and water can be found at nearly every point. Emigrants desiring to settle in this country would find it to their advantage to purchase good wagons and such stock as would be serviceable to them after they arrived here, and come this way. With care, a company of thirty, well armed, could come with comparative safety.
There is an excellent wagon road from Los Angeles, via San Bernardino, La Paz, Eherenburg and Wickenburg, to Prescott, and from Los Angeles, via Mohave and Hardyville, to Prescott. There is also an excellent wagon road from Prescott, via Albuquerque, to Santa Fe, which is connected by good wagon roads with all the Southern and Western States. There is an abundance of good water and grass on this road, and emigrants to Central Arizona or California, or persons driving stock to either place, will find it an advantageous road to travel on. Emigrants from California, or coming via San Francisco, can purchase at Los Angeles or San Diego teams and supplies at reasonable rates.
The fare from San Francisco to San Diego or Los Angeles is from ten to fifteen dollars. Nearly every point in Arizona is connected with a good wagon road. The country is so formed that good natural roads are obtained almost everywhere.
RAILROADS
The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company have a charter, with land grants, to build a road along and near the thirty-fifth parallel, to the Pacific Ocean. The road is built, and the ears are running from St. Louis into Indian Territory, and is being rapidly constructed through that Territory. The road will undoubtedly be constructed to the Arizona line in less than three years.
The Texas Pacific Railroad Company have a charter, with land grants, to build a road on or near the thirty-second parallel, from Marshall, in Texas, to San Diego, California. The charter is held by responsible parties, and it is confidently expected the road will soon be commenced and prosecuted to completion energetically.
Source: Resources Of Arizona Territory. Francis & Valentine, Steam Printers And Engravers. 1871.