The workingman's advocate., 1869-05-22
Arizona.

Die lands, broken by mountain ranges, and
interspersed with fertile valleys and sandy
wastes. Its northern and northeastern por-
uons are comparatively unexplored, and
mostly IN the occupancy Of Indians South
OF the Gila, and west of the 18th meridian,
the country is sandy, supposed not generally
arabic, except along the river. In other po--
tons there are many beautiful valleys, con :
tanning millions Of acres Of extraordinary
fertilitv, producing wheat, barley, oats, to-
baceo, fruits and vegetables. In the south,
cotton and sugar crops are remunerative.
and on the hills and mountain sides Is seand
rich and abundant pasturage. Indeed.
here are found some Of the finest grazing
lands ia the Union.
The liver system OF Arizona presents
points OF great interest. The Colorado, with
its atiiuents, the Gila, Bill Williams FORK,
and Flat river, or Colorado Chiqu uilo, drains
an extensive region south Of the Great Salt
Lake basin, and vest Of the Sierra Madre.
tnese various streams, With their at lents,
head up among mountains, covered with val
liable timber At the head Of Bill Will
ilms' fork Is the Black Forest" but little,
II any, inferior to the = S1lxarz0li" of Ba
den, separEtIng The RnIne and N.ckar. L be
and Cedar forests " indefinite extent cover
the Mogollen and Pinalsn0 mountains, ard
valuable timber is found Ag tbe head 0f the
hio Nerde, oalad0 and CHA The Msssuite
furnishes good fuel 10 al parts Of The ter
ritory. In the valleys, larch, ash, elm, wal
nut, oak and sycamore are fouod 10 copi0us
supply, and exceedingly valuable for farm
ing purposes.
The Colorado on the American Continent
will probably serve the historic purpose ~
the Nile in Egypt. u il subject 70 annual
overflow from the melting Of the SHOWS 0n
The mountain ranges, fanking its valley
the height OF several thousand feet above
the ordinary level ~ the count-v Thus,
the valleys OF this river and its affnents are
thoroughly fertilized. A system Of artif-
cial irrigation mag be made 70 utilize these
surplus waters, thus reseuing millions oi
acres from hopeless barrenness, and making
them the scene Of productive agricaita-al
iodustry. BY system Of irrigatiag canals
the " w'ter may be easily conducted ID i'm
mensc tracts unvisited hy its annual over
fow.
The celebrated Colorado desert, border
ing this river on both sides for one hundred
and hfty miles, 10 below its head. and pJss
esses a soil composed Of aluviai earihs,
mud and shells, needing only the stimula-
ton Of moisture 10 awaken its fertility
Other tracts along the course Of the rivar
are susceptible Of the same Improvement
The system Of irrigation which once trans-
formed the barren valley Of the Nile into
the granary Of the east, supporting a popn.
lstion Of twenty million !, besides exporting
corn to sll the surrounding nations. appued
10 the Colorado will fertiliae a wider ex-
panse of country than that reached bv the
waters Of tie Nile, with Gner climate and
a soil Of soual productiveness.
The Colorado valley was an early seat Of
Spanish civilization and missionar- enter
prise The santa Cruz and its tributaries
teemed with an agricultural aud mfninf oon
ulation cary in the eightt enth century, ana
fourisbing settlements existed in the valleys
Of the Gila, the Rio Verde and the Salinas.
The relics Of the busy industry are still seen
in the ruins Of cities, cathedrals and farms
scattered up and down the Colorado and its
branches.
The remains Of irrigating canals bow the
extent and elaborate scale on which Spanish
agriculture was then prosecuted. But priest
and layman alike fell benesth the tomahawk
Apaches, or were expelled hy the jealousy III
the revolutionary government OF Mexico.
The Turne and Mohsir Indians, taking ad-
vantage Of the annual overfows Of the river,
secure With little labor, and very rude hus-
bandry, crops sufficient for their sustenance.
The river has been navigated as far up as
CallVille, by light draught boats, and is be-
heved to be navigable at least six hundred
miles above that point. The San Pedro and
Santa Cruz flow from the southeastern part
OF the Territory, into the ella, the former
through a rich valley one hundred miles il
length, expanding in places to width Of
many miles. Its tributary valleys are oE
nearly equal extent. A beautiful, fertile and
veli-wo0ded region lies at its function with
the Arrow Apa, extending to the ella. Ruins
OF haciendas and ranches show an ab0rtive
attempt to introduce the institutions of eivi.
hz4tion into these wilds. One of the finest
portions Of the territory Is the country bor-
dering on the Santa Cruz. Its valleys wi
der than the San Pedro, are eqally rich and
well timbered. Both these valleys are sup
plied with running waters, nutricious CANA
and mesquite grasses, green and growing at
sll seasons. The Santa Cruz region was oc-
cupied oy Jesuit missionaries as early as the
year 1900. the runs of whose estah' ishments
are still seen. The ever-present remains of
IrTigating canals show scie .tifc and system
attic agriculture once aourishing in these val
leys, but subsequently, furnishing either by
savage invasion or revolutionary violence.
Such churches as that Of San Xavier del
Bac attest, even in their dilapidatiOn, the
wealth, refinement and religious public spirit
OF the generation which has passed away.
The Spanish settlements either deserted
or reduced 10 numbers and wealth. Ameri-
can settlements are being formed. introduc
ing higher and more energetic toue OF So
cial life, and Overpowering the feeble efforts
Of the Mexicsus to occupy these invitins re-
gions.
The depredations Of the Apaches have re-
strained the settlement Of large portions Of
this territory and Of New Mexico, regions
possessing delightful climate aud contain
ing large hsc.s Of the finest rahle and
grazing land. The climate o. the entire ter
ritory, excepting the lower GIa and Col
orado, is represented As DELI Shdul, except
from extreme heat, with nights OF reiresn-
ing GOODNESS; snow rarely falls; fruit trees
bloom in February and March COTTON, corn,
wheat, tobacco, melon, with great variety
of temperate and semi mI-troplcal fruits, are
raised 10 abundance
The settlements in the southern part and
along the Oolorads are Mormon. On ac-
count OF Indian hostiliti - II is found safe To
occupy the country oC'y in colonies for
mutual protection. Tn" mineral resources
Of the territory, and the small part occu-
pied for agricultural purposes must render
farming Very profitable pursuit, with an
increasing home demand.
\ The lands are yet uGowned, but where
{ So
these belonging to the government, ac-
companied by residence and cultivation, the
settlers will be protected in thsir rights aad
permitted, after surver, 70 complete theif
prempiion and homestead entries. The
Surveyor General eslirlst.S the auantity ol
lrrtgable land as one milli, acres. An ex-
tension Of the system Of irrigation, by the
formation of reservoirs 10 the mountains
viii doubles very much enlarge this az
gregate IL 10 thought that hve miilior
acres Ia q very moderate estimate The