The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1875-01-23
ARTESIAN WELLS.

lnES very lmpOTCduG SuUJoCG, anu
endeavored to impress upon the
people of Arizona the necessity
of making a start in procuring
artesian water. We still consider
it one of the most important mat
tiers that can be pressed upon the
consideration of the people. All
men who are acquainted with the
geographical structure of the Ter
ritory know, that we have hun
dreds of miles and millions of
acres of the richest lands, which
are entirely destitute of running
water, and on which water is on
ly obtained by sinking deep wells
at long intervals and the slow and
laborious process of hosting the
water in buckets. This is only
done for the purpose of providing
stations along the principal ira
veled routes, and thus making
travel possible. Such wells can
not supply water for agricultural
purposes.
These lands are capable of pro-
ducing in the greatest prefusion.
all the varieties of grains, fruits
and Vegetables that are grown on
the face of the earth. This fact
has been demonstrated wherever
water has been applied, as at the
settlements on the Salt and Gila
rivers and a few other places.
But such places are few and far
between. The fact remains and
stares us in the face, that the
great body of the plains and val
legs of Arizona can only be made
habitable and brought under cul-
tivation, by artesian wells.
The grand question to be con-
sidered is, can flowing water be
obtained from artesian wells in
Arizona We answer that there
can be no doubt of it. The pecu-
liar formation of the country
eminently favors it. All these
vast plains are backed by lofty
mountains which contain the re-
servoirs which have subterranean
veins running in all directions.
When these veins are tapped by
the artesian auger the, water ne
cessarily rises, by that well known
law of nature which causes it to
seek Its level, and the flowing
well is complete. We have only
to look at the southern counties
of California to see the value of
these wells. There, immense
tracts of land that had lain worth
less and unproductive ever since
the foundation of the world, have
been rendered immensely valua-
BILE, producing all that the earth
is capable of yielding, in the great
est profusion, making wealth and
beauty where before was only
poverty and gloom. And we
have every facility for obtaining
flowing wells in Arizona that they
have in California. In fact we
have higher and heavier chains
of mountains backing our plains
than they have. What wealth
is in store for the man who OBJ"
tains flowing well on one of our
rich but now reproductive plains /!
We are glad to see that our excel
lent Governor, in his message to
the Legislature now sitting, strong
Iy recommends "that a reward of
$5OO0.O9 be given for the first flow
ing water obtained by means of
an artesian we'll within the Terri
tory" We have no doubt that
the legislature will pass an act
in accordance with the Governors
recommendation.
Here then will be an incentive
to some man to try the expert
ment, and if successful, hundreds
of others will follow, and our now
arid and unproductive plains will
soon TEEN with all the comforts
and Injuries of civilized life, and
"the desert be made to blossom
like the rose"