The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-08-04
MISCELLANY.
Wonders Of Nature and Art In Ari'
ZOna.
lFrom the Denver Se~s.l


In years long gone by Arizona evi-
IDENTIFY was peopled by large and in
dustrious population. This is most con-
elusiysly shown by the vast and exien-
sive ruins which yet remain. Ruins Of
cities covering extensive plains, now de-
solaie and peopled only by the lizard
and snake; remains Of bitches and artif-
cial water courses still exist, showinR
that large areas Of land we're cultivated
by these ancient people, who had evI-
IDENTIFY attained high degree Of fcultiva-
tion. They were, as all the sborigines
Of Arizona now are, worshippers Of the
God Of Day-the sun.
The geology Of Arizona is one Of itS
most wonderful features. Indeed, al
most every formation known to geolog-
lists exists in various parts Of the Terri
tory, and there are also many curious
freaks Of nature unknown to other parts
Of the globe. But the greatest wonder
Of all the mighty wonders Of the Pacific
slope IL the Grand Canyon Of the Colo
RADIO, the crowning wonder Of the natur-
al world, before which Niagara drops to
insignifcauce, and even Yosemite pales
For over 800 miles the Rio Colorado
cuts il way through the rock, leaving
the walls rising in many places to per-
L. saL If f..af
Down, down through the many forma-
tions capped with lava, it has cut its
silent way during the ages, laying open
to the awe-stricken geologist the most
inward secrets Of his science, showing
him, "a is shown nowhere else in the
world, in one mighty volume, examples
Of the most interesting periods and
groups; making clear things before un-
certain, and changing scientific theories
into established facts.
The fora and fauna Of Arizona are
different in many respects from those Of
the rest Of the world; different even
from lands within our own borders. The
cereus gignnieus here reaches size thai
IL wonderful, often rising like futed
column fifty and even sixty feet high
The agava American, yucca brevifoli'
and lignum vitae, are by no means rare
Deer and antelope are plenty, while ir
the wooded portions the wild turkey
bear and panther abound. Among rep
tiles the horned raitlrsnake and helord
erma are peculiar, while centipedes
scorpioni and tarantulas are plenty anc
the variety Of lizards is legion.
But the main dependence Of Arizon
must be in the vast, but as yet undevel
oped mineral lands which lie betweel
her borders. The mountains are on
mighty network ofgold and rilver-bear
ing ledges, and what little has been don
toward the working Of these has aston
isbed all connected with the country.
say little has been done, for slthoug
much money through the general inefii
cheney and dishonesty Of snperintend
ents, the result has been failure, as
would have been under similar circun
stances elsewhere. Our distance fror
the great centers Of trade and commerc
our wretehed means Of transportation
our slight mail faculties, the hig
charges Of everything necessary to
livelihood, our sparse population an
the old time hostility of the Indian
have all combined to keep us in I'll
miro and prevent our getting capiti
enough in the country to prove to Il
outside world what We really posses
namely, the richest mineral section
the globe.