Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-08-30
Wealth of Arizona

In years long gone by, Arizona EVIL
IDENTITY was peopled by large and in
dustrious population. This i. most con-
clusively shown by the vast and extern
sive ruins which still remain. Ruins of
| cities covering extensive plains, now
desolate and peopled only by the lizard
and snake, remains Of bitches and arti-
ticlal water-courses, still exist, showing
that large areas of land were cultivated
by these ancient people, who evidently
had attained high degree of civiliza-
ton. They were, as all aborigines of
Arizona now are, worshippers Of the
god OF day-the sun. The geology Of
Arizona Is one Of its most wonderful
features. Indeed, almost every forma.
ton known to biologists exists in vari-
Gus parts of the territory, and there are
also many curious freaks of nature un-
known to other parts of the globe. But
the greatest wonder of all the mighty
wonders of the great Pacific slope,
IS the Grand Canyon Of Colorado, the
GROWING wonder Of the natural world,
before which Niagara drops into insig-
nlticance, and even Yosemite pales.
For over 800 miles the Rio Colorado
cuts its way through the rock, leaving
the walls rising in many places to a per-
pendicular height of 5000 feet. Down,
down through the many formations
capped with lava it has cut its silent
way during the ages, laying open to the
awe-stricken geologist the most inmost
secrets OF his science, showing him, as
Is shown nowhere else in the world in
one mighty volume, examples of the
most interesting periods and groups;
making clear things before uncertain,
and changing theories into established
facts. The flora and fauna of Arizona
are different in many respects from
those of the rest of the world; different
even from land within our own borders.
The cereus giganties here reaches size
that is wonderful, often rising like a
huted column fifty and even sixty feet
high. The agave Americana, yucca
brevifolio, and lignum vitae are by no
means rare. Deer and antelope are
plenty, while in the wooded portions
the wild turkey, bear and panther
abound. Among reptiles the horned
rattlesnake and helorderma are pecu.
liar, while centipedes, scorpions and
tarantulas are plenty, and the variety
VI A1AdA oo 40 I'LL. AOOC VIC 4Adl1 ut-
pendence of Arizona must be in the
vast but as yet undeveloped mineral
lands which lie within her border. The
mountains are one mighty network of
gold and silver bearing lodges, and
what little has been done toward the
working of these has astonished all
connected with the country. say lit
tie has been done, for although much
money has been spent and much work
done, yet, through the general inefficien-
cy and dishonesty Of superintende
the result has been failure, as it
would have been under similar cir
cumstances elsewhere. Our distance
from the great centres of trade and
commerce, our wretched means of
transportation, our slight mail facilities,
the high charges of everything neces-
sary to a livelihood, our sparse popula-
ton, and the old-time hostility of the
Indians, have all combined to keep us
in the miro and prevent our getting
capital enough in the country to prove
to the outside world what we really
possess, namely, the richest mineral
sections of the globe.