Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1876-07-29

States Surveyor-General in San Fran
cisco, gives description of some lands
in the Colorado Valley:
SAN FRANCISCO, June 6, 1876.
John A. Robinson, Esq.-In response
to your inquiries in relation to the char.
acter of the lands situated in the Col
Orado Bottom-in township 5 south,
ranges % and "a east, S. B. NJ; town
ship 6 south ranges % and "a east, S.
b. NJ; township 7south, range % east,
and township 8 seuth range 90 east-I
have to say that / have surveyed and
sub-divided all of the above townships,
which contai 's5ut 43, eco acres Of rich
bottom land.
There is timber belt on the river,
about twenty miles long, and averag-
ing about a half mile in width, and
the sloughs extending over this bottom
are bordered by cottonwood, willow
and mesquite timber, suitable for build
ing purposes and for furnishing fuel
tor steamers.
The soil of this bottom is rich san
dy loan, equal to any soil on the lower
Mississippi bottoms. This alluvial soil
is formed by the overflow of the Col
orado River during the months OF May
and June of each year.
The climate of this region is salu-
brious, and the soil is eminently adapt
ed to the cultivation of cotton, sugar,
corn, wheat and barley, together with
all kinds of grain and hemp and the
semi-tropical fruits.
These bottom lands require irrigation,
but this can easily be effected by ca
nal taken from the Colorado River 4
canal OF twelve miles in length can be
made, which will command and IT.
rigate one hundred thousand acres of
rich alluvial land.
This canal would furnish water
power for all kinds of machinery. On
this tract there is plenty of fine lime
stone, slate and gypsum. Ehrenberg, q
small town, is situated on the Arizona
bank of the river.
These lands are exceedingly fertile,
and the vegetable growth thereon, after
the annual overflow, is amazing. The
"pig-weed will grow twelve feet high
in six weeks, with Il diameter of eight
inches. Wild hemp grows from six to
twelve feet high, in the same time; is
found in great abundance, having a
fibre similar, and perhaps equal to
that from which the manila cOrdage is
made. Grasses grow, in the same time,
to the hight of from two to four feet.
In short, all that is required is to
control the water at all seasons of the
year, which can easily be done, and
this can be made one of the most pro
ductive tracts of land in the world,
upon which anything can be grown
that is adapted to that climate.
The bottom Overfows every year
from one to three feet; the bottom be-
ing about seven feet above low water.
The mountains in Arizona and the
adjoining portion Of California abound
in veins of gold, silver and copper.
There is a mesa, or table land, from
three to ten miles wide and thirty miles
long skirting the valley or bottom land
has no water, but produces pasturage
from the Winter and Summer rains
this tract would be valuable to, and
would be controlled by, the owners OF
the bottom lands.
This region is exceedingly healthy
no chills and fever, and lung diseases
are almost unknown.
The water of the Colorado bears a
rich vegetable sediment, which, being
deposited on the land by the annual
overflow, constantly enriches it, and
will keep it forever virgin.
l am of the opinion that this is one
of the best land enterprises on the
coast for any one with capital sufficient
to carry in out. Very respectfully
yours, etc., o. L. CALLAwAY
am familiar with the lands on the
Colorado river, and can endorse all the
statements made in the foregoing re-
port. r. C. HOPKINS.