The Phoenix herald., 1879-05-21
ARIZONA TOWNS.
A Truthful Description of Pres. colt, Phoenix and Maricopa.
w. R. &, in Scientific Press. j

pines, at an elevation of 6,000 feet
 has good climate, good water, mer
 of enterprise and brains, live news
 papers, churches, first-class school
 library, dramatic club, thcater anC
 good society. Fort Whipple, thC
 headquarters of Gen. o. B. Wilcox
 commander of the Department oi
 Arizona, is only mile from the town
 and the officers there, by their week ly receptions, serve 10 epliven and
 tighten society. Itwas wise thing
 no doubt, as far as human foresight
 could forecast the future, to locate
 the capital of the Territory here, but railroads make great innovations, be-
 ing often instrumental in destroying
 as well as building up towns. Yuma,
 from place of importance and large
 business, has become mere way
 station, so Prescott, notwithstanding its desirable location, the energy and thrift of her people, will undoubtedly
 cease to be the capital, and the trade
 of the Bradshaws will naturally go
 south to the railroad.
 North, there is q large extent of
 mineral country which will be devel- ed in the near future, and within radius of twenty miles there are sev-
 eral upland grass and agricultural valleys, notably those of the Agua Fria, Skull, Kirkland, Peoples, ali of
 which will, in ordinary seasons, pro
 duCe crops Gf gram, vegetables and
 hay. These will contribute to make
 Prescott in the future what it has
 been in the past, q place of consider
 able importance.
 One of the most important local
 industries Is the Manufacture of Ium-
 Der. This suffers somewhat from the
 loss of that portion of the trade that now goes to the valleys of the Salt and Gila rivers, as this section will hereafter be supplied from the rail road
 About ten miles south of Prescott there is wide sweep of valley land which, in Its desolateness, forcibly reminds one of the sea. It Is well named Lonesome Valley" for not living creature is to be seen upon its many thousand acres. It is covered with thin grass and would make good agricultural land were it not for the total absence of water. A flowing well here would be more val 1 uable than an ordinary gold mine
 Eighteen miles south of Prescott is | the valley of the Agua Fria, where is ! located the fine grass and stock ranch | of Nathan B. Bowers, Esq This To- ! cality is peculiarly interesting, as | upon this ranch, and in the immetli- ' ate neighborhood are found many ru- ins and other evidences of the an- cient people who once occupied these valleys. The massive walls of Mir. Bowers house are built of stones taken from one of these ruins, DOT tions of which still remain near by. A short distance away is what ap- pears tn be an ancient burial place. the graves, if such they be, are GOV cred with flat stones laid in circle, raised but little above the ground:and about four feet across. Over 800 of these mounds were counted in the space of about al acre. Who were -hese ancient people, and when did hey occupy this land? Mir Bowers says that in eXcavating he has uncov- sd their floors, which were made of earth pounded hard and smooth, and hat whenever he has come across any )f their household utensils, consist ng of the metate Tn which they !. round their corn, and pottery of va /, 'ious sizes and styles, he has invaria- : ply found them broken in pieces, lead | ng him to the conclusion that the inhabitants had been forcibly driven rom their honestly an enemy, and heir rude furniture destroyed.
 One hundredand ten miles south | # Prescott, on the Salt River is the town of Ph9nix. X new | . impetus has recently been given to ! ! business here by the completion of l. he $. P R. R. to Maricopa The !. own is located in the midst of wide | Jain or valley, made fertile by irri- - ation, the water for that purpose be- ng taken from the river, and it is | aid that there are hundred thous- ! nd acres in grain this year, mostly 'heat and barley. Dr Jones, gen q I sman of wealth and enterprise, is Nperimenting with sugar cane, hay lg put in a large number of acres, - nd with proper handling will be Ire to get a good crop. Here is q T, cid in which some of the c0lored ! lbor from the cane fields of Iouisi- Il na, now seeking new homes. could :, nd profitable and con genial employ \ lent. Phoenix is ambitious to be s' lme the future capital of the Terri !" ny. It is centrally located, and it's ,! nportance will be largely increased ls , the building of a branch road, now VI
 contemplation. from the $. F. R. at Ma: icopa, a distance of about 'o miles, over a country favorable - 1T such construction. The town is x It, the drainage is on the surface, 1t S' extremely hot in the summer and. ~ lless the sanitary condition iS well S!i,1 oked into, it will become with & V Dpulation of 1000 or 5000 people, 'A ,ry unhealthy. New buildings are ping up, mostly of adobe d hapk .s been opened; the price nf lots is L. lvancing; and there k an air Of eX al ,ctaney about the place indicating tn
 appreciation of the new order of S! In --,..,.~r,...,t,,,l a..