Weekly Arizona citizen., 1880-12-04


 on the Gulf Of California. The grea
 A.chisoI, Topeka and Santa Fe rail
 road system will thus reach four i'm
 plrtant places on the Pacific Coast
 and at SGn Diego and Guaymas, es
 pecially, It is expected that impOT- tant commercial interests will be de
 Yelopei. Work on the road to Quay
 mas is being pushed with remarkable
 speed at both ends. That part iron
 Guavmas to HermOsillo is nearly fin
 ished, and the entire line will prob ably be opened year from next Jan
 uary, SO that freight car loaded a Boston with the manufactured good
 of New England can run straigh
 through to the shores of the Gulf o
 California. Great impetus will un'
 dOubtedly be given to the cultivation
 Of coffee in this part of Mexico by th'
 opening Of the railroad, the ccndl
 tiOns being remarkably well adapted
 for it there With this road tO Quay
 mas completed, the Atchison, To
 peka and Santa Fe will have contro
 of the shortest line 10 Japan, Aus
 tralia, South America and the Sand
 wich Islands. Australia will be abOu
 15O0 miles nearer than by way of SaI
 Francisco, and the voyage 10 Japar
 and China will be correspOndingly
 shortened. It would not be surpris-
 ing if the steamers now running from
 San Francisco to those points should
 be trasferred to Guaymas.
 IL is likely that the details of the arrangements for through travel have
 hardly yet been decided upon between the AtchIson, Topeka and Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific. But it is hardly probable that the Pullman cars will run through to the Pacific, for the Central Pacific runs it's own pal ace cars, and, as the Southern Pacific is the same corporation as the Central it will be apt to adopt the same plan The Southern Pacific Railroad tray erces the southern part of Arizona, and, after entering the valley of the Gila, follows the general course of that river to Yuma, on the Colorado. Of Arizona little is known to the world at large, and a general impression has gone abroad that it IS desOlate, arid waste. treeless and cheerless. But persons who have lived there are en- thusiastic in its praise, and declare 1t one of the pleasantest parts of the country. The climate, owing to the various attitudes of different parts, ranges from that of the Northern States 10 that of the tropics. On the table lands, of from 4000 10 60O0 feet in altitude, the former conditions pre- vail. In that part of the Territory with which the present article has to do, the country through which the Southern Pacific railroad runs, the altitude is from 1900 to 2000 feet. Here snow is hardly known, winter is extremely mild and pleasant, and the summers arc warm and dry. In sum mer or winter there is never a day without bright. beautiful sunshine. Even when It rains, the clouds do not Overspread the sky, as with us, but pass over in areas of narrow width, following the lay of the mountains. The Territory is increasing rapidly in population. and the completion of the railroad connections will naturally bring the immigrants in streams. ! Although mining is now the great in terest, the prospect for agricultural pursuits are encouraging. IL is esti- mated that there are from lj, 100000 Co 20. 600, GOO acres Of rich land, but, owing 10 scarcity of water, Snly about {. .SSS, SSS are available. IL is believed that water for irrigation can be ob- cdined from artesiau wells. Go where you will in all parts of the Territory, it Is said, the foot hills and through the mountains, pleasant and delight ful valleys are continually attracting the attention of the explorer, many Of them having springs of clear, crystal water. Arizona is not so destitute of wood as has been supposed. Many parts the Territory are spiendidly wooded, and the plateau in the north ern part is covered with grand ever green forests. The Southern Pacific opens up fine timber belts along the Gila river and among the in the eastern part of the Territory.
 The strange tropical flora of Arizona will naturally make a strong impress sion upon the tourists from the Easts the wonderful cactu, growth A large proportion of every .hlng that grows in the country is literally covered with thOrns. There are over 100 varieties of the cactus family, of all forms and all sizes to the cereus giganteous, a giant cactus, often growing to a height of 50 feet, with @ diameter of three feet. This bears beautiful cluster of flowers and delicious fruit, in size and shape like l pear, with the combined flavor of peach, strawberry and fig. One vari- etv of the cactus is useful in forming hedges. The maguey plant, or mescal, is one of the most useful in the Territory. The bulbous root, from the size of a cabbage to a jushel basket, is sweet and delicious when roasted The juice of the plant Is boiled down 10 a good syrup, and } liquor distilled from the plant has a flavor of old Scotch whisky. It is the 'avorite drink of the Mexicans. From h. strong fibre of the leaves ropes are made.