Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-05-26
CATTLE.
The Outlook for Arizona as a Grazing
 Country

The business of stock raising in Ari
 zona is thls year receiving many valua
 ble acquisitions in the opening of new
 sources ot water supply and the conse quent enlargement of that industry The grass, nutritious and plentiful, ex ists over mesa and valley in almost an, ! and every direction in great abundance ! and the only obstacle in tine way of the
 whole country becoming one vast stocH
 range is the scarcity of water. Hereto | fore the stock ranges have been selected 1 solely in reference Co the convenience tC water, and no thought was given to the 1 fact that the earth below is but vast 1 reservoir of the coveted hquid. Ciene- gas, or natural springs, were first located and the cattle have roamei over the ad- jacent public lands in all directions, to return at night for the water they could not do without.
 Apart from living springs, and on mesa lands and rolling hills, the rich grasses grow sufficient to feed millions of cattle, 1T out water can be supplied. IL IS m the direction of the develop ment of sources of water supply that the energies of the future stock raisers must he bent. It IS true that few natural springs still exist, particularly m the southern part of the Territory, but much of the most valuable grazing land IS far away from water. No diff ticulty has so far been experienced in finding water by sinking wells ia judi clous places, and tine fact has b. en demonstrated that 1t Is far more profit able to raise the water by machinery and thereby insure a permanent and steady supply than to place reliance upon uncertain springs which some times overflow and ID dry seasons cease entirely to .Rush forth their bright waters.
 Near mountain range a good head Of water can always be found, and although the cost of development of water may be beyond the individual means of many persons who desire to embark in the cattle business, combination or part nership could easily be formed that would result in great gam to the parties and the acquisition of property that would prove lar more remuneratlve than tue best mines in the Territory
 The great resources Of Arizona are scarcely known to even the old residents of the Territory. In Pima county the whole valley of the Santa Cruz, com prlsing some of the finest agricultural land in the world, presents but isolated and crude efforts at utilizing the natural advantages in that line. Outside of a few small ranches there exists a number of watering places up the valley, where stock come in from the adjacent valley and hills tO slake their thirst. IL k d fact that there Is not foot Of that valley near the rIver bed where abundant wa ter could not br found by the applica- tlun of a llt,.e intelligent effort and energy. Further, there Is scarcely an acre ot that valley, from tue foothills O; the mountains on either side, that could be irrigated with a plentiful supply of water If a proper aud cooperative system of developingit could be brought aDout.
 Throughout the mesa and rolling lands different condition of affairs exists. There the watershed does not con- centrate tue underground currents into such a volume, and small streams only can be developed from the strata6ed rock of which the water Is born. It can
 
 not always sufficiently near the surface 10 How in a stream. 1t mast be raised by pumps, aud as a general rule when water k obtained m tuIs way 1t Is more free from decayed and uuwhule ome vegetable matter than slow and slug glsh running streams.
 As an instance ot the growth uf the cattle raising business uly Er cited the fact that B body os ,5-ui nas been re gently taken Up as a stock range, on this side of the CleueEa, about twenty miles to the south uf Tucson along the railroad. The water, which comes to the surface at the CieneEa. sinks again on this property, but at snch an altitude that a pump can supply watering trough through miles of the land below. This range Is regarded as one of the most valuable ID the Territory. notwith- standing that It has remained open Co location until qGIte rec n5ly. Its proximity To the market and the railroad, aud the almost absolute immunity from the incursions or predatory elements or humanity, together with the absolute certainty of permanent and plentiful water supply, are among its great ad- vautages.
 This is not au isolated opportunity for the location of cattle ranges. 4 practical and observing man can readily find equally good locations for rauge. He has but to obtain the water-the grass exists everywhere, and what Is termed as desert is often covered with good nourishment for cattle.
 AItnese considered, Arizona presents a bright outlo k as a stock raising cOun- try, in the fact that it's sustaining re- sources are ample. and from the further fact that cattle thrive better and multl- ply faster iu this than in more northern and rigorous climates.