Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-24

The Salt River vaIley-Agricultura
Resources = Irrigation Railroads,
Etc.


Correspon dence Of TIE EVENING STAR.
TEMPE, March Is.
live in the Salt river valley, the great agri-
cultural part Of Arizona Immense crops Of
grain are produced here annually-wheat, bar
ley and cortland all BY irrigation. The Salt
river furnishes the water. The country already
has many irrigating canals running in every
direction through this valley, and settlers are
coming In by the hundred, and rapidly taking
up the desirable lands. We have people of. all
nations and MISUNDERSTANDING, Mormons, In
dams, Mexicans, Chinese, and colored pe0ple-all
striving and jostling each other In pursuit of the
mighty dollar" except the native owner OF the
soil, who wraps his blanket around him and views
the struggle with stolid Indifference. We have
two tribes Of Indians in our immediate vicin-
ity-the Pimos, numbering some 5000, and the
Maricopos. 500. They are cultivators Of the
SOIL, and large family of eight or ten persons
Will raise enough wheat and pumpkins on an
acre OF ground to supply Them in their way, for
year. One Indians labor does not amount to
more than two whole weeks in year; 80 you
see If there are any people in this great country
who live without work 1t must be the American
Indian.
Tempe is situated on the Salt river. and is
thus supplied with the finest water power in
the territory. 1t has already one of the largest
Touring mills on the Pacific coast, owned by the
Hon: Charles Z. Hayden, and another smaller one
besides. This place offers the only natural abut-
ments for railroad bridge in the cultivated por-
ton OF Salt river valley, and in my humble judy
ment Is destined to be one of the largest towns
In the territory. We have many enterprising citi-
zens, prominent among whom l will mention
Judge Hayden, one of the pioneers of Arizona.
who has worked long and faithfully for its in
terests, and who, l am happy to say, is meeting
with MS deserved reward 10 the accumulation Of
a large fortune, and in one of the prettiest
homes on the Pacific slope. The Southern Pacific
railroad runs through the great Arizona desert,
about thirty miles south of this place. and the
Atlantic and Pacific about one hundred and fifty
miles north. over another desert Both of these
great railroads entirely miss the great agricul-
tural and mining sections Of this country.
An immense fortune is sure to accrue to some
enterprising capitalist who will look into this
matter and will start road from Tucson, Ari-
iona, connecting there with the railroad to
Guaymas, on the Pacific ocean, running from
Tucson via Florence, Arizona; thence to Tempe,
crossing the Salt river, and bearing off to the
north Into the Cave Creek mining district, which
is destined to be one Of the finest in the terri
tory; thence into the coal mines in the same dis
trict; thence into the great pine forest of Ari-
iona, which is conceded as being the finest body
OF timber on the Pacific coast outside OF Oregon
and the extreme northwest; thence to the Allan
tic ana Pacific railroad, connecting with the Utah
central, thereby making competing short line
as well as a cross line to the Pacific coast An
immense future will be certain to reward those
who will build such line. Now nearly all the
coal and timber used in Arizona are brought
from California, and the latter sells for $50 to
SO per NJ.
This country offers magnificent inducements
to the sturdy immigrant, as land ready pro-
duces from 1.5OO to 1900 lbs. of grain to the
acre. which sells from 50 to 1925 per 100 lbs.
There are many fields open here for men with
energy and pluck, and large fortunes can be
made with the proper use Of capital.
"A IN OFT of,
wishing to learn anything specially concerning
this county. j. s. ARMSTRONG.