The Arizona champion., 1883-12-29
| From Canon Diablo to Cheno Valley,

tent, 'so irregular in boundary and outline, that he may we'll be excused if he dwells but briefly on few of the many features of interest in country so varied in its resources, and scenery, so diversified in it's char acter and aspects.
 From Diablo Canon to Cheno Val ley, distance of one hundred and twenty miles, we find a plateau coun- try belonging to the San Francisco group of mountains, ranging in its el- evated position from 5000 to I3,ooo feet above the sea. The extreme heights represents but the mountain peaks, leaving the greater part of the country's surface within the mein and lower levels as represented by its parks and foothills. The snow fall in the higher attitudes, which continues throughout nine months of the year, IS a local source of moisture to the lower levels, aided by a bounttful rain fall in July and August. The water supply, while sufficient for the now .sparsely settled district, varies in volume according to the quantity of the fall of snow and can but be con sidered as surface water. Few locali- ties have the depth of soil or bodies of clay to hold moisture sufficient for other than limited quantity of well water. Railway companies and pri- vate enterprises of great magnitude, who may require a large volume of water fin one locality, will find it pru- dent, if not indispensable, to sink by arteSian process below the volcanic matter of this section to a depth of from 500 to 5000 feet. Our estimate of the depth and extent of this parch- ed and organic matter was determined from observations made during ire quent deScents into the canonS and mountain gorgeS that here abound, In whose lower levels we found vast bodies of lime and sand stone. These bodies of lime and sand are produc- tive of water, only when penetrated below the influences of the parched and porous conditions of the volcanic or upper surface matter. Unthinking writers speak of these gorges and can ons as having been formed and fash toned by the rush of water from the higher attitudes into the lower plain. A little thought upon this matter would distroy this theory for the req son that the almost inceSSant crumb. ling of the abrupt walls and yearly ac. emulation of vegetable matter more than equals in quantity the excava. tions made by the water during the brief period of its decent. These canon gorges are in fact but great rents or cracks formed at the time of the vol canic disturbance in this quarter, anc while they are effective as left to u! by that great freak of nature as out lets for water, they formed no part o the original drainage system of tht country and leave us but to imagin, what 1t may have been. To thos, who have visited the ruined pueblo of the Cliff dwellers in these dry anC remote gorgeS it has ever been a mys tery "where so many people procur ed Water?" 1t seems to follow within the line of our theory ant reasoning that the prehistoric race who dwelt along these cliffs procured water from these same gorges befor they were partially, filled up with tn debris of their own crumbling walls at time when they were in fact mucl deeper than at present. From thi we may reason that that portion o our present water supply known a 'tanks, |" will grow gradually less an, Tn time cease to exist. The broa, parks of this country are rich in nu tritlous grasses. We find a few herd numbering from hundreds to thous ands, but they are widely scattere, over the land, occupying but a smal area of the country and utilize but
 small portion of its resources. Possi ply there IS more water in this regioI than stock men admit of. It woul, be but human for them to prefer t keep surplus resources for their ow. fast increasing herds, which is bes done by concealing any fact that vii induce other stock men to com among them.
 Wool growing is engaged in wit
 success. The numerous parks an
 pralrles together with the open natur of the forest country, adapts it to an
 renders 1t a very durable place fc herding sheep. There are few dog and no wolves in the mountainou portion to prey upon the hocks; whil
 here Mexican lyons and other destruc
 tive animals are found only in tn remote faStness of the mountain gorge The grazing season in the mountain
 continue from April until late in De cember. During the intervenin
 months stock range lower down tn slopes and are secure from the sno,
 and rigor of the higher altitude. Dc
 mestic animals left to themselves com and go with the same regularity ( the deer and the antelope. The cl