Arizona weekly citizen., 1885-08-08
GRAZING IN ARIZONA.
An Interview with the ComraissIoner of
 Immigration.
tNew Mexico Stock Grover.l ]


 GtoWer office last week, having stoppe oil Tn Las Yagas to visit the celebrate MonteZuma Hotel and Las Vagas Ho springs, on returning from a trip {
 kansas City and Topeka, where be ha
 been Interviewing the A. T. & 5. F. off
 claIs on matters connected with his in migration work. MT. Hamilton hold
 hls position toy virture of aa act of th
 Legislature establishing the office. an
 winch nemed him as commissions
 He Is now serving his second tern
 haVlng during his first 30 successful conducted the office that it was tn
 unanimous desire of the members of tn last legislature that he should i'll tn
 place again. He Is an old resident O Arlzona, yields a facile pen, and has
 most thorough knowledge of the advan tages and necessities of the Territory.
 h answer to a question inquiring th number of cattle Tn Arizona, Mr. Ham liton said that 1t was somewhat difficul To mske any accurate answer to tn question, Rs during the past few year there has been a rapid increase of herd already located in the Territogy, an, many thousands have been driven il from other states and territories an, Mexico.
 what arc the prospects of securip, ranges on government lAnd:"
 4here are many ranges yet open {, location, and others can te purcnaseC at reasonable rates. But tue uuoccupi cd pastures will not long remain 1T tneIr present condition, and the yalu, Of those already claimed Is rapidly in creaslng. A large amount of capital i, being invested, and the inouiry for de slrable ranges IS active. Many of th, cattle syDdlcates organized In the east are looking towards Alzona as the country which offers the best induce ments for profitable stOck-growing, ana are securing some of the choicest grass lands Tn the country"
 "Is there any probability of the stock men beng f red off the grazing lands ! by the grangeI!'
 "ln ArIzons the immense plains tabic-.ands and foothills will never be | utilized for any other purpose than graz ing. The agricultural industry will al ways De confined to the valleys border ing the streams, and the vast area in. cluded in the rolling plains and elevst. ed hlll-sldes will always be devoted to cattle. Most of this land is yalueless Tor agriculture, but its wealth of rich grasses makes 1t s magnificent stock ! range. The cattle owner who thinks of embarking in the business there, need have no fear of being crowded out by tine farmer. The domain of each is clearly marked by nature, and beyond the bound which she has set the tiller or the soil may not go. A good range once secured, the owner can turn out hIs herds over tine broad savannas and rolling foothills. and rrst assured that the farmer will not in few years drive hi'n out and force him to seek fresh heiIs and new pastures"
 "has there been any effort made to secure artesIau Eater!"
 Scarcely Gn effort has been made to obtain water by sinking. In the few localities where wells have been dug an abundant supply has been secured, The tiuding Of flowing water m the Sulphur Spring valley, In May, 1883, Is ot inc first impOrtlnce to the stock growing industry of AnZona, and makes lis future possibilities only lIm- lted by the boundaries of the territory. Eight wells Tn this valley are now producing from 2j,O0J 10 jO.uG0 gallons each of pure water every twenty four hours. The deepest is not over eighty. three feet, while the fils. struck the living current irty-eight feet below the surface. The Sulphur Spring val ley IS not materially different Tn its sit nation and surroundings from scores of other fine grass-coyered valleys through out the territory"
 "Mhat are the principal grasses in the territory.
 'BlHck and white gramma. bunch and mesquite grasses are tLe principal vsrI- eties.'
 "Is there much effort being made to improve the grade of the stock?'
 livery stOck-grower takes pride In improving his herd, and in few years the grade of Arizona cattle will compare with any portion of the Union"
 Are there many land grants in the territory.
 But very few, and of but small area; they do not in any way interfere with the settlement of the territory. Nearly all open land belongs to the govern. ment and Is subject to settlement under the United States land laws. The At lantic t Pacific land grant, lying on the line of the road, Tn northern AriZODs, Is the only extensive body of private lsnd in the territory. It oilers many fine To- cations for stOckmen, and large blocks can be secured from the company at reasonable rates; and already many large cattle companies have made pur- chases of tracts of this land
 Are the many breeding farms in the territory"
 "Tbere are but few; and the amount ot stock raised on them IS not by any means sufficient to supply the already large and increasing demand for biooded cattle. There are many locations which can be secured, especially adapted for the establishment of such farms. and the certainty of success cannot be ques- uoned. What can be done can be easily learned by a visit to the farms of Mir. John T. Simss, of PheniX, Hunings < Cooley. of Apache county, and H. c. Hooker, at Sierra Bonito. These gen tlemen are extensive raisers of thor oughbred stock. and find immediate sale for all they have t. offer at tbelr own figures. Our ranchmen of course prefer acclimRted stock to that import ed from the east, where the grade is the same"
 Are your quarantine regulations ei- fective?'
 They are. The laws were passed by the last legislature, were recommended by the stock associations, and arr con sidered wholly adequate to protect our herds from the introduction of disease or suspected stock.
 "Where are the most desirable uDoc- cupied ranges situated?'
 "In Graham, Gila, Apache and Isva- psi counties. Os course there are not many desirable watered locations, but a few can be secured, and artesihn wells will develop many thousands of acres in many portions of these counties.
 Are not many portions Of the terri- toy already fully st 'cked!'
 "Yes; and in those portions tue stock men are combining 10 keep the ranges from being overstocked, and issuing notices to the effect that further increase of cattle will not be allowed
 "In what market do the stockmen dis pose of their steersT
 "TIll within the past year first class market vas always to he found Tn San but owing 10 she limited de- mand there and the rapid increase ofcat-