Arizona weekly citizen., 1885-03-28
AGRICULTURAL LANDS.


 The CITIZEN is indebted to the Yuma Sentinel for the following very import ant and reliable information concerning lands in Southern Arizona available for agricultural purposes. While We possess some general knowledge of the natural advantages of the section al- ludei Co, so far as our memory serves us there has been very little exac; information concerning it given to the public.
 Irrigsting canals have brought under cultivation immense tracts Of very rich land in the Salt and Gila valleys, and the Mohawk valley canal is another im-
 portant link n the agricultural desti- nies of Arizona that will make the pres ent desert blossom as the rose:
 The Mohawk valley is portion of the Gila river valley situated about % miles eastward from the town of Yuma. It stretches along the north side of the river and is some thirty miles long, by an average width of three miles. On the opposite side ( I the GIla the South ern Pacific railroad runs across the country.
 The Gila river empties into the Colo rsdo at Yuma. It carries, at all seasons of the year, heavy volume of water, 22O feet in width and has fall at this point of four feet to the mile. The water IS of superior quality for irrigating purposes and constantly enriches the soil by allu- vial deposits.
 The Mohawk valley contains more than ninety square miles of land oi which fully fifty square miles can be irrigated. The government has sur veyed the land and is subject to pre-emp- tion, homestead and desert entry. The soil consists of deep alluvial deposits and has been demonstrated to De unsur- passed in productiveness.
 The climate IS adapted to the raising of all cereals, sugar cane, cotton, to- bacco and all semi-troplcal fruits, such as oranges, lemons, etc. It Is also especl- ally adapted to the growth of peaches, grapes and other fruits as shown by act uil and present results. Wheat and barley grow luxuriaDtly. It Is as healthy a climate as there Is in the world.
 A company of gentleman have secur- ed, under the laws of Arizona, a water right which holds the key to the water supply of the valley for agricultural purposes. They hold a canal head and adjoining land at Texas Hill where the waters Of the Gila river are confined and where lies the only point from whence the land of the Mohawk Valley can be irrigated. From this point water enough can be taken ont all the year round to irrigate three times the amount of land con- tsined in the Mohawk valley.
 The gentlemen owning this water right are residents of Arizona T hey also own a small portion of the land of the Mohawk Valley. They propose as soon as all of the surveys are finished, to form joint stock canal company, each share of stock 10 represent a stated amount of water. They will then devote the stock to raising capital sufficient to build the ditch, retaining only enough to furnish water sufficient to irrigate seven sections of land. The length of the canal will be 24 miles, and 20 feet | wide on the bottom with grade of two feet to the mile. The water comes to the surface SO as to commence irrigat- ing the land three miles from the head gate which is located in rock between two hills, being one of the best locations Tor head-gate to canal on the Gila river
 The Southern Pacific railroad, which tra7erses the Gila Valley on the Oppo- site side of the river, insures a ready | market for all products in the various towns in Arizona and New Mexico and, by means of the Sonora Limited rail road in Sonora, Mexico.