Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-07-14
ARIZONA LIFE.
An Interesting Yarn of Truth and
 Exnggsrntion.

e. s. Boutcher in Easton Free Prsss.)
 Running between Fl Paso and Tucson
 Southern Arizona, the type of country
 changes, The plains are more rolling;
 they are tsnked and relieved by moun-
 tsin ranges running mainly north and
 south. The herbage changes The tree
 cactus begins to appear, ranging from
 ten to forty feet high, and from one to
 two feet Tn diameter, with branching
 arms ot fantastic form, some like huge
 crosses, others like capdelsbras. They
 are source of surprise and great inter-
 est to the novice. They appear soltsrI-
 ly, also in forests. There are s number
 ot other varieties, mammoth and dwarf.
 There are century plants snd 8 variety
 or other seml'tropical vegetation. the
 mesquite shrub, soap plant Pslo Verde
 or green tree, msnZsnits, with its polish
 ed brown bark, white snd black oak, etc.
 These on the waterless plains. In the
 river valleys are cottonwood, willow.
 sycamore, ash, etc. The wild flowers
 are varied ss they are beautiful, and are
 not yet all classified by the botsnist.
 The grsInss are the principal grasses
 and Tn different parts are the pine, mes
 quite, bunch, buffslo, the Mexican gaette
 grasses snd the California slfileria or
 wild clover.
 Natures ann seems 10 have been to
 put thorns on all of AriIons's plain ye-
 getstion excepting the grasses. The oak
 leaves are as thorny ss our holly. The
 motive doesn't seem plain for in except
 It be to protect the smaller birds from
 their enemies. The woodpeckers bore
 into the tree cactus, the quails, black
 birds. doves, mocking birds and all the
 smaller try nest among the tborns in
 some form, srd in security smile st the hawks and their larger neighbors who
 seek them for their commisssry.
 Reaching Tucson in the latter part of February, the Ssnts Orus valley was red
 and white with the almond. peach and
 pear blossoms, and green with the slfal-
 ia and heading barley. Tucson end its districts history covers the page of se-
 verdi centuries, sDd this, with its pre-
 historic record left in caves and mounds,
 Is rich in interest for the tourist. The
 old spanish town of one story sdobes hss
 met with the usual encroschment of
 modern public and business buildings
 and private dwellings, but the old has
 not been much disturbed. It is innovs-
 ton rather than substitution.
 The climate of these districts of South ern Arizons, of the major parts of say Pima, Pinsl, Yuma. Msrioops, Gils, Grs- ham and Cochise counties IS for nine months, or from September to June. the finest for all in all in the world. The re- manning three months can be served just | as well by going into the mountains. IL | IS equsble, dry. pure and sunny. The | humid sir from the coast, nor the cold | winds from snowy ranges, nor malsrisl | from svampy valleys sweep over it. It | seems to me that any one out of health | with throat, lung, catarrhal or ssthmstic | trouble, with any foundation st sll for recovery, can heresbout find his pars- disc.
 Ross Browne, the veteran traveller, says: Its climate ID winter is finer than that of Italy. IL would scare be possi- ble to suggest sn improvement I never experienced such exquisite Christmas weather SC We enjoyed during our so- journ,"
 Mr. Patrick Hamilton words it this way: "AriZons IS blest with one of the heslthiest climates on the American con- Enent. She has brighter skies, purer sir, more invigoratIng atmosphere, more lovely, oloudless days, more bril- liant, stsrlit nights. than any like divi- sion of the great republic. She pos 'esses 6 climate suitable to all cousitu. 'ions, ranging from the soft, semi-tropic of the South to the cool. brsc- ing BIT of the North. Every breeze waited across her mountains, valleys md plains bears upon its wings health, strength, vigor of mlnd and body. In he pure. dry atmosphere of its noun tRins and yRles diseases are unknown, and beneath its glorious skies 6 man can ,amp m the open air every month of the rear and gather new life and strength rom qustting deep drsughts of the ozone which fills mountAin, plain and table and,"
 ThIs has something of a fourth-of- uly md peace snd-good- will towards-sll- ring about 1t; yet can indorse what these writers say and more. I do lot know how SD invalid would feel in 1t, Dut for 8 well man it IS delight to exist D it. It raises the spirits and arouses ID increased hunger. And here comes i D the difficulty. A man wants some [ hing more than climate for dinner. The , district IS new. IL has been scared for s by the rRiding, trescherouE, [ untsmsble Apsohes, Ii is c f natter of but two years since they were 2 ubIugRted and their power was emascu- s sted by the transfer of Geronimo and a Us chiefs to the Florida forts. Yet much b heap sympathy has gone out from the li last for these Rssassins, who are respon- tl ible for the torture and killing of more i, ictims, without provocation or giving s 'srninR than any tribe in the country. n hey have retarded both the industrial h nd the resort interests of ths district,
 So. hostels where a stsstidious taste can 8 content are not SO thick as autumn T 'aves in Vsllsmbross. Still there are .- 70 or three hotels in Tucson that will IIrly pass muster, with plenty of room ., IT better ones. Rooms can bs also 'nted in the town and good mesIs had T the restaurants.
 The plains are not adapted to a nu- .7 erous settlement, because the under -ound water reservoirs avsilsbly near "l e surface ore infrsquent. They are Sc, D, fifteen twenty miles apart and var, raised by steam. wind or hor r,.-nowsr T he industry .s msaiii61y cattle raisipg Id the cattle trails from large areas ,nvergs 10 the ranch and water sta "1 ons like the spokes of a vast wheel.
 The stock of these rsnchmen number on hundereds into thousands, When ., e grasses are growing snd succulent it ~ amazing how long cattle will do Ithout water. They frequently will ,t come in for one, two or even three ly seks. have known horses that have dr len wanted, waited for, for two weeks Id then four days more consumed in YC lnting for them. This is one of the le, sources of interest when dependent su them for trip. Sheep. owing to votes and like eniInies, have to be cor He'd st night. Some of these corrsls mile square, and water is piped to em ss far ss four miles These ranch en are from all parts of this and most her civilized countries. and are in the ain an enterprizIng and educated class ha 10 have settled there for their health te, to make money aud they mostly win ter th. fla. They are hospiisble, and their hospi- an lty has the grace of sincerity, They O ve not sccomodstions for many, but tor ey will not refuse friend or stranger, an d they who for health or pleasure find if winter hsrbor in one of these semi ! 'pical ranches are indeed ss we'll of as or1 s world can make them. Independ- ms of the Overworked seeking rest I alt