The Arizona sentinel., 1888-03-03
ARIZONA OUR BACK COUNTRY
Advantages that Would Accrue from a
 Road to Yuma.
RESOURCES OF AFERpILE DISTRICT.
A Region Naturally Tributary to San Diego It's Rapid Development
 and Growing Trade.

"In my opinion, railroad from this city to tap the Southern Pacific at Yuma, would confer more lasting benefits upon San Diego, than any other line which has yet been proposed or projected"
 The speaker was Hon. Patrick Hamilton, of Arizona, who has been in San Diego for the past five months, on account of i'll health. Mr. Ham ilton has lived in the Territory since 1872, and is as thoroughly posted as to it's great natural gifts and aaTant ages, than any other living man. For SIX years he filled the office of Commis- sioner of Immigration, and during that period visited every town, mining camp and farming settlement within it's borders. His work, the "Resources of Arizona" passed through three edl tions, and is looked upon as standard authority in all that relates to th' ''sun-kissed land" Being an old news paper man, Mir. Hamilton takes as naturally to be interviewed as the luck does to it's watery element. He is enthusiastic about the future of the Territory, and believes that its three great sources of wealth-miniug, farm ing, stock-growing-will surely mak' of it a prosperous as well as populous State.
 "What is the general outlook down there at present" asked THE UNION reporter.
 ''It was never brighter. The late rise in copper has given a great impe tus to that branch of the mining in lustry, and many claims in all part of the Territory which have lain idl for years, are already being actively worked. The copper deposits of Ali zona are among the most extensive and richest in the world; and if the present price of the metal-or any thing near it-should be maintained for any length of time, the output will be very large"
 THE CATTLE AND OTHER INDUSTRIES.
 "The cattle industry IS also Tn a healthy financial condition. "Thc boom in Southern California has open ed markets for all the beef which Ari zona has to sell. Instead of shipping to Kansas City CT Chicago, there is now a nearer and more lucrative mar ket either in San Diego or Los Ange les. While mining and stock raising are in a prosperous condition, the de velopment of our agricultural resource presenta still more cheering picture. IT is a popular opinion that the agricult 2-al cepal,:ii,;aa # -, Ta-riterv ar rather limited, but like much else re lahng to Arizona it has it's origin and foundation in ignorance of actual facts. The traveller whose knowledge of the country is gained from his trip over the dreary wastes that border the route of the Southern Pacific might naturally conclude that tho farming possibilities of Arizona were hardly equal to the production Of the tradi- t;onal hill of beans, and yet, only Uwenty-eight miles north from Mari copa station, is the Salt River valley, one of the most beautiful and product i've spots in the United States. It's entire area Is about 750 square miles. or 480,O00 acres. This makes it's length fifty and its width fifteen miles. Of its total acreage, it is believed that fully 100000 will yet be cultivated, and of this princely domain not more than 50,000 acres have yet been made productive. Everything grown in the valleys of Southern Arizona is by the aid of irrigation. The bringing Of water upon the thirsty soil makes it to bloom like rose garden. Without it the desert remains. As showing what we have already done toward re claiming the rich lands of the valley, l may tell you that nine large canals have been excavated and are now car rying the waters of Salt River to the farms and orchards. The cost of our water system will not fall short of Sl, 00,000-one large waterway, forty miles long, sixty feet wide and seven feet deep, costing over S500,000. Its capacity is 10000 miners inches, and it reclaims 100000 acres. To the