Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-09-29
GRAHAM.
When Locsted.-Its Early Settlement, Re-
 sources, cts.

When Loested.-Its Early Settlement, Re-
 sources, cts.
 Graham has hardly grown to the dig nifty of little village. The little clus- ter of houses, mainly occupied by agri- culturists, would more properly come under the designation ot hamlet.
 Its name was derived from tbe high and picturesque mountain peak, twenty miles to the southwest which also gives name to our county. It IS located upon the north side of the Gils river, on a not very high, but commanding eminence, overlooking the rich river bottom, which is carpeied with a luIurisnt growth of alfalfa and grain, gloripg in their emerald tints, under our perpet- ually surlit sky. Most of the irrigable land surrounding us has been reduced to cultivation, and wheat, barley and corn are Ihe principal crops raised, but fruits aud all the crops of the temperate and semi tropic zones, can be succ ss- fully grown.
 Our location is in latitude 23s 4O' north and longitude 1lls west from Green | vich.
 Solomonville. our county seat. is about seven miles In En easterly direction. The nearest railroad station IS BowIe, distant 46 miles. nearly due south, on the Southern Pa.ifi0 Railroad. The altitude of the GIla Valley, is bout 5000 feet above tide water, secur- ing us from the equatorial heats, which | characterize the lower plains of Ihe vest ern part Of our Territory. during sum mer, ana giving us a vernal temperature during the whole year.
 The thermometer seldom goes higher | than l0S ID summer, and never gole many degrees below the freezing point ID winter, The atmosphere. owing to our distance from the sea, and the pre- vailing winds having to pass high noun tain chaius, wiring from them all the | moisture held ID suspension, before they rrnch us, consequently 1t is very dry, pure and health giving, and favorable | for all pulmonary diseases. In time this locality will rank ss ssnitarium for the sick from localities not SO favored Tn climsts and picturesque surroundings. Unfortunately we have no lakes. but We can produce some as fine mountain scenery as Can be found in The copti- nent. TheIr outlines are not softened woods and shfubery, but their rocky en- campments and bare pinaoles rise thousands of feet in mid air, and make a scene at once grand and sublime. The summit of Mt. Graham is covered with the prImeval forest. sud snow lies from November till June.
 The melting snows send down fine streams of pure, sparkling water, to irri- gate the thirsty Ilain below.
 The Gils river Is a swift flowing noun | tain stream of some pretensiOn during its flood season. which usually occurs ID the spring months, but dwindles to small proportions Tn the hot summer just sffording water sufficient for irrig gaiin z ihe bottom lands on is tanks, Water IS diverted from the river a few miles above Graham by a ditch about eIRht feet ID width, which supplies the far | mers present needs. i fine fringe of cottonwood and willow grows along its banks marking its course down the val ley.
 The San Carlos Indian Reservation is 60 miles west of this place where are settled all the Indians who formerly ranged over our valley on thelr foIBys and plundering excursions. This was ihe central ground between the ChITi- cBhua and PInetsno or White mountain Apache and does not seem to have been made a residence by either tribe , Before the deportation of the Chirica hUss to Florida. by order of Gen. Niles
 Graham was not considered Q very safe , place for settlers, consequently settle ment was delayed. the first settlers
 moving in Ghnut 1SS0.
 The oldest inhsbItant is Geo. Skinner who WAS born in England and is tbi,ty seven years of age.
 There are mineral veins in the acia- cent ranges of hills and 40 miles north
 west, on the San Francesca river tn, 3 principal sffluent of Ire Gila from th, } north rising in the White Mountain } chain, are the copper mines of Clifton 5 which gre among the best in the United [ States and owned by wealthy Scotcl : company.
 l Tue Rio Bonito, a small stream flow j ing into the Gils R few miles to the eas
 flows through deep canOns snd higf n | cliffs where exist some of the best pre- , 1 served specimens ot the houses of tn, - cliff-dwelleTs. ont ont ot the solid rock ! high up their almost perpeudiculsr face
 Oar public buildings consist of simpll a school house, IL IS built of lumber
 and IS B 0est and comnOdious ,buldip 2 . well suited tor school purposes s1d am , pie fo- the needs Of our growing ieIGh- ; borhoOd. The buildings ;hroughiut oul z valley are generally constructed out oi sun dried adobe brick which in this dry ; climate gre very durable. Shingles ArC . used for roofs.
 Native grasses abound in the bottoms
 and rank weeds spring up from the rich soil during the summer rain Rlncst barr
 ing ones progress through then. The
 most prominent among them is tne gor-
 geous wild sun flower, which spr,Rds its clusters of Oscar Wild's fsvoritas from s 10 10 feet in the ar. The nesss or table lands are covered with seviral vB- rIties of the cactus family, all pretty and teresting. and many having blossoms of great beauty. Grass grows spaHely on all the uplsnds snd hills ID our county, At present agriculture is the chff pur- suit of the people here, Stock rsi,ing sl- SO receives considerable attention.
 ANNIE l.. HUNTER,
 Graham. Teacher.
 AriZops,