The Arizona sentinel., 1889-12-21
Good Tidings from the Purdy, Gen.
 treras and Sanders Canals.
AZTEC, A. T.. Dec. r, '89.


 some time, as all hands are busy blow ing, after the rains, and 1 also must devote some time to experimenting affairs on my farm. The task laid out for me by the SENTINEL is, however, about completed, as tine canals of which this letter will make mention constitute all those of the upper Gila valley not described in my former communications. In month or two from now, when all the products now planted and being planted are in full bloom, this section of the country will present an appearance so attractive and so indicative of its agricultural and horticultural possibilities that it will become almost a duty on the part of the SENTINEL, to devote large portion of its space to descriptions thereof, so that the outside world may to some extent realize the vastness of the resources of Yuma county.
 Those last five days of my sojourn in the valley have given to a survey of the Purdy, Contreras and Saunders canals and the lands lying thereunder. There are about nine miles of the Purdy constructed and 1t is well made waterway having a width, on the bottom, of about eleven feet and a slope of two and one-half feet to one foot. When finished it will redeem a Very large area of magnificent country, embracing bottom lands, high lands and mesa lands. Even to day, at its present length, 1t can furnish water to more than 5000 acres of land, but its projectors will not turn in the water until some time early in February next. The present owners are Hon. Samuel Purdy, E. B. Wagy, and the Avila Bros. All che land that is now and will be when the canal is finished, redeemed by this enterprise is either settled or filed upon, but it has been impossible for me to learn the names of but few of the holders and so I will mention none. The canal heads about seven miles west of Agua Caliente Springs, at point in the Gila river where the supply of water is practi- cally inexhaustlble, and never failing either in winter or summer. There is no doubt as to the magnificent results of this enterprise.
 The Contreras will, when fully con structed, irrigated some 4000 acres of land. It is the property of Messrs. John Gandolfo, Antonio Contreras, J. M. Alvarado, Hon. Samuel Purdy, Manuel Molina, the Avila Bros, Hon. Isaac Lyons, and one other person whose name I cannot recall An ar ticle in last weeks SENTINEL signed "Observer," stated that some of the owners had abandoned the Contreras, but 1 am assured by them all that such an idea must have resulted from either a strained imagination or the brain of a simple meddler. On the contrary theowners set great store by the canal and propose to carry it to completion in the early future. It has fall of two feet to the mile, and five miles are constructed. The re- manning miles are surveyed and will prove comparatively inexpensive of construction. The land lying there under is composed of rich bottom soil wherein all planted and seeded pro- ducts thrive wonderfully. Messrs Contreras and Alvarado have substan- tial homesteads erected on their lands, and many other improvements. Nearly all the remainder of the land is filed upon under the Desert Land | and Timber Culture Acts. Mir. John | Sevenoaks has been doing some work | m thp Contrerac I haIiava of tba Ya quest of one or two of the owners, but recently a majority of them served | notice upon him to quit as he had no authority from them to be there.
 The Saunders Canal is owned by l the Mohawk Ranch Company, an Arizona incorporation, headed by Col l Cole Saunders. It Is some eight | miles long, covering fine stretch of | valley land, and the natural slope of the country enables a redemption of about 4000 acres more land, by means of lateral ditches. The soil could not be better than it is here, and the canal, including head gate, waste ways, fumes, etc, is a magnificent structure. The company has erected a number of buildings, shops, dwell ings, corrals, stables, etc, and there is good store and even dance-hall for