Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-05-10
Arizona's Desert.

orn Pacific railroad through Arizona 1 traverses it's most barren districts, i where as yet, nothing has been done to reclaim the land for agricultural purposes, it only crossing the smallest courses, and that at long distances apart. Had the Southern Pacific ! heen built down the Gila valley to i Florence, thence tu Phenix and down l the Salt River, what different opinion people travelling over that ! line would have of Arizona; instead of liding over plains naked of vegeta- ] ton, except mesquite, greasewOod, caeti and an occasional bunch of
 sacaton grass, they would be tran sported through growing fields of 1 barley, wheat, and alfalfa. almost 1 from the time they quit New Mexico until they reached the Golden state. 1 The difference that such a condition
 would have made in inc immigration
 to our Territory dulng the last six or seven years IS beyond accurate es- timation, though that il would have
 been largely in our favor is readily
 appreciated by all Those who have never seen the Salt or Gila river val ! leys can have no favorable conception i of tha capabilities of Arizona; they come and go with the impression that | the Territory is good for nothing ex- cept cattle raising and mining. They are naturally shy of any declaration about the bread expanse ot mesa land, over which they pass being cap | able of producing two crops q year, and yield crops of wheat, barley, corn, alfalfa, and all manner of fruit, equal ! to the richest agricultural districts 10 be found east of the Missouri river
 Twenty years ago the entire Gila and 1 Salt river valleys were as uninviting in appearance and as barren as the 1 naked stretch seen from the railroad
 between Casa Grande and Yuma. IL is hard 10 realize this fact, on visit to these valleys now, as one behOlds as far as the eve can reach, the most luXuriant growth of all manner of vegetation, including fruits the finest that ever "tickled the palate of man" The land and water were there all right twenty years ago, but the hand of man was necessary to bring them together for his benefit. The Salt river is no hotter than the Gila, though somewhat farther Gdy2nfed, Some day, and before the oid-timers, vino settled in Graham county at a time when they had 10 guard well their scalps from tie Apache and their scant larderS from the coyote, will have passed away, a railroad will be built through this. valley; then who ever travels thereon will be made to realize what misnoner the term "American Desert" has been, as ap- plied to the whole of Arizona in the past. Tothose who oamo here in the early days and have battled with all the adyersities incident to the settle ment of a new country, alive with ! hostile Indians the most treacherous and bloodthiIsty ever encountered by { the onward march of civilization, we ! say hold on tO your possessions; you | are the pioneers Of the faiFst land upon which the sun ever cast its rays, and will not much longer have to wait and watch to see it bloom into the garden spot of the southwest. I'm migration has been slow in the past, but Arizona is rapidly becoming known as agricultural as well as q mineral and stock growing country, and we may expect something better 1 for the near future In Graham county. betvesn Solomonville and
 Fort Thomas, distance of 28 miles,
 the Gila valley offers 50,0O0 acres of
 land, with abundance of water for it's irrigation, to those seeking homes in
 the south; about 10000 acres are now
 being cultivated, and the results so
 far will rival any country to he found
 on the American continent With
 this vast area Of rich available land
 what may we not expect for Graham's s
 fuuFeY All our grand resources will
 gradually be made known, spd Qur
 county, though at present isolated
 from the public highway over which
 immigration travels westward, will
 receive the attention to which its many
 advantages entitled it.-Solomonyille
 Bulletin