Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-05-03
Yuma County.

Many years have passed since the establishment of Yuma county. In early days it was looked upon as the threshold of Arizona, the village of Yuma being the gate way. Every pound of freight, consigned to the scattered interior towns and military posts, was conveyed by deep sea yes sels to the mouth of the Colorado, thence transferred to the decks Of river steamers and barges plying to Yuma, from whence it was shipped to it's final destination by wagon train. This period was lively and bustling; money was plentiful, and remnner- ative occupations obtainable with com paratively little difficulty. The prox- imity of Fort Yuma, then garrisoned, was a source of income of no little importance, and the village assumed
 the proud position in the front rank of Arizona settlements, to which she was well entitled. Agriculture and
 kindred pursuits were at an exceed ingly low ebb, for the reason that the wonderful possibilities ot the rich al- | luvial soils were totally unknown.
 Mining, however, more especially in
 the gold placers, was prosecuted with
 considerable energy, the returns, even
 with the crude and simple appliances
 then in use, proving more than satis-
 factory.
 The advent of the railroad in 1878
 instituted a radical change. The
 army of teamsters were swept away
 like chaff before the wind staples ot
 every description necessarily lowered
 in price, owing to the reduction o
 freight expenses, followed by a cores
 bonding decrease in the scale of wages
 Matters so continued until times grew
 dull, the population dwindled, anC
 mining for gold, silver, lead and cop
 per, became the chief and, practically
 the only reliance of the town ant
 county. Then came the discovery
 amply substantiated by actual ex perimentatiOn, that the Gila and Col orado valleys were among the riches of the continent, and ny far the earl jest. 1t was ascertained beyond doubt that the soil and climate Wer conductive to the growth of many c the tropic, all the semi-tropic, an most of the temperate production.
 It was. found that water alone wa
 necessary to bring about the establish ment of large rural population anC : consequently, steps were taken to thi ; erd. Much capital has been in seste F in irrigation enterprises, all, so ia
 xuffh tho Gilo kacio M, , number of settlers along the lines (
 canals projected and constructed
 increasing steadily and healthfull,
 bidding fair to eventually fill the va
 ley with workers who will carry tn : county further to the front than has ever been before. The custom F of early days are fast disappearing b }. fore the influence of modern idle; = and modern machinery. Farms al n springing up like magic; orchards al | growing thrifty and give indicatio c of vast returns upon the labor an t capital invested; cosy homes dot u V valleys and mesas; and herds of catt j. graze upon the wild forage that, V places, is so abundant. Mining, to ls DeconlluS HloIe hiportdlt tHan y former times. New inventions ha' l. enabled the cheaper working of orr a and the unexhaustible mineral r e sources are being exploited more sy t tematically than at any period u the past. Manufacturing is sure Q follow and, within q few years ol is fair county, so prolific in natur e resources and so brilliant in prom y for the future, will record histor y. unparalleled, in point of rapid al | permanent progress, in the annals Ie western development. The oid-tiu g. activity, unstable from its very i Ie ception, has passed away, but in Id wake dawns a new prosperity tn rs will prove as lasting as the gram y hills.-Yuma Times.