Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-09-27
CULTIVATE FRUIT. IS THE INJUNCTION OF A RAILRoAD
 MAN. Interview with a Southern Pac1nc -" cial--He Brings in Some Eastern a Capitalists to See the Garden
 Spot of fArizona.
Phenix Republican


 There arrived in Phenix at l 30 yester- day afternoon train consisting of two private Pullman cars, Guadalupe" and "Buena Ventura" containing distin- guished party of visitors, all of whom were railroad men. Those on board were w. G. Curtis, San Francisco, Assistant tc the General Manager of the Southern Paci- fic; J. Kreuschmitt, New Orleans, Man ager of the Atlantic.System of the South ern Pacific; Wm. Mahl. John Mahl and $. Van Dieman, capitalists and railroad men, of New York; J. s. Noble. Tucson, Division Superintendent of the Southern Pacific, and W. Hamgeod and c. R. Meeker, Los Angeles, Engineers of the Southern Pacific. The gentlemen were accompanied by several stenographers and clerks
 Learning that they were en route, a rep resentative of The Republican met the party at Maricopa. where he was invited to join them on their trip here. Arriving at Phenix. they were met by Dr. A. J Chand- Ter and B. N. Pratt with carriages and all enjoyed a ride of two hours over the city and near neighborhood.
 None of these gentlemen have ever visited Arizona before" said Mir. Curtis to The Republican representative as the train left Maricopa, land while here I wanted to show them what could be done with these valleys when put under culti- vatlon, so concluded to give them run up to Phenix. I have visited your valley several times and am perfectly familiar with 1t. Its possibilities are simply un- bounded. In fact l don't believe your own people fully realize its great value.
 What you need now IS to raise less cattle and alfalfa and more fruit. Fruit raising is to be your great wealth as it is becoming to be in California. Twelve or fifteen years ago all the country about Fresno, California, was devoted to grain and stock raising. Now 1t is devoted to fruit raising and man can make more money off five acres now than he could then off a section of $40 acres. In fact the fruit interests of California have grown until this season 1t has been diff cult for our road to supply sufficient cars to make the shipments.
 You have two advantages over the fruit districts of California that are of incalculable advantage to you. First is that your fruits are earlier, and second the markets have been established and you have no way to break for yourselves. Now in the case of grapes the Salt River Valley IS two to three weeks ahead of any part of California. I tell you that is a good deal and 1t will enable you to con- trol the cream of the market in the East. It is the same way with your figs, apri- cots and peaches. Another thing that you should devote more attention to IS the cultivation of winter peaches. You can raise peach here that will be ready for market in December. Well, think of the fancy prices that would be paid in the East for fresh peaches to grace the table on Christmas and New Years.
 T don't want to be critical but your people have been, and are yet, too prone to rely upon the mining industries for your prosperity. It is a mistake. Look at Nevada how 1t rose to grand heights as mining State. Everything else was neglected. We all are familiar with it's collapse and now the State Is twenty years behind simply because its vast agricultural possibilities were neglected Eight years ago Tombstone was the i've Hest town in Arizona, but to-day it can not compare with Phenix and if you but develop your fruit growing as you ought, 1 you will soon be the center of one of the richest valleys in the world. One fault at present is that your holdings are too large. Why, ten to forty acres in such a | SdlOcu SpOt IS all etu I1du uceOS tO Lldho him an independent income.
 Besides the great wealth open to you in the fruit line Is winter gardening. 4ou can produce new potatoes, early cabbage, tomatoes and many other vegetables the last of January and early February, and would find ready market in all the Eastern cities at fancy prices. Produce the fruit and vegetables and there will be no trouble in finding market and a way to get them to market.
 My friends here were surprised to see Arizona looking so bright and green. The heavy summer rains have trans formed the mesa and desert tracts into the finest of grazing fields, with a profus- ion of wild flowers. 1 told them if they would come with me to the Salt River Valley would show them sights to open their eyes. am half sorry it isn't the middle of June, so they could more read fly notice the contrast between the parch- ed mesas and your bright green fields.
 "Yes; our trip IS necessarily a limited one, but 1t will give our visitors an idea of what you have. For myself, know the valley well, and have been pretty good missionary for it. I only hope your fruit industries will be pushed as they deserve to be, for your possibilities are unlimited"
 After two hours ride, which was thoroughly enjoyed, the gentlemen re embarked on their train and proceeded to Yuma, via Maricopa.