Arizona weekly citizen., 1891-08-22
SOL0MONVILLE. Fvorable Surroundings of
 the Gila Vallsy. MOST PRODUCTIVE LAND. A Land Where Doctors Must
 Farm or StarVe.
MOST PRODUCTIVE LAND.
Homes fer Thousands-Railrc Pro jects-Business Hen of the
 County Seat.

On the morning of the 9th inst. I took ths train for Duncan, arriving about 10 a. m. From this point l secured passage on one of Noah Greens splendid stage coaches for Solomonville, the county seat, and distant 40 miles. Mir. Green has well equipped line, and an excel lent road, almost freq from dust. He carries the United States mail and ex- press, and all passengers, (except dead heeds) at s5 each. The country along the stage road is composed principally of mesa land, we'll adapted to the graz ing of cattle, of which thousands may be seen roaming for their daily food. The summer rains, though not cop.ous, will, it is believed, soon improve the pastures greatly.
 We arrived at Solomonville about 5 D. m., and found comfortable quarters at I. B. Solomon's hotel. Here first learned of MT. Solomon's narrow escape from fatal poisoning by eating canned chicken. The accident occurred on the road near Fort Thomas, where medical assistance was obtained with so little de- lay that more serious consequences were averted.
 Mr. Solomon was the first white settler on the Gila, coming Lere in 1876 from New Mexico. To look over such broad fertile scope of land as the Gils valley, viewed from thls point, would tend to impress any man Of ordinary intelligence with the opinion that great future awaits It, but.before any improvements were commenced here, and when hostile Apaches were the sole occupants for many miles, 1t required man of more than ordinary courage and determina- ton to become settler. Solomon was the man for the occasion Soon after him, others followed; and the necessity for a store arose, which he supplied, be- ginning in a small way ard increasing with the demand as the country settled
 
 named in honor of Mir. Solomon, who entered and erected the first building upon the land included in the town site. As the reward of his enterprise and in dustry, coupled with discretion and frugality, Mir. Solomon is now the owner of six sections of this rich valley land, besides shares in irrigating canals, town lots, live stock, half interest in the Gra Lam County Bulletin, the official organ of the county, edited and published by Geo. ii. Kelley. His land is principally under cultivation and under range of ir- canals. He does not wish to hold the land for speculation, but is offering 1t on favorable terms to settlers in lo;s from a quarter section up to larger quantities. The average piece of this fine land is about S15 per acre.
 Ca Friday afternoon I accepted the kind invitation of Frank Dysart, to take a drive down the valley and inspect some of its production. Mir. Dysart is the clerk and deputy treasurer of Graham He is also engaged in the in
  possesses a fine tract of 400 acres ad- joining town. In our drive we viewed much fine land on either side of the road l between SolomOnville and Stafford, dls- | tauce of i've miles. Many of the fields 1 showed a high state of cultivation. | Splendid crops of alfalfa and Indian | corn, looking as we'll us they could in | any country, lined both sides of the | road. Fence posts made of cottonwood l and set into the ground some years ago | had grown into trees of large size and 1 besides beautifying the landscape, fur | nish refreshing shade along the road | sides for miles through the Glls valley | ] hen we frequently came to meet farm | surrounded usually with small | orchards and vineyards though ample | n size to demonstrate the singular | of the valley to the grow rg of very superior fruit At Stafford | [ met Jennings & Kirt!and, genei al and Judge John Blake, county school superintendent, secretary | # the Chiricahua cattle company, and | owner of the Stafford flour mill, formerly | n possession of l.. M. Jacoos, Tucson. Judgo Blake has otiiciated as school 'uperiu teEdent for three years past, turing which tims five districts hayc been added, and the pupils have in creased nearly fifty per cent, which speaks we'll fer Graham.
 The cattle belonging to the company ,f which Blake Is secretary are looking we'll, and they occupy rar ge of 40xl5 niles. Mr. Blake is also judge of 
 The estimated area in a good state of cultivation is 55,0O0 acres and at least vice as much more is rated as suscept- ble of being farmed profitably, should increased and located upon higher round to make the water supply avail Ible.
 The valley, or the portion lying north # the San Carlos reservation, has a of less than 10000, while here is fine productive soil here sufii .ient to maintain over 100000 people. It would hardly seem necef fsary to enum- ,rate the variety of fruit which can oe successfully raised in this valley.
 Better ask what cannot be raised. California has been advertising Arizona III the time while blowing up her own capabilities. 10 furnish some idea of what may be done by seeing what has oeen done, P. J. Clark, correspondent ,f the Phenix Gazette, recently went to some pains 10 obtain reliable statistics IS to the production and the capacity or production of this section His igures say that the corn crop of this 'ear will aggregate 5,000,000 pounds; barley, 3,5O0,010 pounds; potatoes, -500,- 'OO pounds; beans, 4000U dounds; F. D00 acres is the estimate of alfalfa meadows, which yield four or five crops ,f hay, and average from one to two tons ,er cutting. There is a good market or all the products of the valley, and Iuadruple the amount, as adjacent min- ng camps cannot get q flu l supply with ut sending abroad.
 The water of the valley, though slight y alkaline, is pronounced healthful, and much praise IS bestowed upon this part # the country for It's healthfulness. And the boast will not be considered an mpty one when 1 say that pr. A. H. 1oefer, German physician: and only
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