Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-26
BLOOM IN A DESERT.
Arizona has Most Fruitful Lands Be-
sides Its Burning Sands.
RIVALS CALIFORNIA FOR FRUIT.
Its Oranges the Sweetest, and Figs Thrive
as in the Orient.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE REDsKISs
rcnnnEspoNnrxcK or THE prsrArnz.I L


Arizona is desert-that it is completely Q
Sahara must be stated to the contrary. Tod
often the impression is left that it is entirely
void oil vegetation-an uninvitlng field save
to the gold and silver prospector. The
prejudice formed will soon die away when
one beholds its immense plains covered with
luxuriant heritage, intermingled with
flowers OF every hue-a land of eternal SUM
mer. where the orb of day is scarcely ever
dimmed and whose skies rival even thoss
of Italy's serene and placid cline.
Taking into consideration the whole aspect
of this remarkable territory, there is hardly
another portion OF our vast domain so capas
BILE of arousing the curiosity. Who does not
fail to wonder on beholding for the first time
the petrified forests and those peculiarly
shaped buildings and canals, that bear wit.
ness to q bygone civilIzLtionl Not alone
this, but here natural scenery abounds Of
which the eye car never grow weary, va
riety being Its most pleasing feature,
Seated on sure footed bronchos we slowly
wend our way along the slopes of those
wondrous mountain ranges-rugged in their
formation, yet at once picturesque and awe-
inspiring. A lofty peak is climbed, from
the summit of which a matchless view 10
obtained, while often the attention is di.
rected TO a strange phenomenon-one Of
those beautiful mirages, Tor which this re-
gion is famous. Where no water is, lake
can clearly be deserted. Now q city may
be diseernej, the outlines OF the buildings
appearing distinctly. Many have known
towns and other objects hundreds of miles
distant to be brought before their gaze but
alter all this may not carry much weight,
for the mind is too often liable to conjurs
up nblance.
The Rain Comes Too Irregularly.
To be convinced that this country is mot
altogether a barren waste, it should bs
visited shortly after the rainy season, say in
the commencement of August. Sufficient
water is all Arizona needs to make it prod.
uce the most pl-ntii ul supply of cereals. II
the terrific rain falls, which at certain
periods convert all the deep raviEes into
roaring torrents could only be retained in
large reservoirs to be duly distributed VveI
the land during other portions of the year,
the land would blossom as the rose. The
trouble is too much of the precious fluid is
wasted-it comes in larger quantities than
is necessary at the time being.
The day is not far distant when the in.
genuity of this thrifty people will assert
itself by making a net work OF dams and
Already several of these cisterns have been
constructed at a cost OF several millions,
showing that the inhabitants are fully alive
to its importance. The system Of irrigation
brings with it untold benefits, and 1t has
been pretty well demonstrated that in this
Far West, where from necessity it must be
depended upon, the yield is greater than in
those districts which rely on uncertain
rains.
The business of agriculture and stock
raising are both lucrative, the latter is still
in its infancy, but is making rapid heads
way. A fair estimation of the number OF
cattle grazing on the different ranches at
the present time places it between 1000, 900
and S,000 900. As there are no snow storms
here, there will never be any loss of cattle
by exposure. The mines of the Territory
contain untold wealth, notably those in the
southern part, which produce abundance OF
silver, and mushroom millionaiTes are numsJ
erous. The fruit growing industry from
present indications will, in the near future,
outstrip California's. Salt River Valley
has the finest specimens OF peaches and spris
cots 1 have ever seen. The fig also grows
luIuriantly. Only lately the orange was In.
troduced and it mas exceeded the expectss
tions of the most saDguine.
A Solution of the Indian Problem,
Looking at the Indian from the stand.
point of an Arizona citizen, L can safely as.
sert that patience has ceased to be a virtue,
We can never tell when these Government
wards will creep from their reservations to
enter upon their WORK of carnage. The few
troops that are placed in the Territory are
insufficient 10 cope with them in cases Of
emergency.
On, you sentimentallsts, at home in the
quiet of your fresides, whining over Indian
rights; you fam would excuse the villainou1
Apache in all his deviltry. Witness his
handiwork in the hundreds of unmarked
graves that dot the hillsides of this smiling
land, then go back and preach, if you dare,
of the injustice done to the murderous
Apache. Arizonians will not forget the
howl of rage raised by the maudlin Indian
sympathizers concerning the price which
was placed on the head Of that arch scouns
drel Geronimo. No name was bad enough
for the citizens who offered the reward to
rid themselves of his presence, and finally,
when he was captured by General Crook,
instead OF being hanged like any ordinary
criminal, the protestations of his whita
friends succeeded i'll getting him coms
portable berth in Florida. / understand he
is now Sunday school teacher, and on tho
fv leaf of his Bible are written the wordsi
"Jesus loves me; this l know"
thiuk the best policy would be TO divide
the unruly tribes iuto small bands and scat.
ter them through the different States, where
they can do the least hagm, for as long as
they remain in a country like this, with SO
many natural strongholds, they will never
cease to be dangerous element. There 10
some talk Of the War Departments enrolling
them in the army-anything at all, so an to
get rid Of them.
There Are Some Good Indians.
While writing on this matter it Is fair 10
acknowledge that there are Indians and In.
dians. The Papagos and Navsjos are motto
be reckoned in the same category with the
they are quiet and law-abiding
and are making rapid strides toward civili.
zation. The Utes, of Colorado. may also be
included in this list-they have advanced
within the last few years. I
am glad that the bill introduced into Con-
gress to remove them from their good land to
a wild and mountainous region in Utah was
defeated. They are becoming sellsupport-
ing where they are-why should they DO
transferred to barren tract, where they viii
into barbarism, and become pau
pers at the expense OF the Government Too
much credit cannot be given that Plttsburger
who fought so noblv in their defense, and TO
whose efforts more than any other is due the
defeat of this outrageous measure. Unlike
many Eastern folks who never saw an
Indian (excepta wooden one, he does not
suffer from intellectual dyspepsia occasioned
bv an overdose of Fenimore Cooper's tales
Having lived iu the wilds of Utah and COL
orado for years he had an opportunity to
study The question in broad and liberal
sense The last time / met him he ex-
planned in the following words his position
toward Poor Lo: do not misunderstood
me. have no sympathy to waste on an