The Arizona sentinel., 1892-12-17
THE CELIA RIVER


 figure far more prominently in the solution of the problem of redeemlng and making valuable to the husband man the immense bodies of hitherto arid and vulueless land tributary to 1t.
 The Gila drains vast territory. Rising in the western part ot New Mexico, it flows in a nearly westerly direction through the entire territory of Arizona. Its northern and eastern sources are among mountains covered for several months in the year with SHOWS of varying depths, the melting of which, added to the many natural springs emptying into it at different points, form a considerable river long before it passes through Graham county. It enters the latter county in the neighborhood of the Clifton Copper Mines, then courses through the Pueblo Viejo valley and the San Carlos or White Mountains Indian re- servation, finally entering the Gila valley some few miles, it winds through the now famous Gila valley, eventual ly merging into the larger stream at Yuma. The entire course of the river is cratic and irregular, as it follows natural tortuous route caused by the diversified character of the county traversed. The total length, from its sources in New Mexico to its con- fuence with the Colorado, including its many windings, is fully $50 miles. Before reaching the eastern boundary of Yuma county, it is fed by numerous rivers, among the most important be- ing the San Pedro, singular stream rising near the lines between Sonora and Arizona, and draining the Hua- chuca, Mule, Caliuro, Dragoon and Milestone Mountains, and also the eastern slope of the Santa Catalinas. Flowing northerly for more than one hundred miles, it enters the Gila river at the southern extremity of Gila canon, in Pinal county. Along it's course, the rainfall is, perhaps, greater than elsewhere in Arizona, being es- timated at twenty-four inches yearly in the vicinity of the Dragoon Noun tains, Certain of the ranges men tioned are, during winter, frequently covered with snow, which, on some, do not disappear until the commence ment of summer.
 Another notable tributary is the Salt river, in itself large stream, hav- ing its headwaters in the White Mountains near Greens Peak. It rises in the eastern portion of the [ territory, draining the mountainous , region in the far north, including i . among others the San Francisco, Sierra Ancha, White, Apache and Tonto Basin Mountains, Among the most 2 important streams that feed it may be mentioned the Verde river and Tonto, Raccoon, Cherry, Canon ,Cibicu, Carri- 20, Pinal and Pinto creeks. Its gene raI direction is west and south until 1t empties into the Gila some distance below Phoenix, it's entire length close ly approximating two hundred miles. An important adjunct towards in- creasing it's volume is the heavy rain. fall about Prescott, amounting during the past ten years, as shown by the reported observation of the United | States signal-service office at that place, to an average of I5.IS inches annually.
 Much of its waters are used in irri- gating it's own valley at Phoenix. but the Salt river aRd the waste water os the Salt river valley irrigating canals is gradually returned in part, through | seepage, to the Gila, thereby augment ing the latter.
 Other rivers, like the Agua Fria, Rassayampa, etc., bring down further supplies drained from the heavily tim bered mountain region traversed by | them, pouring their precious stores into the Gila.
 WATER SUPPLY.
 From what has already been said, the reader will infer that the water supyly is ample for all the lands along and contiguous to the river. that it is practicable to conduct water upon. This is really the case, and for eight months in the year there will he millions of cubic feet per second run ming beyond into the Colorado River, and thence to the ocean. The nature of the soil, both valley land and mesa, is such that Q comparatively small