The herald., 1893-07-23
ABOUT ARlOHA'S ANNEXATION.
A PhOenixiaM Who FavOrs a
Novel Proposition.
He Wants a State Formed From
Southern California and Arizona.
Some of tho Features Which He Thinks
Lend Substance to the Plan.
The Qualities of the
Two Sections.

Santa Monica is at the present time
the summer home of jolly crowd of
Arzoniane, who are earnestly talking
annexation to Southern California and
the making of a new state out of the
territory. AS this would put new
phase on the subject OF state division,
and believing that an interview with
them published in the HERALD would
prove interesting, reporter was de-
tailed to learn their views. The re-
porter saw A. Ridewell. prominent
merchant of Phoenix. who seems to
bubble all over with pride for the terri
tory and earnest endeavor for the new
state. The substance of the interview
is as follows:
ARIZONA should be annexed to South
ern California and form O. new state with
the capital at Los Angeles or some GEN.
tral point which the voters will decide
upon.
with the counties OF Ventura, Santa
Barbara, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange,
San Bernardino and San Diego end the
territory Of Arizona, the new state of
Southern California will comprise
something over 100000 square miles
nearly the size of Fvance, which has
40,O00,000 inhabitants, and larger than
England, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium
and Holland combined, having 44,000,-
600 Of souls. The new state would have
u length of over 800 miles from east to
west, an average width of 800 miles from
north to south and have 200 miles of sea
coast and population of 100000. These
would be no conflicting elements in the
union OF Southern California with
Arizonia, the interests of it's people
being identical.
"Arizona's principal industry is min
ing. The cattle, agricultural and horti-
cultural pursuits of it's people being
secondary to mining. Southern Cali
fOrnia's great industry is horticultural
the cultivation of the citrus fruit and
grapevine predominatiug.
"The climate of Southern California 10
what might be termed temperately semi
tropical, while that of Southern Arizona
is eemi-tropical and even tropical in GER
tain portions. The result is that every
thing natures by three to four weeks
riiniArizona, which iB thus enabled
to chip to eastern markets early veget-
ables and fruit.
"With Arizona for it's back country,
Southern California would be greatly
aided in its commercial Importance, it's
growing manufacturing industry and The
general wealth Gifts people. Los Angeles
would soon become ciJy OF 250, 600
souls.
with Arizona's untold hidden
wealth in gold, silver and copper;
its thickly timbered section of over $50
square miles the coal mines ae yet un-
developed; the great deposits of chace-
dony, granite, red rock. etc. the inccm-
parable productiveness of the soil in the
Salt River, Gila, Yuma and San Pedro
valleys, the annexation or union Of such
territory to Southern California would
result in a condition OF things that would
be potential in the affairs of the coun-
try"
Regarding the business outlook in
Arizona Mr.. Redewell is likewise enthu-
siastic. Not single bank failed, and all
are in healthy condition. able to sus-
tain the assaults of any or all their
depositors, should they so desire it. No
business failure to chronicle, either.
Railroads are being built in every
direction, and all heading towards Phe-
nix, it's principal city. Real estate val
ues have not suffered during the panic.
The crops throughout the territory are
over an average, while the mines will
yield more the present year, notwith-
standing the low price OF silver, than in
any previous epoch.
Phoenix. the capital of the territory, is
adopting metropolitan airs with it's nu-
merous lofty stone and brick structures
it's electric car lines; it's complete tele-
phone system; it's beautiful drjveways
and shaded avenues; it's miles of
cemented sidewalks.
The professional trades are we'll rep
resented in the legal, medical, educa-
tional and journalistic lines. I have
only to chronicle one trade that does not,
fare well in Phoenix. It is the coroner,
who complains bitterly of the lack of
patronage thus: Business is d. bad;
no one dies.