Omaha daily bee., 1893-08-20
HOPE CREASED WITH GRIT
Arizona Stakes Her Future on Trinity of
Trumps
LAYING THE DUST AND RAISING IT
Irrigation, Transportation aud Minerals the
Principal Ingredients OF Prosperity and
frogross-Sketches of the Tesrt-
tory and Its cities.

After completing my ramblings in New
Mexico and the southwestern part of Texas
l boarded u train of the Southern Pacific
hallway company at FL Paso and moved
westward without stop till reached Phoenix.
Ariz,, passing through Deming, Lordsburr
Benson, Tucson, Marcopa and other towns
on the way The country lying along this
route of travel between the cities marking
the two extremes of my Journey is in soms
places rough, broken and hilly. In some it
is vast level plain, while in others it is
rugged, rocky and mountainous. Most of 1T
is dry, hot, barren, unsettled region. In
It's natural condition it repels rather than
attracts immigration. In the southeastern
part OF Arizona l passed through section
embracing many square miles covered with
WITHHOLDING sand Its surface was level
and appeared soil ,as If packed by running
over 1t roller of immense weight IL was
smooth as glass and seemed to glare and
glisten in the sunshine Not single blade
OF grass or "A Hover, shrub, bush, tree or
even weed could be seen upon it, 1t was
absolutely destitute of vegetable growths of
every kind In going from Maricopa north
ward to Phoenix saw fcw specimens of
the giant cactus. They lowered to a height
OF forty and forty-fve feet and were about
two feet in diameter They were deeply
1luteu, OF rich green color, columnar in form,
and well protected with "thorns" or stick
ers' as they are called in popular language
ihroughout large portions of both New
Mexico and Arizona prairie dogs are numer-
Gus. Ihey seem to have strong tendencies
toward civilization as it is a general custom
LOT them TO live together in towns
Phoenix.
Phenix is the territorial capital of Arizona
and the county seat of Maricopa county. 1t
is situated lDOlt milpS nf al
land few miles, comparatively,
IRON The geographical center of the terri
tory. 1T is entirely surrounded by noun
talns, standing at Il distance ranging from
six to twelve miles. Its streets are wide,
carefully laid out and heavily shaded with
trees, many of which have already attained
considerable size. Through them runs an
extensive system of street railway. While
operated py horses at present, electricity
Will be the motive power inside of sixty
days from this writing. The city Is equipped
win telephone system, n regularly organ
lZed fire department, an electric light plant
and a public waterworks plant. 1t has
several good hotels. a large number of excel
lent business blocks, with others in process
OF erection, and many handsome residence
houses. a large well built court house and
commodious city hall, of which any town
might justly feel proud, are among IT'S pub
nc buildings. In the city hall the
legislative assembly of the territory
holds its biennial sessions. The
court house ana city hall stand
each in the center of a fun square The
grounds surrounding them are covered With
grassy lawns, adorned with flowers. shrubs
vines and trees of various kinds. For city
its size the school houses and churches seen
there are much superior to tue average of
such structures. Three daily newspapers
supply It's people with the latest information
touching current events. Among its manu-
featuring establishments are two ice factor
les; an iron foundry, three planning mills
and one roller process -four mill The Yards
and grounds surrounding dwellings are orna-
mented with flowers, vines, fruit and shade
trees. The streets and all private and pub
lie grounds are under irrigation. The popu-
lation of the city numbers near lO0J0. Much
business activity everywhere prevails.
PhGnix Climate.
For period of some three or four months
during the summer season the weather is
oppressively warm, the thermometer rising
at times to 100, l05, 10, and on very rare oc-
casions to ll50 in the shade The remainder
OF the year, however, is exceedingly pleas
ant
1t should perhaps be remarked here that
owing TO the greater dryness of the atmos-
phcre one does not perspirc and swelter so
freely in Phoenix as In many other localities
with lower tempera ture but where the air
is more heavily laden with humidity. Even
in mdwinter the thermometer very seldom
sinks to the freezing point. While spending
| a week in Phoenix feel into the custom of
| sleeping out OF doors, habit almost unyer-
| sally prevalent there during the summer
months. Nearly all the hotels and many
| private houses are provided with wide
| porch at each story for that purpose. Upon
| these Il sufficient number Of cots or narrow
| beds are kept to accommodate those wishing
| to use them. AS for myself, found out-of-
| door sleeping enjoyable in the extreme. On
| the going down of the sun the thermometer
| sank To a comfortable temperature. The
a. f,,II
me bent the keep blue sky. magnificent
| dome, be-jeweled canopy. The moon was
robcd in queonly beauty. The stars
| glittered like diamonds in an archcd
setting of azure hue. The atmosphere was
| rife with the sweet perfume of shrub and
| flower My brow was softly famed by
| gentle breeze. The song of bird occasionally
broke the nightly stiffness. And under the
| combined effect of all, enchantment quietly
stealing upon my senses, | often fell asleep
| amid the music of rustling trees, inter
mingled now and then with the sounds cf CUR
| CLING water flowing by the street side.
Country Surrounding Phenix.
| The country Immediately surrounding
| Phoenix when placed under irrigation is well
adopted to farming, stock raising, fruit culture
| and gardening Wheat rye oats, barley,
| cane alfalfa, millet, potatoes and the like
are grown in immense quantities. Horses,
| mules, cattle, hogs, sheep and goats feeding
| upon nutritious grasses were rolling fat
| Inc mix OF COWS grazing upon these
| pastures is of a rich, sweet flavor and makes
most excellent butter and cheese. The fruits
| are of countless variety. Among them
may be named apple, apricot, fig,
| almond, banana, blackberry, cherry, mul-
| berry olive, orange, peach, pear, plum,
| pecan, pomegranite, strawberry and rasp.
berry. Watermelons, muskmelons pie
melons, cantaloupes, pumpkins and squashes
are u decided success. Beets, carrots
| radishes, peas, beans, tomatoes, lettuce
cabbage, onions, caulifower and other
| garden vegetables can be produced in
| quantity and quality nowhere To be sur
passed. For irrigation purposes the Salt
| river is the source of supply for Phoenix and
its vicinity. 1T IS estimated that this river
in its natural fowage has u capacity for
| irrigating 200, 900 acres and by system of
storage reservoirs for collecting food waters
| il is proposed TO double it's capacity But
| Phenlx does not depend upon these things
alone for future growth and development.
| All around her in tie distance are huge
| mountains rich in minerals of various kinds
| awaiting the building of a few more railroads
| and the coming Of capitalists TO make them
a source of industry and wealth.
AS yet no capitol building has been erected
| in Arizona, but within few blocks west of
| the corporate limits of Phoenix IA large piece
| of ground has been selected for that purpose.