Arizona weekly citizen., 1893-03-18
Land of Sunshine The Place
 For Ideal HOnfeS.
RICH IN PRECIOUS METALS.
With It's Climate Unrivalled and It's Capabilities Ummeasured.
A SHORT HISTORY.

Arizona is situated Tn the southwestern portion.of the United States and'forms a part of the territory obtained from Mex ico. The southern bouudery was origi nally the Gila river, but by the term of the Gadsden purchase the present boun- diary was established. The territory ex- tends from the Tooth degree of longitude west of the Colorado river, and from 31 degrees 2S minutes north la.ltude to the 17th parslled. On the north it is joined by Utah and Nevada, on the east by New Mexico, on the south by the state of So- nora, Old Mexico, and on the west by California and Nevada. Having mean length of 3S0 miles mort and south and $50 miles east and west, the territory is a vast empire in itself of 113,967. square miles, and equals ia area the SIX New England sstatss and New York com bined.
 In such a vast area all manner os eli mate, scenery and fauna can be found In the fertile plains of the south grow all the semi-trOpical plants, while the mountains of the north are covered with immense forests. la no similar area of the world can be found greater abund- ance of grand and awe-inspiring scenery. Rugged mountains that rear their tall peaks above the clouds; broad plateaus whose grasses glisten in the sunlight; rocky gorges that mark the beds of streams which for untold ages have been cutting their pathways to the sea, beau- tiiul valleys which need but the magic wand of irrigation to make them bring forth all the fruits of the earth; gigantic forests of evergreen pines; natural bridges beside which that famed wonder of nature in the Shenandoah mountains psles into insignIfcance, and clear mountain lakes where
 'One may rest and dream the hours away.
 Here also may be found the ruins of the prehistoric ages. Ruins which had been long ago abandoned when Vasquez the Coronado first vissted the valley of the Gila, $50 years ago. Here in this great territory may b. found the ruins of the cave and cliff dWellers, those wonderful dwarfs whose homes were on the sides of bald and rocky ciffs, overlooking deep canyons, hundreds and even thousands of feet below. And here only can the visitor see the greatest petrifed forest eversfound. Trunks ,Of huge trees, some 40, some 50 some 60 some 70 feet to where the tops are broken off, all now turned to stone, and standing as mute monuments to the mighty forces of nature that could pro- duce these wonderful formations.
 Although comparatively unknown by the mass of the people, Arizona was one of the first sections of country now form ing the United States to be explored by the white man. When Alvar Funez Ca beza de Vaca and his three companions made theIr wobnderful escape from h. diar slavery in ElnrIda iu the early Uart of the sixteenth century and made that perllOus overland trip to Mexico, ,heIr description of the thrifty villages they had visited aroused new desires m the Spanieh hearts of Mexico for further conquest and glory. Under the impulse of these reports, VIsqueZ de Coronado fitted cut an army of 1000 men, and in April, 154O, set out from Culiscan to explore the unknown country to the north. He found many rich and popul- ous villages, the inhabitants 0t which were mostly engaged in agriculture, but the prt ciOus metals, of which re was Tn quest, were rot found. After two year. of vain search for treasure, the expedi- tiOn returned.
 The first settlement in what is now Arizona was not made until 1887, 145 years after COronado's expedition. Tben two Jesuit misslonaries, Father EusebiO Francisco Kino and Juan Maria Salva- tierTa, established a mission at Guevavi, on ihe Santa Cruz, some distance south of Tucson. At about the same time, the Mission of San Xavier del Bac, about nine miles from the present city of Tucson, was founded. This latter mi-~ sion is today one of the famous land marks left by the old Spanish fathers, and 1t Is well worth journey of many miles to see.
 Northern Arizona become a part of 'he Ubited States by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ID lS47, and through the Gadsden purchase of 1854 all that part south. of Glla river was acquired. It was part of New Mexico fer several years, and was finally created a territory in 1864, Hon. John N. WCodin being ap- pointed the first governor by President Lincoln. The first capitol was located at Whipple. It was then removed to Prescott, where 1t remained until 1867 when it was taken to Tucson. Ten years latter 1t was again It moved to Prescott. and in 1889 it was removed to Phoenix, where beau iful grounds have been set apart for capitol building.
 For years the very word "Arizona" had gruesOme sound to the easterner. At the mention of the nRme of this terri tory visions of bloodthirsty Italians, while desperadOes, barren mountains and alkali deserts would spring before ones eyes RecollectiOns of the ter ble mass cres by Apaches along the old overland trail; of tales of men dying horrible deaths from thirst upon the desert; of stage robbers Tn the mOunt6in passes, made the intending emigrant turn his steps in another direction But a marvellous change has come, and t5ere is no state or territory in the Union to- day where human life Is more sacred, where crimes are less frequent, than in this same ArIZJna.
 Rich in mines, rich Tn timber, rich 10 grazing land, rich in soil for fruit cul- ture, rich in the finest mineral springs on earth, rich in the pure-t of mountain air and perpetual sunshine, she offers every inducement to the homeseeker to come and establish that ideal home which he has so long had pictured be- ore him.-Willisms Ca. T) News.
 6noron+oad N1ro