The Arizona sentinel., 1893-05-20
TIE ARIZONA OF TIE FUTURE
By J. AUSTIN HALL.
 Part 1T.

IOp6hd N DdnGd C hdlIrOdQ CO0l
 pany has concluded "That whereas
 we have been unaware of th
 exceptional wealth and latent hor
 ticultural possibilities the South
 ern Arizona generally and the Sal
 River Valley and the Gila Benc
 country more especially, resolved
 that we immediately employ twc
 thousand men to construct al
 airline connection between tha'
 part of our system known as the
 Atlantic Pacific and the City o-
 Phoenix via. Prescott. Resolved
 that after the two thousand men
 are at work, that we get as many
 more as we possibly can," all oi which is now history. Hence the growth of the Salt River and the
 Gila River Country.
 A growth that is based on the dem- onstrated fertility of the soil, unlike mining craze and corner lot spec ulation, It is destined to be continuous. For climate, soil and water can not be boomed away any more than the Atlantic can be moved from it's bed. But Arizona is a dry country, cer- tainly." To those of little faith she is dry, very dry and dusty. But there was found man some ten years ago who believed that Arizona had plenty of water, He staked a million on his faith all his own and his friends money. He struck the rocks like the prophet of old and it gave forth it's healing streams, That man Mr. N. o. Murphy ex-Governor of Arizona to-day, and well he might be, for did he not like Moses lead tribe of men into a val ley, "fowing with milk and honey"?
 Go and ask the twenty thousand tillers of that wonderful productive soil yielding six crops of alfalfa, three crops of grapes and four crops of figs annually, if that is not true.
 Says J. DeBarth Shorb, probable the most competent and scholarly hor- ticulturist in the Los Angeles Valley, "The viticultural possibilities of your section is beyond any mans con- prehension. From all the evidences furnished me by the growing vines I must say, here is the natural home of the vine, for they attain a greater size in the space of two years than they do in this state, California; in five; the yield corresponding to their growth and size. The irrigation fa- cilities are not excelled anywhere and this system, which insures the laborer against all loss by reason of the uncer- tainity of the season, can be more eco- nomically followed in the Gila Valley than anywhere in Europe and Ameri- ca. Considering every factor that goes to make country great and prosperous, l believe you are more particularly blessed than any other portion of the worlds surface. All that Egypt can claim in the way of natural advantages, which made her the granary of the world for ages, you may also claim in greater abundance; and, while civilization had it's origin ln the Nile delta by reason of it's agri- cultural conditions, it should have it's highest achievements In the Gila and the Salt River Valleys for the same reason"
 These are brave strong words from a gentlemen whose interests are identic al with those of Southern Arizona. out located in the competing area of Southern California, MT. Shorb has lot only watched, but been one of the thief actors in the wonderful change that has taken place in Southern Cal fornia within the short space of 'wenty-yearS-a change which has her from a cattle ranch | md mining camp to one of the great ,st horticultural sections of the world. rh erefore his words have unusual weight and prominence. Just as has in California there will be n the Gila and Salt River Valleys me hundred for every single family f horticultural pioneers now residing here, within ten to twenty years of he present. But even that great as t IS, will only be a part of the clearly indicated future of Arizona. Enclos- ng her fertile valleys like a gigantic rame around a wonderful pastoral cene lie her mountains. They afford he most picturesque setting that any ne could desire. Tho future artists 7ill be busy with them. But to US