The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-03-11
WHERE THE ROAD BEGINS
Prescott and Yavapai County, Their Resources
ana Their Needs


Situated near the intersection of the
18th parallel of latitude with the 18th of
longitude and built on the rolln. table
lands of the Sierra Preta mo tlntain
range, viewed from any peak of the pine
and verdure clad ranges viii CHI surround
it, Prescott appears to nestle in beauti-
full basin dotted with clusters and groves
OF imported and native shade trees, the
waving foliage of which gives the town a
sprng-like appearance for at least nine
months in the year. The landscape is
marked and massive and there is a clear
cool gray tone in the atmosphere. The
town is purely American, being settled by
natives of the older states of the Union.
The population is about three thousand
and the town steadily and substantially
growing. 1t is the central supply point
of county as large as the state of New
contains gold in It's native state, much of
it is rich in silver and copper while almost
every m neral known to science is found
in paying quantities; building and orna-
mental stone OF all descriptions is found
in vast quarries -hence the main industry
is mining.
The town is lighted by electricity and
owns its own waterworks, which cost over
500, 900, also owns $4,000 native sand
stone city jail building. Bounding the
northern suburb is Fort Whpple, now a
regimental post with full quota of soldiers
and officers. For years it was headquar-
ters of this military department and will
again be made so, now that north and
south railroad pierces the territory. The
town is noted for its hotels, one OF them
a three-story brick which would bear credit
to any section. In the central plaza is the
county courthouse of brick and stone,
surmounted by town clock tower, the
whole costing over 500, 600.
Higher up on the mesa are two brick
public school buildings which cost $40,-
900. There is a brick opera house and
frame opera house, the latter having a
copalians, Baptists, Congregation lists,
Methodists, Methodists South, and Catho-
lies all have creditable church edifces and
considerable congregations. The Catholic
church is a grand structure of brick and
stone, costing about $40, 900. There is an
mill and two banks. All the professions
are numerously represented. There are
several large wholesale houses and numer-
Gus retail dealers. There are three large
drug stores. Many of the business houses
are of brick and native sandstone, some of
them three st ries in height. One of the
two United States land Offices in the ter
ritory is located in Prescott.
The town is Incorporated, having an
elected city government. There is a uni
formed fire department, consisting of
three hose companies and one hook and
ladder company. There is a bottling
works and soda water factory. Plank,
stone and cement sidewalks are on every
residence and business street. There are
two daily papers, both taking telegraphic
dispatches; also steam laundry.
The elevation of the town is $500 feet
above sea level. The climate is that of
the southern temperate zone the aver
age annual mean temperature for tine
year having been but fraction under
SO degrees fahrenheit. The weather is
never sultry and covering of at least
one blanket is needed every night in the
year. The atmosphere is dry, raritied
and laden with oxygen and ozone. There
is no fog and SO clear is the atmosphere
that the naked eye can distinguish OBJ
jects 30 and 40 miles distant more clearly
than they can be seen distance of ten
miles in the other states. There are no
billiards., cylones, earthquakes or other
disastrous visitatons; there are no mos
quitoes and no tieas. Government obser-
vations give an average yearly rainfall for
ten years at 1913 inches. 1t is the best
spot on earth for people with pulmonary
ailments. DR.. Poe, for years stationed at
Whipple, pronounced it such. Consumpt.
ives having only one lung left and expec-
ting tosdic in few weeks when they
arrived, have been living here for year,
and are active, industrious and useful