Arizona republican., 1895-10-19
,ARIZ0NA'S HOSPITALITY. Noted by an Irrigation Congress Delegate. Plaased With Phoenix and Her
 Fruit Farms.
Comnendatory Extracts From the
 Journal of an Iowa Editors Western Experience.

J. W. Cook, sin the Oscaloosa Qowa) Saturday Globe: The fact is beyond dispute that the western half of the continent can readily sustain a popula- tion at least as large as the present totoal number of inha bitants of the United States. In an Address to the American People, the Fourth National Irrigation congress inserted the follow ing paragraph:
 We make no apology for a land which requires irrigation. On the other hand, we look with a considera- ble degree of commiseration upon lands whose foundation industy of agricul- ture rests upon the precarious de- dendence of natural rainfall and whose corps alternately suffer from drought and flood. Irrigation is the basis of form of agriculture as scien- tific as mathematics.
 The people of the great Salt River valley, Arizona, were not satisfied with simply voting for this statement through their delegates They wanted the congress to move out to their val ley for a few days and actually look upon vast stretch of country where agriculture is reduced to a science" by means of irrigation. How badly did the people of Phoenix and Marieopa county generally want the National Irrigation congress to call on them? We'll, they were not joking, though as was later demonstrated, Arizonans are not seri- ously opposed to a joke. The invita- tien read this way we live 600 miles distant from Albuquerque. We would like to have yoa accept berth in a Pullman palace car, with our con- pliments, and pay us visit" Now, that's the way they do things out west, out where it is wild and woody, you know, and where the folks back east think the people don't know much"
 Thursday evening of congress week about seventy as jolly people as ever parted the green curtains to berth said with one accord, Let us populate those two Pullmans and go to Phoe- nix" The decision was never re- gretted. It was a mixed audience" There was Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, North Dakota, New Jersey, Idaho, Utah, Texas, Colorado all repre- sented, and three or four other states we do not recall just now.
 How do you go to Phoenix, Arizona? From Kansas City take the great Santa Fe route to Albuquerque, New Mexico, then to Ash Fork, over the Atlantic & Pacific, then over the Santa Fe, Pres colt & Phoenix to destination. All these lines are really a part of the Santa Fe system.
 MT. Murphy, president of the Santa Fe, Prescott & Phoenix division, met the congress excursion at Ash Fork, whereathe branch leaves the main line, and at once arranged for half-hour's stop at Prescott This branch is one of the best<and most complete equip ped side roads in the United States For the first fifty miles there is a quick succession of curves and rugged noun tain sides, such as our friends had not yet witnessed. At one place a horse shoe curve comes so near completing the circle that one can almost toss a stone from track to track. Again the Point of Rocks brought everybody to the platforms. Prescott has the unique distinction of possessing dead railroad, the old Prescott junction line having gone entirely out of business since the new Santa Fe short line has been in operation.
 We reached Phoenix about 2 a. m., but 7:30 was as soon as cared to know it. Hospitality began to double it's diligence. We were shown to the Con- mercial hotel for breakfast. The en- tire city was given over to the posses sion of the congress excursion for two days.
 The weather during our stay in Salt River valley, about the last of Septem- Der, was simply delightful. An ordin- ary summer suit was very comfortable, after sundown hardly warm enough. 1 have felt the heat far more at home in September than here at Phoenix
 Phoenix is built like city. It was expected by its founders that some day 1t would be city, and they will not be disappointed. The capitol grounds are already laid out and are blooming today with every kind of tropical plant and flower.
 On the afternoon of the first day our cars were taken out to Glendale and Peoria to visit the fruit lands of the Arizona Improvement company, also the fruit ranches of private indi- viduals.
 Such quanties of fruits we never looked upon or dreamed of before. Grapes, for instance. Our carriage drove through vineyards with rows so long they seemed to meet at the far ther end Between these rows were laid on the ground, say ten feet apart, a fiat wood crate, perhaps four feet by