The Arizona sentinel., 1896-04-04
RIVERS OF YUMA COUNTY.

the yellow Colorado to the thirsty earth
 RIVERS OF YUMA COUNTY.
 in regard to climate, healthfulness, fer tility and productiveness of soil, facilities for cultivation, irrigation and abundance oi water supply, variety Of resources and cheap transportation by rail and by water. no part of Arizona can surpass Yuma county, which is destined to become one of richest and most prosperous counties ir Arizona.
 It lies between 32o 0O> and 34o 2O' north latitude and ll3o 20> and ll4o 40' west Longitude. It contains ,48S, 320 acres. | is about as large as the States of Rhodl Island, Connecticut and Delaware com .ed, or as large as either New Hampshire, Vermont or Massachusetts
 The western boundary of Yuma County is formed by the Colorado river, which separates Arizona from California. The county is bounded on the north by Williams Fork and the Santa Maria river, whose waters flow into the Colorado; on the east by the counties of Pima, Maricopa and Xarapai, and on the south by Sonora, Mexico Its coanty seat is the town of Yuma.
 The Colorado river drains the entire ter ritory of Arizona, and every drop cf water which falls on its mountains aud plains finds its way to this mighty nver. It is formed by the union of the Green and Grand rivers. fed by the streams which rise in the Rocky Mountains, and the melt ing snCws cause a greater depth of water in this river Ill summer than In winter. thus furnishing the most water at the season when it is most required for the purposes of irrigation and agriculture.
 It will be seen that for the entire distance along its western boundary, Yuma County possesses the great advantage of cheap water transportation.
 The Gila river rises in the western part of New Mexico and is fed by numerous streams, among the most prominent of which are the San Pedro, Agua Fria, Has sayampa and Salt rivers. 1t flows west throngh Yuma County and empties into the Colorado at the town of Yuma.
 Yuma county, traversed by these great rivers from its northern to its southern. and from its eastern to its western bound- aries, possesses a far greater water supply than any other county ill the Territory, and far more than can be found in all Cali fernia.
 This water is now being diverted from its natural channels by means of numerous large irrigating canals, and utilized for the purpose of reclaiming and irrig" ting th" immense tracts of lands which lie in this favored country, and which arc as fertile as any in the world.
 The Southern Pacific Railroad crosses the Colorado river at the town of Yuma and runs through the county, following the generol course, and at an average distance of about four miles south, of the Gila river, rendering all the lands susceptible of irri- gation and culti gation, can find an easy outlet in this way and can be transpol ted to all the markets and centers of population in the East or West.
 Anotier competing railroad is projected from San Diego. California, to the town of Yuma, and thence along the north side of the Gila river. Thus Yuma County will have exceptional railroad advantages.
 THE CLIMATE OF YUMA. The climate Of Yuma for nine months of the year has no equal, as we believe, in the world, and during the remaining three months of the year, comprising June, July and August, the heat Is not oppressive. Even though the thermometer iu uIId-Sum- mer may al times rise aboye l000, and oc- casionally even reach IIO', yet, owing to the absence of moisture ia the air, it is not oppressive. The atmosphere is pure. light and balmy. When the mercury marks ,he highest extre~le of heat, q person Gocs not feel that oppression CT debility which ia felt Tn the Eastern States when the lner- cury is ranging from S0' to 9J' The air is 50 dry that precipitation is absorbed as soon as it reaches tie surface of the body, and at no tune in the summer does the heat produce any discomfort.
 LAN-DS AND SOILS. Tse lands of Yuma County comprise the river 5otto1as ard valleys aud tle upland. or mesas The bottom ands mcistcr and slightly mere fertile, ! if, indeed, it is possible to m Ee comparisons i where all ar- wonderfully productive prolific. The u3lands CT mcsas w2rIaer anj, perhaps, lightly for better e cultivation of tha citrus fruits -"',p a,1e !; ,ra Tr1ars Of so'4 Tpa valley tard'