The Arizona sentinel., 1897-09-11

...-.-g % .s. ,s. a .. .. s..s-... April. The same reports snow the highest and lowest temperatures, averaged for eight years, at the same place, as follows; For November 78H degrees and 42 degrees, December 73h degrees and 36H degrees, January 65I degrees and g degrees, Feb. ruary 7lH degrees and 35H de rees, March Sl H degrees and Al degrees and April S6I degrees and 46 degrees. The nights throughout the winter are apt to be cool enough for open wood fires' and fol blankets. Half the time an overcoat is not needed during the day, but it is never prudent for stranger to be without one at hand.
 The atmosphere is singularly clear, tonic and dry. l have never seen It clearer anywhere in the world. It seems to have about the same bracing and exhilarating qualities as the air of the Great Sahara ill Northern Africa, or of the deserts about Mount Sinai, in Arabia Petraea.s 1t IS much drier than in the parts of Morocco. Algiers or Tunis usually visited, and drier than any part of the Valley of the Nile north of the First Cataract. It seems to mo about the same in quality as the air on the Nile between Assouan and Wady- Halfa, but somew hat cooler.
 ACTUAL HUMIDITY.
 This is extremely slight, everywhere in Arizona, as compared with any eastern climate in the United States. The air is driest on the high mesas, remote from snowclad mountains or forests, and in the desert valleys, where no considerable irri- gation has been begun. Wherever irrlga- tion is carried on on a large scale, the percentage of humidity in the atmosphere must be somewhat increased, although to an eastern visitor it is scarcely perceptible. The same Government observations all ready cited show relative humidity, at Phoenix or Tucson, averaged for weeks, from morning and evening readings, at less than half the usual humidity on dry days in New York. General Greedy, in pub- Iication from the Weather Bureau, gave the normal weight of aqueous vapor in the Arizona air at from lH to grains per cubic foot.
 Showers, and indeed heavy rains are liable to occur in every month ot the year; but the actual number of rains seems to an eastern visitor strangely small. The average rainfall in Southern Arizona, as shown by the Government observations, is but 11a inches per year.
 ATTITUDES.
 It IS striking advantage offered by Arizona that, with the same general con- ditions as to temperature and dryness of air, the physician Is able to select nearly any altitude he may desire. Thus, asth- matic sufferers can find almost the sea level at Yuma, or an altitude of only a feet at Phoenix, or of only 2,400 at Tucson. Others, who find uo objection to greater elevations, can choose between Prescott or Fort Whipp'e. 5,400; Flag staff, 6.800,; the Sulphur Spring Valley, or Fort Grant, 4,20O; Fort Huachuca. 4,SG0, or Oracle. about 4, ,0C0.
 IsITA PLACE FIT TO LIVE IN?
 This depends on what one expects in huge, parsely settled Territory of mount sins and deserts. Tae man who looks for either the beauty or the seductive excite ment of Monte Carlo will not ind it. As little will he find the historic remains or the cosmopolitan attractions of Egypt; nor could he reasonable expect the amusements and luxuries of our own Eastern cities The people of Arizona are still chiefly busy in the pioneer work of subdUing it to the residence and uses of civilized man. But 1t has two transcontinental lines of railway with numerous feeders; it has fast mails, md rival telegraph lines, and is throbbing with the intense life of the splendid West
 The two principal towns in the south srn portion, chiefly sought for their climatic advantages, are Phoenix and Tucson. Each ,f them has ten thousand inhabitants or nore. They have the electric light, tele- phones, trolley cars, plenty of hotels, )anks, bookstores, good schools, churches, m occasional theatrical performance, some imes lecture or 0 circus, often a horse ace, and, in the spring. thoroughly urious and interesting "desta.' For the est, people must take their amusements with then. Good horses are abundant nd cheap, and there are plenty of cow ,oys-the genuine articie-to show what lorses can do. The dris ing for fifteen or wentY miles in almost any direction from Phoenix, IS nearly always easy. The roads re apt to be dusty; bat there IS one we'll prinkled drive of six or eight miles; and ince tine winds are quite regular in their Erection. it is rarely difficult to choose a oute or which the dust will be largely arried away froL. you. The unbroken esert itself is oftcn as easy to drive over $ an Eastern highway, and the whole l alley is paradise for bicyclers, or eques- rians.
 CAN ONI LIVE COMFORTABLY? That again depends on what you expect. | 'ou cannot Ia, e the luxuries of our New 1 7ork houses out there, unless you build ne; or the variety of our New York larkets, unless you charater refrigerator ar. But there are hotels with almost as