The Florence tribune., 1897-06-19
THE CASA eRANDE VALLEY.
information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.

Information for Those Seeking 7omes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.
 Pinal county was organized in 1875 iron, portions of Pima, Maricopa and layaphi counties. and contains an area of ,So6 square miles, or S,4S5 520 acres, one-third ot when could be made productive by systematic storage of the surplus water now running 10 waste. Next to Marieopa it IS the most in- portant agricultural county in the territory. It it traversed from east to west by the Southern Pacific railroad, and hrnnch or the great Santa Fe system is now approach. ing from the north. The objective point or this road is a connection with the Sonora road, of tke same system: The Soutnern Pacific Is also building in this direction from Tempe,and it is confidently believed that that work will not cease until the Deer Creek coal fields are reached and connection IS made with another branch of that road run ming from Bowie to Globe and HOW cemplet-
 Thus it will be seen that Pinal county is the theater of railroad building at the pres pres ent time, and inside of year Florence, the county seat, will be
 A RAILROAD CRNTEE.
 At present 1t contains a population sot about 1900. but with the completion of these two railroads and the Butte reservoir no city in Arizona can approach 1t for naturai advantages, and large increase in popula- ton will follow. Florence is at an elevation of 1858 feet above sea level situated near the Gila river, twenty-six miles northwest oI the railroad station of Casa Grande, with which
 
 daily stage line. Going and coming stages run by the old Casa Grande ruins, and passengers are allowed . short time to in speet them. There are many handsome prl- vate.residences in Florence, several brick stores, good hotel, an excellent graded school employing four teachers churches, secret societies, a Commercial Club, a news paper (the only one in the countyl, and the handsemest court house in the Ierritory, Here is held the United States Court for the district compose1 or Sita' rs iined with shade trees, which impart an air or comiort on the warmest days.
 PRODUCTS OF THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river, the waters of the Ga are frosh and psEs, the soiI niallV nV adapted to the growth of the prune, oiiye, almond, peach, fig. pear, apricot and fruits of all kinds, which pay largely on the invest ment. It is also the natural home Of alfalfa which grows in the most Prolirc manner. The grape does exceptionally well Tn this valley, and wine and raisin culture IS destin- ed to become a prominent industry. Citrus fruits have been cultivated to limited extent; there are number of orange trees in the Rsighborhosd of Florence which bear their golden fruit each year without pro tectioR, aud few date palm trees are also in full bearing. The season is from six weeks to two months earher than Southern Cahtor- nla, which gives fruit growers an appreciat- ed advantage in
 THE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is 4nruIidable obstacle to the destructive and unsightIy scale-bug. and the fruits of the valley are all bright and clean. All the agri- cultural products of temperate and semi tropic zones are easily grown here, the long seasons giving a succession of crops that double or treble the productive value Of the land..
 PIECES OF LAND.
 Improved lands with government title and water right, can be bought for from SzO 10 $50 per acre, according to location and im- provements. In the immediate neighbor- hood and 10 the south of the Casa Grande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with a heavy growth of mesquite timber yer open to settlement. These are among the choicest in the valley. Water in ine1hausti- ble quantity is found at a depth Of from twenty to thirty feet; in fact, river seems to be flowing underneath. Here is splen- did opportunity to take up and improve land with pumping system of irrigation, which is said to be successful on small tracts. However, with the completion of the Butte reservoir pumping will be thing of the past. and it is only mentioned here for the purpose of showing what can be done, and to magnify the further fact that what was once considered
 AN UsISHABITABLE DESERT
 is in truth the most productive land on the globe and that there is water in abundance to bring every foot of it under cultivation, only waiting for the magic wand of capital to develop 1t. There is no wate--storage scheme the HdcIuc coast tll1tt nti1 Dut-l ll1it the natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in ever-liv- ing rock, and all that is left for man to do IS to put in the headgate. the bluffs which form the gorge being only separated by paltry 220 feet. country is drained through this narrow canyon POO miles square, representing 10000 square miles. or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall Is sui, hcient to fill the reservoir twice year. ana the land to be brought under cultlvation IS practically lmitless. This may read like fairy tale but it is every word true, and has been verified time and again.
 CASA CYANIDE RESERVOIR
 The reservoir of the Casa Grande Valley Canal company is the largest in the territory. It covers surface of 16g0 acres, with an aver age depth of F feet and contains about eight thousand million gallons of water It Is sit uated fifteen miles southwest of Florence. 4 Ievee of earth has been thrown up across a depression in the plain il, 600 feet in length. I25 feet in width at the bottom and 25 feet in width at top, 2 to slope on each side, and an average height of 9 feet. The waste is regu- lated by 5 cast iron pipes feet in diameter, set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower. This reservoir cost $l50,00O, and sup plies water for 6.0O0 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern ment maintained a station at Florence from 1874 to i8S2 The reports covering the period from July, 1880. to April, 1652 gives the follow ing statistics, which may be taken as a safe guide to the prevailing temperature given Il. -G~s~~