The Florence tribune., 1897-05-29
THE CASA GRANDE VALLEY.
Information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the. Garden Spot of the West.

Information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the.Garden Spot of the West. Pinal county was organized in, 1875 from portions of Pima, Maricopa and faVapal counties, and contains an area of a,Sb6 square miles, or 5, sS5, ,520 acres, ope-thlrd of when could be made productive by systelna1ic ssorage of the surplus water now running U waste. Next to Maricopa it is the most ia- portant agricultural county inthe Territory It it traversed from east to west py the Southern Pacific railroad, and branch or the great Santa Fe system is now approachss ing from the Rortk. The objective point oI this read IS a connection with the sonora road, of the same system. The southern Pacific is also building in this direction from Tempe and it is confidently believed that work win not cease until tho Deer Creek coal fields are reached and connection IS made with another branch of that road rpn- -nIng from kowie to Globe and HOW cempiee- ed to Fort Thomas.
 Thus it will be seen that Pinal county IS the theater ef railroad building at the pres cut time, and inside of year Florence, the county seat, will be
 RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present it contains population sof about l5o0. but with the completion of these two railroads and the Butte reservoir no city in Arizona can approach it for natural advantages, and large increase in popula- tlen will follow. Florence is at on elevation 6f loo3 feet above sea level, situated near the 6ila river, tweRty-six miles northwest of the railroad station of Casa Grande, with which it is connected by an elegantly. equipped daily stage line. Going and coming stages run by the old Casa Grande ruins, and passengers are allowed a short time to in spect them. There are many handsome pri- svate.residences in Florence. several brick stores. good hotel, an excellent graded school employing four teachers, churches, secret societies, a Commercial Club, news paper tthe only enc in the counfyl. and the bandsoTnest court house in the Territory. Here Is held the United States Court for the district composed ef Gila, Graham and and Pinal counties The streets are lined with shade trees, which impart an air or eomIore on The warmest days.
 PRODUCTS or THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river, the waters of the sllzali, is a deep, rich gray ash, especially adapced to the growth of the prunei olive, elmond, peach, fig, pear. apricot and fruits saent. ii is also the natural home of alfalfa, which grows in the most prollnc manner. The grape does exceptionally well in this valley, and wine and raisin culture Is dsstin- ed to become a prominent industry. Citrus fruit kaye been cultivated to limited cxsent; thsre are number of orange trees h the Reighborho0d of Florence which bear their golden fruit each year without pro lection. and few date palm trees are also m full bearing; The season Is from SIX <, weeks weeks to two months earlIer than Southern Caltor- nia, hich gives fruit growers an appreciat- ed aa agantage in
 THE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is formidable obstacle to the destructive and unsigiltly scele-Dug. and the fruits or the valley are all bright and clean. All the agri- cultural products of temperate and semi tFopic zones are easily grown here, the long seasons giving a succession of crops that double or treble the productive value or the
 PR1cKs OF LAND.
 Improved lands, with government title and water right. can he bought for from S2o to $50 per acre, according to location and 1m- provernents. In the immediate neighbor- hood and to the south of the Casa Grande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with heavy growth of mesquite timber yet open to settlement. These are among the ble quantity is found at 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 a pumping system of irrigation, which Is said to be successful on small tracts. However, with the completion of the Butte reservoir pumping % wii, pc 2 Sr SSslng or the the purpose of showing what can be done, and to magnify the further fact that what was once considered
 AN uEIsHABIrABLE 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 it. There is no water-storage scheme on the Pacific coast that has one-haf the natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in eyer-1y- 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. A country is drained through thls narrow canyon 200 miles square. representing 40000 square miles. or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall Is sui, heient to fiji the reservoir twice year, and the land to be brought under cultivation 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. Itcoyers a surface of 1900 acres with an aver age depth Of F feet and contains about eight thousand million gallons of water. It is sit- mated fifteen miles southwest of Florence. A levee of earth has been thrown up across depression in the plain If, 900 feet in length. I25 feet in width at the bottom and 9 feet in width at top, 2 to slope on each side, and an average height of 9 feet. The waste is regu- lated by 3 cast iron pipes feet in diameter, set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower. This reservoir cost S150,O00, and sup plies water for 5000 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern 1 ment maintained station at Florence from | 1874 to 1882. The reports covering the period i from July, 1880, to April, 1882, gives the follow ing statistics, which may he taken as safe | guide to the prevailing temperature given | f-- x1.. q