The Arizona sentinel., 1897-05-22
ARIZONA.
It's Attractions and Advantages as 8
 Place Of Residence in Winter.


 White!aw Reid. owner and editor of the New York Tribune, who has spent the last two winters in Arizona for the benefit of his health, writes entertainingly and in structively concerning that part of the country. Nlr. Reid says:
 So many questions are asked about Ari- zona as a place for winter residence, and there appears to be such dearth of pre- else information among many who are vitally interested, that it seems almost 0 public duty, to set down, in the simplest form, a few facts of personal observation.
 WEATHER,
 Daring 6 five months residence in Southern Arizona in winter there was but one day when the weather made it actually unpleasant for me to take exercise in the open air at some time or other during the day. Of course there were a good many days which weather observer would de scribe as "cloudy," and some that were "showery; but during these five months Cfrora November, 1895, to May, l696,) there were only four days when we did not have brilliant sunshine at some time dur ing the day. Even more than Egypt, any where north of. Luxor, Arizona is the iaud of sunshine. As to details:
 TEMPERATURE.
 I have seen the thermometer mark 92 degrees in the shade on my north piazza in March. On the other hand, we had frosts which killed young orange trees, and there were several nights when thin ice formed. The government reports show a mean temperature for fourt cen years at the pres ent territorial capital of 57@ degrees in November, 5 degrees in December, 49 de grees in January, 54 degrees in February, 6I degrees ill March and Ge degrees in April The same reports show the highest and lowest temperatures, averaged for eight years, at the same place, as follows: For November 781& degrees and 42 degrees, December 7315 degrees and 3612 degrees, January G51l degrees and 32 degrees, Feb ruary 7I3z degrees and 3515 de rees, March 8l15 degrees apd il degrees and April S51a degrees and 46 degrees, The nights throughout the winter are apt to be cool enough for open wood fires, and for 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.
 AIR.
 The atmosphere is singularly clear, toni( and dry. 1 have never seen it clearer anywhere in the world. It seems to have about the same bracing and exhilaratin9 qualities as the air of the Great Sahara II Northern Africa, or of the deserts abou Mount Sinai, in Arabia Petraea. It ! much drier than in the parts of Morocco Algiers CT Tunis usually visited, and drie than any part of the Valley of the Kil' north of the First Cataract. It seems t me about the same in quality as the air ol the Nile between Assouan and Wady Halfa, but somewhat cooler.
 ACTUAL HUMIDITY.
 This is extremely slight, everywhere il Arizona, as compared with any easterl climate in the United States. The air i driest on the high mesas, remote iron snowclad mountains or forests, and iu tn desert valleys, where no considerable irri cation has been begun. Wherever irrlga- ton is carried on on large scale, tn rercentage of humidity in the atmospher must be somewhat increased, although t. an eastern visitor it is scarcely perceptible The same Government observations al ready cited show relative humidity. a Phoenix or Tucson, averaged for weeks from morning and evening readings, at les than half the usual humidity on dry day in New York. General Greedy, ill pub lication from the Weather Bureau, gay the normal weight of aqueous vapor in tn Arizona air at from l1a to f grains pc cubic foot.
 RAIN.
 Showers, and indeed heavy rams ar , liable to occur in every month ot the yeal but the actual number of rains seems to a eastern visitor strangely small. Tn average rainfall iG Southern Arizona, Q shown by the Government observations, but S1l inches per year.
 ATTITUDES.
 f It is striking advantage offered D f Arizona that, with the same general COT P ditions- as to temperature and dryness f air, the physician is able to select nearl any altitude be may desire. Thus, astl matic sufferers can find almost the sC & level at Yuma, or an altitude Of only n thousand feet at Phoenix, or of only 2,4l I at Tacson. Others, who find 10 o6Jectic , Q greater elevations, can choose betweo
 Prescott or Fort Whipple, 5,4oO; Fla
 staff, 6, ,S00,, the Sulphur Spring Valley dS r,+ Craot 0G0. Fort HUachucd. I, ,6J