The Florence tribune., 1897-06-26
THE CASA eRANDE VALLEY.
Information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.


 In the Garden Spot of the West.
 Pinal county was organized in, 1915 from portions of Pima, Marieopa and ! aVapal counties and contains an area ot 9.SoS square miles, or g. 435, ,520 acres, One-thifd or winch could be made productive by systematic storage of the surplus water now running 10 waste. Next to Maricopa it is the most iIn- portant agricultural county ln the Territory. 1t it traversed from east to west hy the Southern Pacific railroad, and branch or the great santa Fe system is now approaeh- ing from the north. The objective point ot this roas is 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 werk will not cease until the Deer SRSeh coal fields ara reached and connection IS made with another branch of tkat roaa run ming frem Bowie to Glebe and now conples- ed to Fort Thomas.
 Thus it will be seen that Pinal county is che theater of railroad building at the pres ent time, and Inside of year Florence, the county seat, will be
 A RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present it contains population Sof about 15G0, but with the completion oI these two railroads and the Butte reservoir no city in Arizona caR approach it for natural advantages, and R large increase In llopuia- tion will follow. Florence Is ct an elevation of 1858 feet essve sea level, situated near the Gila river. twenty-six miles northwest oi the railroad station of Casa Grande, with whtcl 1t Is eonnsetea by an elegantly equipped daily stage line. Goiag and coming stages run by the old Casa Grande ruins, anu passengers are allowed short time 10 iil- spect thsIa. There are mary handsotAe TT, yatesresidenees iR Florence, several .i biicls ! stores, good hotel: an eAeelleh' sss.IeS s..''1i's school employing four teachers, chutenes' ..D. secret societies, a Commercial CluD- news paper (the only one in the county ]; ana 1. .ne Here is held tho United States CouIt TOT 9 lng district eomposea st Slia' s orn,eI' i;1aJ with shade trees, which impart an air ot coinioft on the warmeSt days.
 PRODUCTS OF THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river, the waters of the SiIa are fresh and pure; the soil contains no ill1ai, Is deep, rich gray ash, especialy adapted to the growth of the. prune, oiife, almond, peach, fig, pear, apricot and Ifults of all kinds. which pay largely on the invest ment. 1t is also the natural home CT alfaiIn, which grows in the Most proline manner. The grape does exceptionally well m this valley, and wine and raisin culture is destin- ed to become prominent industry. Citfus fruits have been cultivated to g limited extent; there are number of orange trees trees in the Rsighborkosd of Florence which bear their golden fruit each year without pro lection, and few date palm trees are also in full bearing. The season is rom SIX weeks to two months earlfer than Southern Cahtor- mia, which gives fruit growers an appreeiat- ed advantage in
 THE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is a formidable obstacle to the destructive and unsightly scale-bug. and the fruits of the valley are all bright and clean. All the agri- cultural products of temperate anc 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.
 PRICES OF LAND.
 Improved lands, with government title and water right, can be bought for from S-1 To $55 per acre according to location and iis- proyemeuts In the immediate neighbof- hood and to the south of the CasA Gfande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with heavy growth eI mesqalte timber set open to settlement. These are among the choicest in the valley. Water Tn mex hallsti- ble quantity is found at depth or rom twenty to thirty feet; in fact, a river seems to be flowing underneath. Here is spleE- did opportunity to take tip and improve land with a pumping system of irrigation which is said to be successful on small tracts
 However, with the completion or the butte reservoir. pumping will be thing or the past, and it is only mentioned here for the purpose of showing N hat can be done, ana te magnify the further fact that what was once considered
 AN UxISHABITABLE 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 capita to develop 1t. There IS no Watef-stOfdSt scheme on the Pacific coast that has one-hah the natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in ever-lig- 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 paltr3 20 feet. A country is drained through thls narrow canyon POO miles square, representing 40OS0 square miles, or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall IS sui. fieient to fill the reservoir twice year, and the land to be brought under cultivation l' practically linftless. This may read like c 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 age depth of F feet, and contains about eigh' thousand million gallons of water. 1t IS sit hated fifteen miles southwest Of Florence A levee of earth has been thrown up across a depression in the plain II, ,oo0 feet in length 125 feet in width at the bottom and p feet III width at top, to l slope each side, and al average height of 25 feet. The waste is regu- lated by cast iron pipes feet in diameter set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower. This reservoir cost @lJO,V04 and sup plies water for 6ro00 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern ment maintained a station at Florence from 1874 to 1882. The reports covering the period from July 1S80 to April, 1882 gives the follow ing statistics which may be taken as . safe guide to the prevailing temperature given dI1riuQ the series of six yeas: