The Arizona sentinel., 1897-11-06
THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.

THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.
 Although the town of Yuma is the second
 oldest community in the Territory of Ari-
 zona, it is astonishing how little it's re- sources are known to the world at large, and
 how slightly developed is the natural wealth of the county. This is owing partly to Yuma's reputation for unbearable heat, and
 partly to the fact that, lying next to: Cali fornia, is!has been assumed that the county
 has been thoroughly prospected for mineral
 wealth, and prospectors have, in the main,
 kept the travelled highways in crossing its
 Territory. As a matter of fact one suffers
 lessfrom the heat here than in almost all of 'the settled communities of the east, owing
 to the dryncss of the atmosphere, and there
 is no healthier climate on Gods footstool.
 People labor cut of doors from the rising
 to the setting of the sun, and suffer no in
 convenience. There has never been known,
 in this section of country, an authentic case
 of sunstroke Our climate, taken in time, never fails to cure pulmonary complaints of
 any description. Disease such as smallpox,
 cholera, etc, rarely visit us, and then only
 in very mild form, and are never fatal ex-
 cept through the perversity of patients
 Contrary to the belief of the uninformed,
 the dry heat of the summer months is es-
 pecialy conducive to good health and ex- INr 4l,a
 human system with the same effect as the
 artificial result of Turkish bath-purefy-
 ing and renovating it. As further matter
 of fact, this county has never been even
 superfcially suspected, and it is only now
 that people are beginning to search it's hills
 with any degree of systematic enthusiasm for the mineral wealth hidden there, Ow- ing to the falling of in the price of silver, deposits of gold only are being sought for; and the present result is little short of mar vicious. In all sections of the county from , the Sonora line to Williams Fork discoveries
 are daily being made, and the greater the development the greater tine wealth dis played. Wherever the prospector plants his foot, lodges of gold confront him or are brought to light by the investigating strokes of his pick.
 Portions of the country traversed fol years by commonly travelled trails are devel oping into rich stOrehouses of golden wealth New and rich placers are constantly being
 discovered, and shipments of placer gold from this point through Wells Fargo & Co.'S Express, are steadily increasing ir value From a mining standpoint Yuma County is rapidly leading the Territory, anc yet as far as that industry is concerned this section has received but little recog nltion.
 AgricuIturalIy the country is vastly i'm proving. Enterprises that have lain dor mant the last two years, owing to the gen. eral financial depression and consequent
 doarth of money for investment purposes are waking up to new life and vigor. Money is being attracted in this direction, and or ? all sides can be distinguished that indefn able stir which is the precursor of an indus trial awakening. Even within these las , two years uf financial stringency and de Il pression there has been steady if slow in ' crease in agricultural development anc 1t wealth. A greater area of old farms haa been put under cultivation; and new land
 have 5beeninclosed and snew fields started t 4 large section of Blaisdell Heights has beer !, planted to fruit trees; fields of cereals anC l. alfalfa have been added to the cultivated y area on the Colorado river below town; tn, :, lands lying under tn: MohawIl and Farmer l. canals have been, made to yield heavy crop
 of every variety of agricultural products a s in other sections of the Gila valley, and tn $ gardens of Yuma have been added to ant Q beautifed in fruits, flowers and shubbery t e a more than appreciable extent Altogethe is we may feel proud of our progress durin e these last months of business depression ant
 discouragement:. It speaks well for the in e dustry and pluck of .our people, and tn d showing made constitutes the best evidenc e of the merits of our soil and climate and tn e richness of our mineral resources. Natur r, has done everything for our county and al l. that is needed is a touch of the wand of cap J ital to have our hills. and valleys spring int d an active life of remunerative industry tha n will last and endure forever.
 Some three years ago, through the energ q of H. w. Blaisdell, the Yuma Water an n Light Company was incorporated, and b q means of its large pumping plant, at tn Il foot of Main street, the town is abundantl
 supplied with water at reasonable rates, an,
 there have grown into existence new an,
 large gardens and orchards.