The Arizona sentinel., 1897-08-07
THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.

LIE V l DE4 AtTE OH U MA.
 Although the town of Yuma is the seconc oldest community in the Territory of Ari- zona, 1t is astonishing how little its re sources are known to the world at large, and how slightly developed is the natural wealtt of the county. This is owing partly t. 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 prospectod for minera wealth, and prosrectors have, in the main, kept the travelled highways in crossing it's Territory. As a matter of fact one suffer- less from the heat here than in almost all of the settled communities of the east. owins to thH dryness of the atmosphere, and there is no healthier climate on Gods footstool. People labor oat of doSrs from the rising to the setting Of the sun, aud suffer no in convenience. There has never been known in this section of country, an authentic case of sunstroke. Our climate, taken in time, I never fails to cure pulmonary complaints of any description. Disease such as smallpox, cholera, etc, rarely visit us, and then only in very mild fern, and are never fatal ex- cept through the perversity of patients Contrary to the belief of the uuinformed, the dry heat of the summer months i- es- pecialiy conducive to god health and ex- ceptional vigor, acting naturally upon the 1 human system with the same effect a, the artificial result of a Turkish bath-parefy- ing and renovating it. As further matter of fact, this county has never b-ea even superfcially suspected, and it is only now that people are beginning to search its 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 sopght 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 the wealth dis played. Wherever the prospector plants his foot, ledges of gold coufro2t h.m or are brought to light by the Investigating strokes of his pick.
 Poitions of the country traversed for years by commonly travelled trails are devei- opiEg into rich storeheuses of golden wealth. New and rich placers are constantly being discovered and shipments of placer gold from this point through Wells Fargo x Co.,. Express, are steadily increasing in value From a mining standpoint Yuma County is apidly leading the Territory, and yet as far as that industry is concerned, this section has received but little receg nltion.
 Agriculturally the country is vastly i'm. proving. Enterprises that have lain do.- mant the last two years, owing to the gen eral financial depression and consequent dearth of money for investment purposes, are waking up to new life and vigcr. Money is being attracted ill this direction, and On all sides can be distinguished that indefin- able str which is the precursor of an indus trial awakening. Even within these last pression there has been steady if slow in crease in agricultural development and wealth. A greater area Of old farms has been put under cultivation, and new lands have been irclosed aad new fields started. A large section of Blaisdell Heights has been planted to fruit trees; fields Of cereals aud alfalfa have been added to the cultivated area on the Colorado river below town; the lands lying under the Mohawk and Farmers canals have been made to yield heavy crops of every variety Of agricultural products, as in other sections of the Gila valley, and the gardens of Yuma have beeh added to and beautifed in fruits, flowers and shrbbery to a more than appreciable extent. Altogether we may feel proud of our progress during these last moaths of business depression and Encouragement. It speaks well for the in- dustry and pluck of our people, aad the showing made constitutes the best evidence of the merits of our soil and climate and the richness of our mineral resources. Nature has done everything for our county, and all that is needed is a tou.h of the wand of cap- ital to have our hills and valley spling into an active life of remunerative industry that will last and endure forever.
 Some three years ago, through the energy of H. w. Blaisdell, the Yuma Water and Light Company was incorporated, and by means of its large pumping plant, at ths foot of Main street, the town is abundantly supplied with water at reasonable ties, and there have grown into existence new and large gardens and orchards.