Arizona republican., 1897-10-30
THEG6SWS OF FLORENCE.
zRe Republicans Correspondent GlVes
 Pen Picture of the Town.

Florence, Ariz., Oct. 29.-CSpecia al correspondence of The Republican.)- Why was this town named Florence? many will enquire. As I imagined, Italy was remembered in this connec- tion. I asked Col Brady, with this result. In 1868 ex-Governor McCor- mick, now resident of Brooklyn, N. Y, visited the present site before the town received it's name. The gov ernor said that the place reminded him of Florence, Italy-that is in re- spect to climate, and so it was named. Gov Mccormick was the author of a book entitled, "The Crescent and Cross" in which he touches upon the beauties of Florence in sunny Italy.
 Joseph Collingwood & Co. establish ed the first store in Florence. Mr .Collingwood died fifteen years ago, leaving a widow and two daught CTS, all of whom reside here. Flight years $ ago Florence was in the height of her glory, her decline following the sus- pension of operations at the Silver King, and Vekol famous silver mines of the time. Over one thousand men were thrown cut of employment, the Farmers lost trade and quit, and then the town suffered a relapse The clouds will soon clear away and pros petity will dawn upon Florence as of old. My friend, Editor Reppy, committed to me the task of doing right by the west end of the Gila val ley and I have that which follows in this letter and the one yet to appear in evidence of honest effort
 At present the town is absorbed in two propositions aside from those in the nature Of mining, the latter oc- cupying attention in letter No 2. One Of these propositions is the Butte reservoir, the site of which was To- cated by A. J. Davis, United States hydrographer. Reference was made to this in my letter of quite recent date. It is matter of vital impor- tance, not only ito the tribes of In dans, to the number of 5000, on the reservation, but to every white man woman and child in this section oi the Gila valley. A representative will go to Washington next month tc push the scheme to a conclusion, the government being expected to ap- propriate $2,000,000 towards the con struction of the reservoir,
 So many years have gone by with out rapid transit that the presence of railroad will be hailed with delight \ The surveyors are drawing near Flor ence and before six months pass by the graders will put in an appearance This has reference to the Arizona & Pacific, having western terminus at Phoenix, the Gila valley a feeder added to which are the Globe, River. side, Mammoth, Clifton and other mining districts. The Republican congratulates Florence on the D os pect. The rail run west will be com paratively easy.
 It must not be understood that tht valley in this section Is wholly with out water for while the small ditehe. were knocked out by the bigger one there is a good system ill existence In October, 1887, the Florence Cana company was organized by Dr. J. M Hurley of San Bernardino; D. s Thomas, Judge R. E. Sloan, R. H Martin, W. J. Rampelmire, w. H Crandall, w. R. Stone and others Judge Sloan was the first secretary Later on A. L. Pogue of Richmond Indiana, secured a controlling inter est. Judge Kibbey of Phoenix wa president in 1888, being succeeded b, D. s. Thomas, and w. B. Reid, secre tary. Charles H., son of A. l.. Pogue became president and W. H. Benson secretary. In 1894 w. H. Hammond clerk of the supreme court, was ap pointed receiver, the company beinI involved through litigation leadin, out of trouble with owners of smal water rights. The case is on the su preme court docket. The name 0 the corporation at the time change, to the Casa Grande Valley Canal com pany. George w. Sanders of Tucson now of Arizola, succeeded Hammon in July, 1896. Sanders was remove by Judge George R. Davis, Angus "A, last, and w. H. Benson, boo keeper, appointed. The matter in lit 1gation will likely come up at tn next term and it is thought that tn company will renew its existence an the receiver be discharged. Th company's dam, eleven miles east c this place, is again in good shape an water coursing through the fo-t1 seven miles of canal to Arizo.a ,sn Casa Grande. There are sixty rifle of laterals in the s1Dnem. The 4aDs