The Arizona sentinel., 1897-10-23


 and lowest temperatures, averaged tor eight years, at the same place, as follows: For November 7SH degrees and Az degrees, December 731a degrees and 361s degrees, January 65H degrees and S2 degrees, Feb ruary 7lH degrees and 35H de rees, March Sl H degrees and Al degrees and April S61a degrees and 46 degrees. The nights throughout the winter are apt to be cool enough for open wood fires, and tor blankets. Half the time an overcoat IS not needed during the day, but 1t Is never prudent for stranger to be without one at hand.
 The atmosphere is singularly clear, tonic and dry. 1 have never seen 1t clearer anyw here in the world It seems to have about the same bracing and exhllarating qualities as the air of the Great Sahara i'll Northern Africa, or of the deserts about Mount Sinai, in Arabia Petraea. It IS much drier than in the parts of Morocco Alpiers or Tunis usually visited, and drier than any part of the Valley of the Nile north of the First Cataract. It seems to me about the same in quality as the ar on the Nile between Assouan and Wady- Halfa, but somewhat cooler.
 ACTUAL HUMIDITY.
 This is extremely slight, everywhere in Arizona, as compared with any eastern climate in the United States. The air IS driest on the high mesas, remote from snow clad mountains or forests, and In the desert valleys, where no considerable irrl- gation has been begun. Wherever irrlga- tion is carried on on large scale, the percentage of humidity in the atmosphere must be somewhat increased, although to an eastern visitor it is scarcely perceptible. The same Government observations all ready cited show relative humidity, at Phoenix or Tucson, averaged for weeks, from morning and evening readings, at less than half the usual humidity on dry days in New York. General Greedy, in pub lication from the Weather Bureau, gave the normal weight of aqueous vnpor in the Arizona air at from H to 4 grains per cubic foot.
 1 RAIN.
 Showers, and indeed heavy rains are liable to occur in every month of the year; 1 but the actual number of rains seems to an eastern visitor strangely small. The average rainfall in Southern Arizona, as shown by the Government observations, IS but S11a inches per year.
 ATTITUDES.
 It1sa striking advantage offered by Arizona that, with the same general con- ditions as to temperature and dryness of air, the physician is able to select nearly any altitude he may desire. Thus, asth- matic sufferers can find almost the sea level at Yuma, or an altitude of only a thousand feet at Phoenix, or of only 2,4OO at Tucson. Others, who find no objection to greater elevations, can choose between Prescott or Fort Whipple. 5,4OO; Flag staff, 6,SO0,; the Sulphur Spring Valley, or Fort Grant, 4,2OO; Fort Huachuca. 4,SOO, or Oracle, about 4,000.
 Is1TAPLAcE FIT TO LIVE IN?
 This depends on what one expects in a huge, parsely settled Territory of mount aims and deserts The man who looks fol either the beauty or the seductive excite ment of Monte Carlo will not find it. As little will he ipd the historic remains ol the cosmopolitan attractions of Egypt; nol could he reasonable expect the amusementS and luxuries of our own Eastern cities The people of Arizona are still chiefly busy 1T the pioneer work of subduing it to the residence and uses of civilized man. But it has two transcontinental lines of railw ay with numerous feeders; it has fast mails, and rival telegraph lines, and is throbbin2 with the intense life of the splendid West
 The two principal towns in the south ern portion, chiefly ught for their climatic advantages, are Phoenix and Tucson. Each of them has ten thousand inhabitants ol more. They have the electric light, tele- phones, trolley cars, plenty of hotels, banks, bookstores, good schools, churches an occasional theatrical performance, some times a lecture or a circus, often horse race, and, in the spring. thoroughly ly curious and interesting "6esta." For the cest, people must take their amusement' with them. Good horses are abundant and cheap, and there are plenty of cow boys-the genuine article-to show wha' horses can do. The driving for fifteen ol twenty miles in almost any direction iron Phoenix, is nearly always easy. The roads are apt to be dusty; but there IS one well sprinkled drive of six or eight miles; ano since the winds are quite regular in thei direction, it is rarely difficult to choose 2 route or which the dust will be largely carried away frori you. The unbroker desert itself is often as easy to drive ovel as an Eastern highway, and the whole valley is paradise for bicyclers, or eques trians.
 CAN oNT. LIVE COMFORTABLY? That again depends on what you expect You cannot have the luxuries of our New } York houses out there, unless you builc |. one; or thu variety of our New Yort markets, unless you charater refrigerator car. But there are hotels with almost a: much frontage as the Waldorf; and, lik' everything else in the Territory excepting