The Florence tribune., 1898-06-18
THE CASA eRANDE VALLEY.
information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.

Pinal county was organized in 1875 from | portions of Pima, Marioopa and 1ayapa | and contains an area or 5,S55 square | miles, or g. 4S5, ,520 acres, One-third Of which could he made productive by systematic storage Ct the surplus water now running TO waste. Next to Maricopa it is the most im- portant agricultural county in the Territory. It it traversed from east to west by the Southern Pacific railroad, and branch or the great Santa Fe system Is now appronch- ing from the north. The objective point or this road is a connection with the sonora road, of the same system. The Southern Pacific is also building in this direction from Tempe,a and it is confidently believed that work will not cease until the Deer Sreeh coal fields arc reached and connection Is made with another branch of that road run ming from Bowie to Globe and now compiet- ed to Fort Thomas.
 the theeter of railroad building at the pres ent time, and inside of Q year Florence, the county seat, will be
 RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present it contains a population of about 1900, but with the completion of these two railroads and the Butte reservoir no city in Arizona can approach it for natural advantages sand large increase Tn popula- tion will follow. Florence Is at an eleYatlon of 1858 feet above sea level, situated near the Gila river, twenty-six miles northwest Of f he railroad station of Casa Grande, With when it is connected by an elegantly equipped
 
 run by the old Casa Grande ruins, and passengers are allowed short time to ln- spect them. There are many handsome pri- vate residences in Florence, several prick school employing four teachers, churches, secret societies, a Commercial Club, a news paper (the only one in the county. ana the handsomest court house in the territory. Here is held the United States Court for the district composed of Gila, Graham ana Pinal counties. The streets are lined with shade trees, which impart an ar or coinioft on the warmest days.
 PRODUCTS OF THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river, the waters of the .sila are fresh and pure; the soil contains no 4llxali, is deep, rich gray ash especially adapted to the growth of the prune; oiiye- almond, peach, fig, pear, apricot and Irults of all kinds, which pay largely on the invest ment. It is also the natural home of alfalfa which grows in the most prolific, manner The grape does exceptionally well in this valley, and wine and raisia culture Is dest1n- ed to become prominent industry Citrus fruits have been cultivated to limited extent; there are number of orange trees in the neighborhood of Florence which bear their golden fruit each year without pro tection, and few date palm trees are also IT full bearing. The season E from SIX week. to two months earler than Southern Caiiior. mia. which gives fruit growers an appreclat cd advantage in
 TIE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is formidable obstacle to the destructive ana unsightly seale-bug, and the fruits of thu valley are all bright and clean. All the ngri cultural products of temperate and semi tropie zones are easily grown here. the l3ns I seasons giving a succession Of crops tha double or treble the productive value of th' land.
 PRICES OF LAND.
 Improved lands, with government title an, water right, can be bought for from SsO t $50 per acre, aec3rdlag to location am a, m m hood and to the south of the Casa Grand ruins there are thousands of acres covere' with heavy growth of mesquite timber ye open to settlement. These are among tn choicest in the valley. Water in lnexhaustl ble quantity is found at depth of iron twenty to thirty feet; in fact, river seem to be flowing underneath. Here IS splen did opportunity to take up and improv land with pumping system Of irrigation which is said to be successful on small tracts However, with the completion 9t the Butt reservoir, pumping will be thing of tn past, and it is only mentioned here Tor n purpose of showing what can be done. and t magnify the further fact that what was one considered
 AN UNINHABITABLE DESERT
 Is in truth the most productive land on tn globe and that there is water in abundanc to bring every foot of it under cultivation only waiting for the magic wand ot capiti to develop it. There is no water-storae scheme on the Pacific coast that has one-ha fhe natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Hei nature has built the abutments in ever.h' ing rock, and all that is left for man to do to put in the headgate, the bluffs which for the gorge being only separated by Paltr 220 feet. A country is drained through th narrow canyon 200 miles square, representa- 40OO0 square miles. or larger than Maine an Massachusetts combined. The rainfall is SUI ficient to fill the reservoir twice year, a1 the land to be brought under cultivation practically limitless. This may read like fairy tale, but it is every word true, and hi been verified time and again.
 CASA CYANIDE RESERVOIR
 The reservoir of the Casa Grande Vallt Canal company is the largest in the territOr It covers a surface of 1900 acres, with an ave age depth of 12 feet and contains about eigl thousand million gallons of water. It IS sl hated fifteen miles southwest Of florenc A levee of earth has been thrown up aero a depression in the plain H. 600 feet in lengt 125 feet in width at the bottom and 25 feet width at top, 2 to slope on each side, and g average height of 9 feet. The waste is regl lated by cast iron pipes feet in diamete set in solid masonry, regulated by gates ar tower. This reservoir cost Sl50OOO, and SUI plies water for 6.O0O acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general goyeri ment maintained station at Florence fro 1871 to 1882. The reports covering the perio from July, 1880. to April 1882, gives the follow inp statistics which may be taken as sal