The Florence tribune., 1898-01-01
THE CASA GRANDE VALLEY.
Information for Those Seeking Homes In the'Gardcn Spot of the West.

iHiOrfHati16 IoF nose Oseking F1OmeS
 In the Garden Spot of the West.
 Pinal county was organized in 1875 from portions of Pima, Maricopa and Yavanai counties, aAd contains an area of sSBS square miles, or g. ,520 acres, one-third of which could be made productive by systematic storage Sf the surplus water nov running to waste. Next to Maricopa it is the most im- portant agricultural county inthe Territory. It It trayersed from east to west by the Southera Pacific railroad, and branch of the great Santa Fe system is now approach. lag from the north. The objective point of thls road is connection with the sonora road, of the same system: The Southern Pacific is alss building in this direction from werk will not cease until the Deer Creek coal Helds are reached and connection IS made with another branch of that road run cd to Fort Thomas.
 Thus it will be seen that Pinal county is tne thaater of railroad building Ut the pres ent time, and inside of year Florence, the coanty seat will be
 RAILRoAB CENTER.
 At present. 1t contains 6 population gof about 1900, but with the completion of these Swe railroads and the Butte reservoir no city in Arizona can approach it for natural advantages, and large increase in popula- tien will follow. Florence is at an elevation 0i l5aS feet above sea lcvel, situated near the Giin river, tweHty-s six Hailes northwest of the railroad station of Casa Grande, with which 1t Is connected by an elegantly equipped daily stage line. Going and coming stages run by the old Casa Grande ruins and passengers are allowed short tiEle to in- sPeet then. There are many handsome pri- Vatesresidences In Florence, several brick stores, good hotel, an excellent graded secret societies Commercial Club, news paper tthe enly one in the countyl. and the hazdsomest court house in the Territory. district con composed pc of it' Giia. Graham and Pinal counties. The streets are lined with shade trees, which impart an air of comfort on the warmest days.
 PRODUCTS OF THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river. the waters of the alkali, is deep. rich gray ash, especially adapted to the growth of the. prune, olive aimoad, peach, hg. pear, apricot and fruits Of a Il kinds, which pay largely on the invest ment. It is alse the natural home of alfalfa, which grows in the most prolific manner The grape does exceptionally well h this valley, and wino and raisin culture Is destin- ed to become a prominent industry. Citrus fruits have bean cultivated to limited extent; there are number of orange trees tn the neighborhosd of Florence which bear their geiden fruit each year without pro- lection, and few date palm trees are also in full bearing; The season is from six weeks to two laonths aarller than Southern Califor- mia, which gives fruit growers an appreciat- ed advantage in
 rHR EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews Is Q formidable obstacle to the destructive and unsightly scale-bug, and the fruits of the valley are all bright and clean. All the egri- cultural products of temperate and semi tropie zones are easily grown here, the long seasons giving q succession of crops that double or treble the productive value of the ] land.
 PRICES OF LAND.
 Improved lands, with government title and l water right, can be bought for from so to | $50 per acre, according to location and im- | provements. In the immediate neighbor- l hood aud to the south of the Casa Grande | ruins there are thousands of acres covered | with a heavy growth of mesquite timber yet | open to settlement. These are among the | choicest in the valley. Water in inexhausti- ble quantity Is found ct depth of from twenty to thirty feet; in fact a river seems to be flowing underneath. Here is 8 splen- dld opportunity to take mp and improve land with pumping system of irrigation. which Is said to be successful on small tracts. However, with the completion of the Butte reservoir, pumping win be Q thing of tho past and it is only mentioned here for the purpose of showing what eau be done, and to considered
 AK UsISHABITABLE DESERT
 fs In truth the most productive land on the globe, and that there is water in abundance | to bring every foot of 1t under cultivation only waiting for the magic wand of capital 50 develop 1t. There IS no water-storage scheme on the Pacific coast that has one-half the natural advantages and so few engineer Ing d1n1eultIes as fhe Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in eVer-liy- ing rock, and all that is left for man to do is to put in the headgate the bluffs which form the gorge being only separated by paltry zzO feet. A country is drained through this 1 narrow canyon 2D0 miles square, representing q, 900 square miles. or larger than Maine and s1 1assae hEsetts combined The rainfall is sui hcIent to fill the reservoir twice year. and the land to be brought under cultivation is practically hmitless. This may read like fairy tale, but it is every word true and has been verified time and again.
 CASA GRAxDE REsERvoIR. The reservoir of the Casa Grande Valley ;anal company is the largest in the territory. t covers surface of 1900 acres, with an aver . Igs depth of 12 feet, and contains about eight thousand million gallons of water. It is sit- lated hfteea miles southwest of Florence z levee of earth has been thrown up across t depression in the plain II. 600 feet in length B feet in width at the bottom and g feet in i z Vidth at top, to 1 slope sn each side and an verege height of 9 feet. The waste is regu- z ated by cast iron pipes feet in diameter at in solid masonry, regulated by gates and 3 over. This reservoir cost Si50,0 0,00O and sup lies water for 6.000 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics. The signal service of the general govern ? lent maintained station at Florence from Ii "A to 1882. The reports covering the period 'om July, 1880, to April, 1882 gives the follow lg statistics, which may be taken as a safe = hide to the prevailing temperature given . uring the series of six yeas: 1880. Mean. Max. Min. QH