The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1898-09-10
THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.

| THE VILLAGE Or 4 MA.
Although the town of Yuma is the second
| Oldest community in the Territory of Ari-
IONA, it is astonishing how little its re
sources are known to the world at large, and
how sli shtiy developed is the natural wealth
of the county. This is owing partly to
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 prospected for mineral
wealth, and prospectors have, in the main,
kept the travelled highways in crossing its
Territory. As a matter of fact one suffers
| less from the heat here than in almost all of
the settled communities of the east. owing
to the dryness of the atmosphere, ard there
| is no healthier Innate on Gods fOotstool.
People labor out of door from the rising
to the setting Of the sun, and suffer no in
convenience. There has never been known,
in this section of country, an authentic case
of sunstrolse. Our climate, taken III time,
any description. Disease such as smallpox,
cholera, ETC., rarely visit rs, and then OILY
IN very mild form, and are never fatf.i ex-
cept through the perversity of patients,
Contrary to the belief of the uniformed,
the dry heat of the summer months is es-
pecially conducive to good health and ex-
| ho
human system with the same effect as the
artificial result of a Turkish bath-purcfy-
ing and renovating it. AS a further matter
Of fact, this county has never been even
specifically 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 off in tie price of silver,
deposits of gold only are being sought for;
and the present result is little short of mar
velous. 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 confront him or arc
brought to light by the investigating strokes
of his pick.
Portions of the country traverscd for
years by commonly Travelled trails are level-
oping into rich storehouses Of golden wealth
New and rich placers are constantly being
discovered, and shipments of placer gold
from this point through Wells Fargo &
Co.'s Express, arc steadily increasing in
valua. From a mining standpoint Yuma
County is rapidly leading the Territory, and
yet as far as that industry is concerned,
this section las received but little recog-
milton.
Alphabetically the country is vastly i'm
proving. Enterprises that have lain dor
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 vigor. Money
is being attracted in this direction, and on
all sides can be distinguished that indcfin-
able stir which is the precursor Of an indus
trial awakening. Even within these last
two years of financial Stringency and de-
preston there has been steady if slow in.
crease i'll agricultural development and
wealth. A greater area of old farms has
been put under cultivation, and new lands
have been inclosed and new fields started.
a large section of Blaisdell Heights has been
planted to fruit trees; fields of cereals and
alfalfa have been added to the cultivated
area on the ColoraI0 river below town; the
lands lying under the MohawI. ard Farmers
canals have been made to Weld heavy crops
of every variety of agricultural products, as
in other sections Of the ella valley, and the
gardens of Yuma have been added to and
beGutified in fruits, flowers and shubbery to
a more than appreciable extent Altogether
we may feel proud Of our progress during
these last months Of business depression and
discouragement. 1t speaks well for the in
dustry and pluck of our people, and 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 touch of the wand of cap
ital to have our hills and valleys spring into
an active life of remunerative industry that
will last and endure forever.
Some three years ago, through the energy
OF II. w. Blaisdell, the Yuma Water and
Light Company was Incorporated, and by
means of its large pumping plant, at the
foot of NJ IN street, the town is abundantly
supplied with water at reasonable rates, and
there have grown into existence new and
large gardens and orchards,