The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-15
ARIZONA PROSPEROUS.
Gov. McCord Enthusiastic Over Its
RESOURCES

resources.
Arizona is prospeFing said Hon. My
ron II. McCord. governor of the Terrific
ry, to Times reporter yesterday.
During the last year there were ship
ped out of the Territory 1890 head of beef
cattle that Melted the shippers about S2U
per head, or a little' over Sc. 900 900.
Arizona produced last year. according
to the reports of the express companies
something over s.. 900 in gold and
about $500. 900 worth of silver. | think $lO.-
100000 would be nearer the value of the
gold product in the Territory because
good deal goes out otherwise than by
express. The value of the copper output
| think was greater than the gold and
silver combined. Arizona has one mine
that is called a copper property, though
it produces a large amount of gold and
silver, that the owner has refused $4,000, :
600 for. and l do not suppose fifty millions
would buy it.
THE agricultural, horticultural and
dairy interests of the Territory are get
ting to be quite important. Our mining
industry. and, in fact. all of our indus
tries. are as yet in their infancy.
You may think it an eXtrayagant
statement but L believe there is more gold
in Arizona than there is in Alaska
When asked in regard to the war feel
ing in Arizona Gov. McCord said:
When L left home there was not much
war excitement, but in the event of a
war between the United States and Spain
Arizona would furnish as many soldiers
! as any State in the Union, according to
| population. | believe we could put five
/ thousand volunteers into Galveston al
most as quickly as the Government could
! furnish transportation to take them
! away, and they would be as good sol
! diers as ever carried a musket.
Those who would be the first to offer
their services are Injured to hardships;
men who would not suffer from change
| of climate; expert horsemen, handy with
! a gun and afraid of nothing.
I'VE hope, of coure, there will be no
war and. of course. there viii not be If
! it can be honorably averted, but if it
! comes Arizona will do her full duty.
I'VE have well organized well Off
cered and well disciplined National Guard
seventy-five per cent of whom would be
ready to so on very short notice.
! Arizona would like to have Congress
! admit her to the sisterhood of States and
and intelligence to entitle us to it. The
| twenty-five States that have been admit
| ted during the last seVenty-fve years did
not have as much wealth or population
on the average, when admitted as Arizo-
ma has today. But the people there dc
| not want Congress to single them out
and put a stigma upon them by passing
what some are pleased to call a home
rule bill There is no demand in the
Territory for such Il bill only by a few
who hope to profit by it by getting into
office.
The Territory OF Arizona is doing
what few States or Territories have tried
to do viz. working their convicts at the
territorial prison on public works. The
| Territory has leased all OF its able-bodieG
prisoners TO a company who are building
a large irrigation canal, taking the water
from the Colorado River. The Colorado
River is one of the largest rivers in the
Southwest. 1t is 1,500 miles long and "a
all seasons of the year carries an i'm
mense body of water The river carrie!
a large amount of silt. which when de
posted upon the sharp soil of the deser
acts as a potent fertilizer.
THE Territory owns land that will
be irrigated by this canal. The
labor is leased TO the company thai i:
building the canal for which the Terrific
ry receives seventy cents day for eacf
mans labor. payable in water rights
These water rights only give the owner
of them the right to buy water for which
the person that uses the water pays from
81 to 81 per acre per year.
with water upon these lands and es
pecially such water as runs in the Colo
RADIO River and upon such lands as liz
along that river the most astonishing re
suits in the way of crops are realized
Ten tons of alfalfa (hay) per acre PEI
year is not an unusual crop and othe
crops in the same proportion.
These lands produce the finest oranges
lemons, lines, apricots, peaches, pear.
and almonds that are grown anywhere
and in the largest quantities. They aIsC
grow everything that is grown in any
state except Irish potatoes. oats and ap
Pies