The Florence tribune., 1898-12-03
TIE CASA eRANpE VALLEY.
information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.

m the Gdrden SpOt or me west
 Pinal county was organized in 1915 from portions of Pima, Maricopa and Hayapai miles. or 3, 520 acres, one-third of which could be made productive by a systematic storage q the surplus water noT running to waste. Next t0 Maricopa it is the most im- portant agricultural county in the Territory. It it trayersed from cast to west by the Southern Pacific railroad, and branch of the great Santa Fe system is now approSch- ing from the north. The objective point of this road is connection with the Sonora road, of the same system. The Southern Pacific is also building in this direction from Vempe,0nd it is confidently believed that work will not cease Rnti the Deer Creek coal fields are reached and connection Is made with another branch of that road rum ming from Bowie to Globe and now complet-
 Thus it will be seen that Pinal county Is the thenter of railroad building Ut the pres eilt time, and inside of year Florence, the county seat. will be
 A RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present it contains population of about 1900, but with the completion of these two railroads and tue Butte reservoir no city in Arizona can approach it for natural advantages, and a large increase Ill popuie- tion will follow. Florence is at an elevation of 1858 feet above sea ievel, situated near the Gila river, twenty-six miles northwest of the railroad station of Casa Grande, with which it is connected by aa elegantly equipped ti1ily stage line. Going and coming stages run by the cid Casa Grande ruins, and passengers are allowed short time to iTl- spect them. There are many handsome prl- vate resieeneeS in Florence, several prick stores, good hotel excellent graded school employing four teachers. churches, secret societies, a Commercial Club, news paper tthe only one in the countyl, and the handS0mest court house in the Territory. Here is held the United States ConJt tor the district composed of Gila. 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 eiila are fresh and purei the soil contains no Alkali is 0 deep, rich gray ash, especially adapted to the growth of the prune, oliye almond, peach, fig, pear, apricot and fruits 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 m this valley, and wine and raisin culture Is uestir- ed to become prominent industry. Citrus fruits have been cultivated to a limited extent; there are n number of orange trees in the neighhorhood of Florence which bear their golden fruit each year without pro- lection, and a few date palm trees are also ln full bearing. The season is from six weeks to two months earlier than Southern Calitor- mia, which gives fruit growers an appreciat- ed advantage in
 
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is 9 formidable obstacle to the destructive and unsightly seale-bug, and the fruits of the valley are all bright and clean All the agri- cultural products of temperate and semi tropic zones are easily grown here, the long seasons giving a succession of crops thnt double or treble the productive value of the land
 PRICES OF LAND.
 Improved lands, with government title and water right. can be bought for from S20 to $50 per acre according to location and inn provements. In the immediate neighbor- hood and to the south of the Casa Grande ruins there are thousands Of acres covered with heavy growth of mesquite timber yet open to settlement. These are among the choicest in the valley. Water in inexhnusti- ble quantity is found at a depth of from twenty to thirty feet; in fact, river seems to be flowing underneath. Here is splon- did opportunity to take up and improve land with pumping system of irrigation, which is said to bs successful on small tracts. However, with the completion of the Butte reservoir. pumping will be Q thing Of the past, and 1t is only mentioned here for the purpose of showing what can he done, and to magnify the further fact that what was once considered
 AN USIsHABITABLE DESERT
 Is In truth the most productive land on the globe, and that there is water in abundance to bring every foot of it under cultivation. only waiting for the magic wand of capital to develop 1t. There is nos sater-storage scheme on the Pacific coast that has one-haIf the natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built [ he abutments in ever-iiv- 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 paitry 20 feet. country is drained through this narrow canyon 20 miles square representing 40,OOO square miles, or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall is suf- hcient to fill the reservoir twice year. and the land to be brought under cultivation is practically limitless- This may read like fairy tale, but 1t is every word true and has been verified time and again.
 CASA GRASDE RESERVOIR. The reservoir of the Casa Grande Valley Canal company is the largest in the territory. It covers q surface of 1600 acres. with an aver age depth of F feet, and contains about eight i thousand million gallons of water. It is sit- ! mated fifteen miles southwest of Florence ! A leyee of earth has been thrown up across | a depression in the plain II 600 feet in length i 12s feet in width at | he bottom and 9 feet in width at top, to l slope on each side. and an ! average height of 25 feet. The waste is regu- 1 lated by cast iron pipes feet in diameter l set III solid masonry, regulated by gates and i tower. This reservoir cost Sl50O0O. and sn,- ! plies water for 6,O90 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics. The signal service of the general govern ment maintained station at Florence from 1874 to 1662. The reports covering the period from July, 1680 to April, 1882 gives the follow ing statistics, which may be taken as safe guide to the prevailing temperature given during the series of six yeass
 July ..;.-...-.--.............s s66 III 6l August ..-...................s6 .s6.5 112 60