The Florence tribune., 1898-01-15
THE CASA oRANDE VALLEY.

THE CASA GRANDE VALLEY.
 Information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot Of the West.
 Pinal county was organized in 1875 from rnortions of Pima. Maricopa and Yavapai counties, and contains an area of 2. S6s squaree miles or 5,4S5, ,520 acres, one-th1rd Of Whlcn could be made productive by systematic storage of the surplus water now running 70 waste. Next to Maricopa it is the most lm- portant agricultural county ic the territory. It 1t trayersed from east to west by the Southern Pacific railroad, and pranen pl the great Santa Fe system is now approachss ing from the north. The objective point oI this road is a connection with ths sonora road, of the same system: The Soutnern Pacific is also building in this direction rom Tempe eand it is confidently believed th3t work will not cease until tho Deer SIeeA coal fields are reached and connection ls made with another branch of tbat road run % ming from Bowie to Glsbe and now complet- cd to Fert Thomas. |.
 Thus it will be seen that PiHal county IS the theater of railroad building at the pres ent time, and inside of year Florence, the county seat, will be
 RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present 1t contains 6 population gof about 1s00, but with the completion or these two railroads and the Butte reservoir nc city in Arizona can approach 1t Tor Hatural advantages, and large increase In popula- tion will follow. Florence is at an eleVation of 1858 feet aheve sea level, situated near the Gila river twenty -six miles northwest or .he railroad station of Casa Grande, with Mnisl it is connected by aR elegantly equipped daily stage line. Going and coming stages run by the old Casa Grande ruins. and passengers are allowed a short time 70 m spect then. There are many handsome pri- yate.resideAces in Florence, several brick stores, good hotel, excellent gradea school employing four teachers, churches secret sopfeties, Commercial Club, news paper LShe enly one in the. countyl ana the handsSmest court house in the Territory. Here is keld the United States Court for the Pinal counties. The streets are lined witn shade trees, which impart an air of comfort on the WarmeStdays-
 PRODUCTS OF THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river, the waters of the Sila arc fresh aad pure; the soil contains no Alkali, Is deep, rich gray ash, especially adapted to the growth of the prune, olive, 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 in this valley, and wine and raisin culture is destin- ed to become prorninent industry Citrus extent; there are a number of orange trees In the nsighborhoed of Florence which bear their golden fruit each year without pro lection, and few date palm trees are also in full bearing. The season is from six weeks to two months earher than Southern Califor- mia, whiehgives fruit growers au appreciat- cd advantage in
 TIE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is a formidable obstacle to the destructive and unsightly scale-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 q succession of crops that double or treble the productive value of the land.
 PBIcEs or LAEE,
 Improved lands, with government title and water right can be bought for from {10 to $50 per acre, according to location and inn proyements. In the immediate netghbor- hood and to the south of tke Casa Grande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with heavy growth ef mesquite timber yet open to settlement. These are among the choicest iu the valley. Water in inexhausti- ble quantity is found at depth of from twenty to thirty feet; in fact, river seems to be flowing underneath Mere Is splen- did opportunity to take up aud improve land with pumping system of irrigation, which is said to be successful on small tracts.
 However, with tine completion of the Butte reservoir, pumping will be thing of the past, and 1t Is only mentioned here for the purpose of showing what can be done, and to magnify the further fact that what was once considered
 AZ USISHABITABLa DESERT
 Is in truth the most productive land on the ElODe, and that there IS water ID dDIulhHce to bring every foot of it under cultivation, only waiting for the magic wand of capital to develop it. There Is no water-storage scheme on the Pacific coast that has one half the natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in ever-liv- ing rock, and all that is left for man to do is to put in the headgste, the bluffs which form the gorge being only separated by a paltry . 20 feet. country is drained through this marrow canyon 200 miles square, representing 70 600 square miles, or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall is suf- Rcient 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 GRASDE RzsERvoIR.
 The reservoir of the Casa Grande Valley Canal company is the largest in the territory. It covers surface of 1890 acres, with an aver age depth of 12 feet, and contains about eight thousand million gallons of water. It is sit uated fifteen miles southwest of Florence. leyee of earth has been thrown up across a depression in the plain 14, 900 feet in length. 125 feet in width at the bottom and g feet in width at top, to slope on each side, and an average height of 9 feet. The waste Is regu- lated by 3 cast iron pipes feet in diameter, set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower. This reservoir cost $150,00o, and sup plies water for 5000 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics. The signal service of the general govern meut maintained a station at Florence from 1