The Florence tribune., 1898-09-10
THE CASA eRANDE VALLEY.
information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot Of the West.

In the Garden Spot Of the West.
 PiRal county was organized in 1875 from portions Of Pima, Mariccpn and Yavapai counties, and contains an area of 5, ,S6S square miles, or ,, S5,s20 acres one-third of which could be made productive by systematic storage cf the surplus water now running to waste. Next to Maricopa 1t is the most im- portant agricultural county in the Territory. It 1t traversed from east to west by the SoutherH Pacific railroad and branch of the great santa Ee system is now approach ing from the north. The objective point of this road is q connection with the Sonora road; ct tho same system. The Southern Pacific Is also building in this direction from Tempe and it is confidently believed that work will not cease until the Deer Creek coal fields are reached and connection is made with another branch of that road run ming from Bowie to Globe and ROW complet- ed to Fort Thomas.
 Thgs it win be seen that Pinal county is She 4hester of railroad building at the pres sent time, and inside of year Florence, the county seat, win be
 A RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present. it contains a population .of about 1500, but with the completion of these two railroads and the Butte reservoir no city Tn Arizona can approach 1t for natural advantages, and large increase in popula- ton will follow. Florence is at an elevation of 1858 feet above sea level, situated near the Gila river, twenty-six miles northwest of the
 
 1t Is connected by an elegantly. equipped duly stage line. Going and coming stages run by the cid Casa Grande ruins, and passengers are allowed short time to in spect them. There are many handsome pri- yate residences in Florence, several brick stores, good hotel, an excellent graded school employing four teachers, churches, secret societies, Commercial Club. news paper (the only one in the countyl and the handsomest court house in the Territory. Here is held the United States Court for the ~1e a1f Pinal counties. The streets are lined with shade trees, which impart air Of comfort on the warmest days,
 PRODUCTS OF THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river, the waters of the iila are fresh and pure; the soil contains no Illxaii, Is deep, rich gray ash, especially adapted to the growth Of the prune, olye, almond, peach, fig, pear, apricot and fruits of all kinds, which pay largely on the invest ment. 1t is also the natural home ot 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 prominent industry. Citrus fruits have been cultivated to a limited extent; there arc number of orange trees in the neighborh0od of Florence which bear their golden fruit each year without pro- tection, and few date palm trees are also in full bearing. The season is from six weeks to two months earlier than Southern Califor- mia, which gives fruit growers an appreeiat- ed advantage in
 THE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is 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 seIni- tropic zones are easily grown here, the long seasons giving succession Of crops that 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 S2O to $50 per acre. according to location and iIn- proveInents. In the immediate neighbor hood aud to the south of the Casa Grande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with heavy growth of mesquite timber yet choicest in the valley. Water In inexhausti- ble quantity is found ct depth of from twenty to thirty feet; in fact, river seems to be flowing underneath. Here is splen- did opportunity to take up and improve land with pumping system of irrigation, " hich is said to be successful on small tracts. However. with the completion of the Butte reservoir, pumping will be thing Cf 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 wns once considered
 AN UNINHABITABLE DEsERr
 is in truth the most productive land on the globe, and that there is water in abundance
  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 the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in eyer-iiv- ing rock. and all that Is left for man to do is to put in the hcadgate, the bluffs which form tho gorge being only separated by paltry 20 feet. 4 country is drained through this narrow canyon POO miles square, representing 10000 square miles. or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall is suf- hcient to fill the reservoir twice a year, and the land to be brought under cultivation Is practically limitless. This may read like fairy tale, but it is every word true, and has been verified time and again.
 CASA CYANIDE RESERVOIR.
 The reservoir of the Casa Grende Valley Canal company is the largest in the territory. It covers a surface of 1600 acres, with an aver age depth of F feet and contains about eight thousand million gallons of water. It is sit uated fifteen miles southwest of Florence. A Ievee of earth has been thrown up across a depression in the plain fl, 600 feet in length. 125 feet in width at the bottom and 2 feet in width at top, to slope on each side, and on average height of 9 feet. The waste Is regu- lated by east iron pipes feet in diameter, set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower. This reservoir cost S150,0O0, and sup plies water for 6000 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern ment maintained q station at Florence from 1874 to I882 The reports covering the period