The Arizona sentinel., 1898-10-15
THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.

THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.
 Although the town of Yuma is the second
 oldest community in the Territory of Ari
 zona, it is astonishing how little its re-
 sources are known to the world at large, and
 how slightly 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 prospectcd for mineral
 wealth, and prospect0rs 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, and there is no healthier climate on Gods footstool. People labor cut 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 sunstroLe. Our climate, taken in time, never fails to cure pulmonary complaiI-55 of any description. Disease such as smallPsx, cholera, etc., rarely visit us, and then oT-ly in a very mild form, and are never fatal ex-
 cept through the perversity of patients.
 Contrary to the belief of the uninformed,
 the dry heat of the summer months is es-
 pecially conducive to good health and ex-
 ceptional vigor, acting naturally upon the
 human system with the same effect as the artificial result of a Turkish bath-purefy- ing and renova5ing it. As a further matter
 of fact, this county has never been even superfcially 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 of in the price of silver, deposits of gold only are being sought for; and the present result is little short of mar
 vicious. 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, lodges Of gold confront him or are brought to light by the investigating strokes Of his pick.
 Portions of the country traversed for years by commonly travelled trails are devel- cping into rich st5rehcuses of golden wealth. New and rich plaoers are constantly being discovered, and shipments Of placer gold from this point through Wells Fargo & Co.'S Express, are steadily increasing in value. From mining standpoint Yuma County is rapidly leading the Territory, and yet as far as that industry is concerned, this section has received but little recog- milton.
 AgriculturalIy 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 10 new life and vigor. Money is being attracted in this direction, and on all sides can be distinguished that indefn- able stir hich is the precursor of an indus trial awakeuiag Even within these last two years of financial stringency and de Pression there has been a steady if slow in crease in agricultural development and wealth. 4 greater area of old farms has been put under cultivation, and new lands have been inclosed and new fields started. \ large section of Blaisde}l Heights has been planted to fruit trees; field of cereals and alfalfa have been added to the cultivated area on the Colorado river below town; the lands lying under tho AIohaq, k and Farmers canals have been made to yield heavy crops Of every variety of agricultural products, as in other sections of the Gila valley, and the gardens of Yuma have been added to and beautified in fruits, flowers and shubberv to a more than appreciabie extent Altogether we may feel proud Of our progress during these last months of business depression and discoaragement. It speaks well for the in- dust'y and pluck of our people, and the showing made constitutes the best evidence ot tle merits of oUr soil and climate and the richness ot our mineral resources. Nature has done everything for our county, and all that Is needed Is a touch of the wand of cap ltaI 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 hgAt Company was incorporated, and by means of its large pumping plant, at the foot of l.. in street, the town is abundantly supplied with water at reasonable rates, and there have grown into existence new and large gardens and orchards.