The Florence tribune., 1898-07-09
THE CASA eRANDE VALLEY.
information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.

Pinal county was organized in 1875 from portions of Pima. Maricopa and 1avapai counties, and contains an area of 5,S69 seiunre miles, or S,4So,520 acres, one-third of which could be made productive by systematic storage cf the surplus water now running to waste. Next to Maricopa it s the most inn portant agricultural county inthe Territory. 1t it trayersed from east to west by the Southern Pacific railroad, and branch of the great Santa Fe system is now approach ing from the north. The objective point of this road is a connection with the Sonora road, of the same system. The Southern Pacific is also building in this direction from Tempe, and it is confidently believed thet 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 now complet- ed to Fort Thomas.
 Thus it will bo seen that PinRl county is the theater of railroad building at the pres ent time, and inside of Q year Florence, the county seat. will be
 RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present it contains population sof about 1900, but with the completion of these two railroads and the Butte reservoir no city in Arizona can approach it for natural advantages iand large increase in popula- tion will follow. Florence is at an elevation of 1858 feet above sea level, situated near the Gila river, twenty-six miles northwest ot the railroad station of Casa Grande, with which it is connected by an elegantly equipped duly stage line. Going and coming stages
  passengers are allowed a short time to in- spect them. There are many handsome pri- yate residences in Florence, several brick stores, good hotel, au excellent graueu school employing four teachers, churches, secret societies, Commercial Club, news paper (the only one in the county, and the handsomest court house in the Territory. Here is held the United States Court for the district composed of Gila, Graham anu Pinal counties. The streets are lined with shade trees, which impart an air of comfort on fhe WarmeSt days.
 PRODUCTS OF THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river, the waters of the Gila are fresh and pure; the soil contains no sllxali is deep rich gray ash, especially adapted to the growth of the prune. oilve, 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 Tn tnls valley, and wine and raisin culture IS destin- cd to become prominent industry. Citrus fruits have been cultivated to limited extent; there are number of orange trees In the neighborhood 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 earlIer than Southern Califor- mia, which gives fruit growers on appreciat- ed advantage in
 THE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fcgs and nightly dews is a formidable obstacle to the destructive and unsightly scale-buy. 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 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 im- provements. In the immediate neighbor- hood and to the south of the Casa Grande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with a heavy growth of mesquite timber yet open to settlement. These are among the ble quantity is found at a depth of from twenty to thirty feet; in fact river seems to be flowing underneath. Here is a splen- did opportunity to take up and improve land with pumping system of irrigation, which is said to be successful on small tracts. However, with the completion of the Butte reservoir, pumping will be thing of the past, and it is only mentioned here for the purpose of showing what can be done, and to magnify the further fact that what was once considered
 AN UNINHABITABLE 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 no water-storage scheme on the Pacific coast that has one-half the natural advantages and so few engineer dng difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutnaSsrts In oser5hs e5 i. . ing rock. and all that is left for man to do IS to put in the headgate, the bluHs " wnlcn I9rni ll fhe gorge being only separated by PaIIry 20 feet. country is drained through tnis narrow canyon 200 miles square, representing 4O 600 square miles. or larger than Maine ana Massachusetts, combined. The rainfall IS sur Hcieut to fill the reservoir twice q year, anu the land to be brought under cuitlvatloin ,oi IS nractically IiInitless. This may read nke fairy tale but it is every word true, anu nus been verified time and again.
 CASA CYANIDE RESERVOIR.
 Tho reservoir of the Casa Grande Valley Canal company is the largest in the territory Ttcoyers a surface of 1890 acres, with an aver ace depth of F feet, and contains aDoTs eign g. thousand million gallons ot water. ,, it ls slt- mated fifteen miles southwest or Florehce A Ievee of earth has been thrown up across a iepress;on in the plain 14,OOO feet ln ienstih l25 feet in width at the bottom ana zo IeeI lI -,-;dth af ton. to slope on each sidet and ar average height of 9 feet The waste IS fegu iatad Rx east iron pipes feet in diameter set in solid masonry, regulated Dy gates aile 4ower This reservoir cost Sl9V,uOD, ana sup niles water for 6.O00 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern ,nanf maintained station at Florence ron 1g7i to 1882. Tho reports covering the perioe Fro,r ITly 1880, to April, 1882, gives the follow iar -+afis4ics which may be taken as saf' .rlide 10 the prevailing temperature glVeI during the series of six yeas .t.-