The Arizona sentinel., 1898-09-03
THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.

RANNNSS
 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, anC how slightly developed is the natural wealtl
 of the county. This is owing partly tc
 Yuma's reputation for unbearable heat, anG partly to the fact that, lying next to Cali
 fornia, is has been assumed that the county
 has been thoroughly prospected for minera
 wealth, and prospectOrs 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 o1
 the settled communities of the east, owing
 to the dryness of the atmosphere, and there is no healthier climate on Gods footstool.
 People labor out of door from the rising to the setting of the sun, and suffer no in | convenience. There has never been known, Tn this section of country, an authentic case of sunstroke. Our climate, taken in time, never fails to cure pulmonary complaints of any description. Disease such as smallpox, cholera, etc., rarely visit us, and then o1ly in 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 Turkish bath-purefy- ing and renovating it. As further matter of fact, this county has never been even superticially 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 off 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 deyel- oping into rich storehouses of golden wealth. New and rich placers are constantly being discovered, and shipments of placer gold from this point through Wells Fargo GJ 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.
 Agriculturally 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 to new life and vigor. Money IS being attracted in this direction, and on all sides can be distinguished that indefn- | able stir which is the precursor of an indus trial awakening. Even within thesa 1as+ two years of financial stringency and de- presslon there has been steady if slow in- crease In agricultural development and l wealth. A greater area of old farms has been put under cultivation, and new lands have been inclosed and new fields started. A large section of BIaisdell Heights has been planted to fruit trees: fields of cereals and alfalfa have been added to the cultivated lrea on the Colorado river below town; the ands lying under the Mohawk and Farmers annals have been made to yield heavy crops 'f every variety of agricultural products, as n other sections of the Gila valley, and the gardens of Yuma have been added to and oeautified in fruits, flowers and shubbery to more than appreciable extent Altogether we may feel proud of our progress during 'hese last months of business depression and Encouragement. It speaks well for the in tustry and pluck of our people, and the moving made constitutes the best evidence i the merits of our soil and climate and the ichness ot our mineral resources. Nature as done everything for our county, and all nat IS needed is touch of the wand of cap- $ tai to have our hills and valleys spring into C n active life of remunerative industry that | VIII last and endure forever. q 
 some three years ago, through the energy q l Il. w. Blai8dell, the Yuma Water and q Aght Company was incorporated, and by S leans ot its large pumping plant, at the ( pot ot Main street, the town is abundantly ( lpplled with water at reasonable rates, and t lere have grown into existence new and h rge gardens and orchards, il