The Arizona sentinel., 1899-01-21
THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.

THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.
 Although the town of Yuma is the second oldest community in the Territory of Ar1- 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 prospected for mineral wealth, and prospectors have, in the main, kept the travelled highways in crossing it's Territory. As 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 out 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 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 orly 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 super6cially suspected, and it is only now that people are beginning to search it's hills with any degree of systematic enthusiasm for the mineral wealth hidden there, 0w. ing to the falling eff in the price of silver, deposits of gold only are being sought for and the present result is little short of mar velous. 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 arc brought to light by the investigating stroke; of his pick.
 Portions of the country traversed fol years by commonly travelled trails are devel oping into rich storehouses of golden wealth New and rich placers are constantly being discovered, and shipments of placer golG from this point through Wells Fargo S Co.'s Express, are steadily increasing il value. From mining standpoint Yum; County is rapidly leading the Territory, ant 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 or all sides can be distinguished that indeGn able stir which is the precursor of an indus trial awakening. Even within these las two years of financial stringency and de pression there has been a steady if slow in crease ill agricultural development ant wealth. A greater area of old farms ha. been put under cultivation, and new land, have been inclosed and new fields started 4 lo ofD DloSeJal1 r,l& Loz Ioo planted to fruit trees; field of cereals ana alfalfa have been added to the cultivated area on the Colorado river below town; the lands lying under tho Mohawk and Farmer. canals have been made to yield heavy crop. of every variety of agricultural products, as in other sections of the Gila valley, and tht gardens of Yuma have been added to anc beautiffed in fruits, flowers and shubbery tt a more than appreciable extent. Altogethel VIC may feel proud of our progress during , these last months of buslness depression anG Encouragement. It speaks well for the in . dustry and pluck of our people, and tho showing made constitutes the best evidence !, of the merits of our soil and climate and tht richness of our mineral resources. Nature has done everything for our county, and al that Is needed is touch of the wand of cap ital to have our hills and valleys spring into an active life of remunerative industry tha will last and endure forever.
 Some three years ago, through the energy of H. w. Blaisdell, the Yuma Water anc Light Company was incorporated, and by means of its large pumping plant, at th' foot of M. in street, the town is abundantly supplied with water at reasonable rates ant there have grown into existence new ant large gardens and orchards,