The Florence tribune., 1899-11-18
THE CASA eRANDe VALLEY.
snformation for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.

Pinal county was organized in 1875 from portions of Pima, Maricopa and Yavapai counties, and contains an area of :, ,S6S square miles, or 5. .4S5, ,520 acres, one-third of which could be made productive by a systematic storage of the surplus water now running to waste. Next to Maricopa it is the most im- iportant agricultural county inthe Territory. It it traversed 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 peine of this road is connection with the Sonora road, of the same system: The Soutnern Pacific is also building in this direction from 'tempe,and it is confidently oeileveac a1e tn9t work will not cease until the Deer Sreek coal fields are reached and connectlon IS made with another branch of that road run ming from Bowie to Globe and now compiet-
 Thus if will be seen that Pinal county is the theater of railroad building at the pres ,ent time, and inside of a year Florence, the county seat, will be
 RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present it contains population of about 1500 but with the completion or these two railroads and the Butte reservoir no city in Arizona can approach It TOT hatuTN advantages, and large increase Tn popula- ton willfollow. Florence is at an eieVatlon of 1858 feet above sea level, situated near tne Niila river, twenty-six miles northwest oi tne railroad station of Casa Grande, with when 1t is connected by an elegantly. equipped duly stage linc. Going and coming stages run by the old Casa Grande ruins, and passengers are allowed short time to m spect them. There are many handsome pri- vate residences in Florence, several brick stores, good hotel, an excellent graded school employing four teachers, churches, secret societies, q 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 and Pinal counties. The streets are lined with shade trees, which inlpart an 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 Ilkali, is deep. rich gray ash, especially adapted to the growth of the prune, olive, 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 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 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 Tn full bearing: The season is from six weeks to two months earller than Southern Caiifor- mia, which gives fruit growers an appreciat- ed advantage in
 THE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is formidable obstacle to the 0eStTucltNt anu unsightly scale-bug. and the fruits of the valley are all bright and clean. All the agri- cultural products of temperate and sem1- fropic zones are easily grown here, the long seasons giving a 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 S20 to $50 per acre, according to location and ina 1af,fz In nplElDOT- hood and to the south of the Casa Grande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with heavy growth of mesquite timber yet open to settlement. These are among the choicest in the valley. Water in inexhausti- hle quantity is found at depth of from twenty to thirty feet; in fact, e river seems to be flowing underneath. Here Is 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 ot the Butte reservoir, pumping will be thing of the past, and it is only mentioned here for tine purpose of showing what can be done. and to magnify the further fact that what was once considered
 AN UNIEHABITABLK 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 it. There is no water-storage scheme on the Pacific coast that has one- half tue natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in ever-liy- ing rock, and all that Is left for man to do is 70 put in the headgate, the bluffs which form the gorge being only separated by a paltry 20 feet. 4 country is drained through this Ff9-row canyon 209 miles square, representing a0G90 square miles or larger than Maine and Massac husetfs combined. The rainfall is suf- fcient to i'll the reservoir twice a year, and the land to be brought under cultivation is practically iiInitless This may read like fairy tale, but it is every word true, and has been verified time and again.
 CASA eRAsDE RESERVOIR.
 The reservoir of the Casa Grande Valley Canal company is the largest in the territory. 1t covers a surface of l600 acres, with an aver age depth of i2 feet. md contains about eight theusana million nallons of water. It is sit u4fed fifteen miles southwest of Florence. A ieYee Of earth has been thrown up across a depression in the plain n coo feet in length 125 feet in width at the bottom and 9 feet in width at top, to 1 slope on eaeh side, and an lated by 3 cast iron pipes feet iR diameter, set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower. This reservoir cost $I500Q0, and sup plies water for 6.o00 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern znent maintained a station at Florence from 1874 to 1S82. The reports covering the period from JuIy, 1880. to April 1882, gives the follow Ing statistics, which may be taken as safe guide to the prevailing temperature given during the series of six yeas:
 1880. Mean Max Min. July y...............-........ .e6.6 III 61 August. st......................86.5 112 50 September. ber...............-..8l.0 107 48