Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-09-22
MORE ABOUT THE VERDE
with a few NOSegaVS for Law
breaks 9 Valley Sportsman.

Following is another Inte1e Sting let
ter from the JournaI-Miner Verde cor
resp cndent relative to the resources Of
that locality:
In my last letter 1 pI-mised some-
thing further in regard to the Eureka
ditch or canal
C. P. Wingtisld, A B. and William
! Hutchinson, Lo11ie Bristow, Bert Max
well, Joe Price ard Ed Mu'holland To-
Gated land CT the Fort Verbs military
/ reservation ever four years ago and
built this ditch It row covers seven
fine ranches with about 300 acres in
cultivation and covers nearly CT about
J 900 acrGs, and by fiume over Bea-
yer creek (and it being extended for
three or four miles, viii cover about
5000 acres mere land ON Lower Verda
on the east side OF the river and north
+ Of Cedar creek. Of ecu Sc an extern
/ SIGN OF th1 ditch would nece -sarily re-
/ quire it tc. be widened frcm an eight
/ fcct ditch to about sixteen-foot
ditch.
The Ralston ditch. on the west side
CT the river, is a litchJabout six feet
Wids and four OF five miles long. and
covers about 600 acres Of land, about
500 OF which is new in cultivation
BCith these bitches have been taken
out since the opening up Ct the Fort
Verde military reservation for home
stead entry. All these enterprises
have their drawbacks. and l find all
new d-tches are lots Of trouble net
WithstanGing thsy are all surveyed
with the utmost precision and careful
ness; there is so many different kinds
sorts and ccnditiC2s If soil that they
pass ever, that they will sink in some
piaces below ditch grad and unless a
person is acquainted with the soil he
would feel sure that It w2s the fault
O the surveyor, and it takes two or
thEee years for the ground to settle
and to build up the low places. and in
few instances to deepen the high
places.
l stated to enc CT the eldest timers
and best konwl citizens cf your town
my intention CT writing I'D this seq
ton of country for you and he advised
NE TO say just as little about the water
question as possible, lest I might cause
the Salt river people some offense. and
theX might make US trouble NV,
tnat is not my object in making men
ton of cur resources or cur water sup
ply and will say right here by way of
comparison we have fully one-haIf as
much coed land in Verde valley Sis
ceptible CT cultivation as there is in
Salt river, and just as coed in eyerv
way, equally productive and cur mar
ket is right at home instead of having
to cross burning sand desert OF forty
10 seventy miles tC q mining camp. we
nave them right at home. and I am
quite well acquainted with the. valley
and It's cOrdition and will further.
state we nave sixteen school districts.
including jerome, an incorporated city
of more than 900 Inhabitants. over
1,2G0 IF which are On the United Verde
pay Toll; also about sixty irrigating
bitches in the valley, and all over vast
agricultural and grazing resources. We
are people and community OF our
SELVES, and not boasting, we do not
propose to back down or take any
threats from any enc about cur water
supply.
So far as our use Of water is con
cerred, and for fear it slips my mem
DRY, l want tC speak Of the absolute
necessity Of our legislature land if not
in their power then in the congress of
the United States) &C pass laws to com
PSI the people OF the MogollOn and San
FRANCISCO mountains tC pile and burn
or in some way &c care fer the pine
tree tops and brush 50 as t. prevent
forest fires, and 20 increase the range
riders 50 as to keep a vigilant watch
on the range and timber belt. While
speaking Of this uloE--ain SECTION we
feel very grateful TO sur Salt river
brethren fer all the:l kind vctes in the
legislGt uTe about our game laws 50 as
tc raise quail, deer and antelope for
their especial benefit. while cooling
Off up here in summer, they kill and
destroy mere game n these camping
cat trips than tae inhabitants CT Yav-
apai kill during the hunting season.
In e2ct they pass here openly speaking
of goinS Up into the mountains to take
a hunt
In my last lztter 1 spoke Of the
Johnson ditch and of the country it
would cover. l now give tabulatod
statement CT the entire middle Verde
country. including the land irrigated
by ths o. K. ditch, one OF the very best
and eldest bitches II the Verde valley.
If some one interested and more COM
Eetent than l am will take up the min
ing subject and show the mineral re-
sources or activity as I have the farm
ing paIt OF it, l will feel that We have
done cur part.
I frd there axe 2,765 acres of land
either patented or filed on with 720
acres in actual cultivation, and 1900