The Florence tribune., 1899-03-04
THE CASA eRANDe VALLEY.
Information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.


  portions of Pima, Maricopa and Yavapai counties, and contains an area of 5,366 square miles. or s,4sS, ,520 acres, one-third of which could be made productive by Q systematic storage cf the surplus water now running to waste. Next to Maricope 1t is the most im- portant agricultural county in the Territory. II IL trnversed from east to west by the Southern Pacific railroad, and branch of Cne great Santa Fe system is now npproach- ing from the north. The objective point of road of .be ss Sonnee,l9n ~ien Ina sh saphern Pacific is also building in this direction from Tempe. and it is confidently believed that coal fields are % reached Ia and connection is made with another branch of that road run ming from Bowie to Globe and now complet- ed to Fort Thomas.
 Thus 1t will be seen that PinaI county is the theater of railroad building at the pres ent time and inside of year Florence, the county seat. will be
 RAILROAD oESrKH,
 At present it contains a population of about 1900, but with the completion of these two railroads and the Butte reservoir no city in Arizona can approach it for natural advantages, and a 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 of the railroad station of Casa Grande, with which 1t is connected by an elegantly equipped dblly stage line. GOlng ana coming stages run by the old Casa Grande ruins, and passengers are allowed short time to in- 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 a Commercial Club, news paper (the only one in the countyl and the hands0mest court house in the Territory. Here is held the United States Court tor the district composed of Gila, Graham and Pinal counties. The streets are lined with shade trees, " hich impart an air of comfort on the warmest days.
 PRODUCTS OF THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river, the waters of the Alkali, 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 ol 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 cest1n- 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 in full bearing. The season Is from six weeks to two months earller than Southern Caifor- mia, which gives fruit growers all appreciat- ed advantage in
 THE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of foss and nightly dews is formidable obstacle to the destructive and unsightIy scale-bug. and the fruits of the valley are all bright and clean. All the agri- cultural products of temperate and semi tropie zones are easily grown here, the long seasons giving 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 so to $50 per acre, according to location and iTfi- provsments. In the immediate neighbor- hood and to the south of the Casa Grande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with heavy growth or , mesquite timber yet yet choicest in the valley. Water in lnexhaustl- bic quantity is found at a depth of from twenty to thirty feet; in fact, river seems to be flowing underneath. Here is splen- did opportunity to take up and improve Hand with a 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 tlie 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 UEINHABITABLE 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 Raclnc coast that mas one hdti the natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in ever-liy- ing rock, and all that is left for man to do Is to put in the headgate, the bluffs which form the gorge being only separated by paltry 20 feet A country is drained through this narrow canyon POO miles square, representing 40000 square miles, or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall is suf hcient to fill the reservoir twice year, and the land to be brought under cultivation IS practically limitless. This may read like fairy tale, but it is every word true, and has been verified time and again.
 CASA GRAEDE RESERVOIR.
 The reservoir of the Casa Grande Valley Canal company is the largest in the territory. It covers surface of 1600 acres, with an aver age depth of F feet, and contains about eight thousand million gallons of water. It is sit- uated fifteen miles southwest of Florence. levee of earth has been thrown up across depression in the plain 600 feet in length, 125 feet in width at the bottom and 9 feet in width at top, 2 to slope on each side, and an average height of 9 feet. The waste is regu- lated by 3 cast iron pipes 3 feet in diameter, set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower. This reservoir cost $150,0O0. and sup plies water for 5000 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern ment maintained station at Florence from 1874 to 1882. The reports covering the period from JuIy, 1880, to April, 1882, gives the follow