The Arizona sentinel., 1899-07-15
THE VILLAGE OF YUMA.


 l Although the town of Yuma is the second oldest community in the Territory of, Ari-
 zoaa, it is astonishing how little it's re- sources are known to the world at large, and how slightly developed is the natural wealth f the county. This is owing partly to
 Yuma's reputation for unbearable heat, and
 ,artly to the fact that, lying next to Cali ! gornia, is has been assumed that the county aas been thoroughly pyospectod for mineral wealth, and prospootor3 have, in the main, kept the travelled highways in crossing its Territory. A 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 suu, and suffer no in convenience. There has never been known, in this section of country, an authez tic case of sunstrol5e. Our climate, taken in time, never fails to cure pulmonary complaints of any description. Disease such as smaIlpsx, cholera, etc, rarely visit us, and then o.-iy in a very mild form, and are never fatfl ex- cept through the perversity of patients. Contrary to the belief of the uuiaformed, the dry heat of the summer months is es- peoially conducive to good health and ex- cept;onal vigor, acting naturally upon the human system with the same effect as the artificial result of 0 Turkish bath-purefy- ing and renova5ing 1t. As further matter of fact, this county Las never been even superfcially suspected, and it is only now that people are beginning to search its hills witk any degree of systematic enthusiasm for the mineral wealth hidden there Ow- ing to the falling of in the price of silver, deposits of gold only are being sought for; and the present result is little short of mar yeIous. h all sections of the county from 1 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 storehcuses of golden wealth. New and rich placers are constantly being discovered and shipments of placer gold from this point through Wells Fargo < Co.'S Express, are steadily increasing in value. From 9 mining standpoint Yuma County is rapidly leading the Territory, and yet as far os 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 indefin- abe stir which is the precursor Of an indus, trial awakening. Even within these last two years of financial stringeucy and de, pression there has been Q steady if slow in- crease in agricultural development and wealth. A greater area of old farms has been put under cultivation, and new lands have been inclQsed and new fields started. A large section of Blaisdell Heights has been planted to fruit trees; field of cereals and alfalfa have been added to the cultivated area on the Colorado river below town; the lands lying under the 8Iohav k and Farmers canals have been made to yield heavy crops of every variety of agricultural products, as in other sections Of the Gila valley, and the gardens of Yuma have been added to and bcautiHed in fruits, flowers and shubberv to l a more than appreciaLle extent. Altogether we may feel proad of our progress during | these last months of business depression and Encouragement. It speaks well for the in- dustry and pluck of our people, and the showing made constitutes the best evidence ! of the merits of our soil and climate and the | richness of our mineral resources. Nature has done everything for our county, and all ! that is needed is touch of the wand of cap ] ital to have our hills and valleys spring into { an active life of remuneratjve industry that will lastand endure forever.
 Some three years ago, through the energy ! of II. w. BLaisdell, the Yuma Water and ] Light Company was incorporated, and by | means of its large pumping plant, at the foot of l1. iu street, the town is abundantly supplied wi5h water at reasonable rates, and | there have grown iIsto existence new and large gardens and orchards.