The Florence tribune., 1899-05-13
HE eAsA aaaNDg vAlLsY.
Information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot Of the West.

naleounty was organized in 1875 from portions of Pima, Maricopa and fayapai counties, and contains an area of a.S68 square miles or 5, ,43a, ,52O acres, one-third of which could be made productive by systematic storage St the surplus water now running to waste Next to Maricopa it is the most im- portant agricultural county int the Territory. II IL traversed from east to west by the Southern Pacific railroad, and a branch of the great Santa Fe system is now approach Ing from the north. The objective point of this road IS a connection with the sonora road, of the same system. The Southern Pacific is also building in this direction from Tempe, and it is confidently believed that work will not cease until the Deer Creek coal helds are reached and connection Is made with another branch of that road run ming from Bowie to Globe and now complet- ed to Fort Thomas.
 Thus it will be seen that PinaI county is the tneater of railroad building at the pres ent tune, and inside of year Florence, the county seat, will be
 A RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present it contains a population of dbout l5ec, but with the completion of these two railroads and the Butte reservoir no city in Arizona can approach it for natural advantages and large increase in popua- ;son will follow. Florence is at an elevation ot l5S5 feet above sea level, situated near the Glia river, twenty-six miles northwest of the railroad station of Casa Grande, with which 1t is connected by an elegantly equipped deily stage line. Going and coming stages run by the old Casa Grande ruins, and passengers are allowed short time to in- spect thsIn. There are many handsome pri- vate residences in Florence, several brick stores, good hotel, an excellent graded school employing four teqehers, churches, secret societies, a Commercial Club, news paper tthe only one in the countyl, 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 impart an air of comfort on the warmest days.
 PRODUCTS OF THE VALLEY.
 Unlike the Salt river, the waters of the SIa are fresh and pure; tho soil contains no tlkah 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 nlsnt, Ii 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 a few date palm trees are also in full bearing. The season is from six weeks to two months earlIer than Southern Califor- mia, which gives fruit growers an appreciat- ed advantage in
 THE EARLY MARKETS.
 Tho absence of fogs and nightly dews is a 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 a succession of crops that double or treble the productive value of the laad.
 PRICES OF LAND.
 Improved lands, with government title and
 
 $50 per acre, according to location end i'm provements. In the immediate neighbor- hood aud to the south of the Casa Grande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with a heavy growth of mesquite timber yet open to settlement. These are among the choicest in the valley. Water in inexhausti- ble quantity is found at 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 land with 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 the 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 USINHABIIABLE 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 water-storage scheme on the Pacific coast that has one-hah the natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in eYer-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 paitry 20 feet. 4 country is drained through this marrow canyon 20U miles square, representing 70 GOO square miles, or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall is suf- fieient to fill the reservoir twice year, and the land to be brought under cultivation is fairy tale but it is every word true, and has been verified time and again.
 CASA CYANIDE RESERVOIR.
 The reservoir of the Casa Grande Valley Canal company is the largestin in the territory. It covers a surface of 1900 acres, with an aver age depth of l2 feet. and contains about eight thousand million gallons of water. It Is slt- uated fifteen miles southwest Of Florence. A leyee of earth has been thrown up across a depression in the plain II, GOO feet in length, l25 feet in width at the bottom and 9 feet in width at top. to ] slope each side, and an average height of 25 feet. Tie waste is regu- lated by cast iron pipes feet in diameter. set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower. This reservoir cost S150,000, and sup plies water for 5000 acres
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern ment maintained station at Florence from 1874 to 1892. The reports covering the period from Jrly. 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.........,...............6e 6e.6 III 61 August st.-...................S5 .S5.5 112 50