The Florence tribune., 1899-03-25
THE CASA eRANDE VALLEY.
information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.

Pinal county was organized in 1873 from portions of Pima, Maricopa and aNapal counties. and contains an area of 5.s68 square miles, or 8. 1855 52G acres one-third of which could be made productive by systematic storage cf the surplus water now running to waste. Next to Maricopa it is the most in- portant agricultural county iuthe Territory. It 1t 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 point Of this road is connection with the Sonora road, of the same system. The Southern Tempe,and it is confidently believed that work will not cease until the Deer Creek coal fields are reached and connection IS made with another branch of that road run ming from Bowie to Globe and now eomplet- ed to Fort Thomas.
 Thus it will be seen that Pinal county is the theater of railroad building at the pres ont time, and inside of year Florence. the county seat. will be
 RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present it contains population of about 1500 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 Tn popuia- tion will follow. Florence Is at an elevation of 1858 feet above sea level, situated near the Gila river twenty miles northwest ot the railroad station of Casa Grande, with which tiuilv stage line. Going and coming stages run by the old Casa Grande ruins, and passengers are allowed n short time to ln- vate residences in Florence, several brick stores, good hotel, excellent graded school employing four teachers churches, secret societies, a Commercial Cup, news paper (the only one in the countyl, and the handsomest court house in the Territory. Here is held the United States Court tor the district composed of Gila, Graham ana Pinal counties. The streets are lined with froea vxh 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 1llxali, is deep, rich gray ash, especially adapted to the growth of the pruue; oiiye, almond, peach, fig, pear. apricot and frults 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 Tn this valley, and wine and raisin culture Is destIn- ed to become prominent industry. Citrus fruits have been cultivated to limited extent; there are number of orange trees In the neighborhood of Florence which bear their golden fruit each year without pro- tection, and few date palm trees are also In full bearing. The season is from six weeks to two months earller than Southern Cailior- mia, which gives fruit growers an appreciat- cd advantage in
 THE EARLY MARKETS.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is Q formidable obstacle to the destructive and unsightly scale-bug, and the fruits of the valley are all bright and clean All the agri- cultural products of temperate and semi tropic 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 S2U to $50 per acre, according to location and ln- proYements- In the immediate neighbor- hood and 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 1nexhausu- ble quantity is found at depth of from twenty to thirty feet; in fact, river seems to be flowing underneath. Here is a splen- did opportunity to take up and improve land with pumping system of irrigation, w which is said to be successful on small tracts.
 However. with the completion of the Butte reservoir, pumping will be thing or 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 UNINHABIrABLE 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 
 scheme on the Pacific coast that has one-h half the natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments Tn eyer-Iy- 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 220 feet. A country is drained through this narrow canyon 20O miles square, representing 40 O00 square miles. or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall is sut= ficient to fill the reservoir twice year, and the land to be brought under cultivation IS practically limitiess. 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 i'll the territory. It covers a surface of 1900 acres, with an aver age depth of 12 feet, and contains about eight thousand million gallons of water. It Is sit- uated fifteen miles southwest of Florence. A levee of earth has been thrown up across a depression in the plain 14.000 feet in length. I25 feet in width at the bottom and 25 feet In width at top to slope on each side, and an average height of 9 feet. The waste is regu- lated by 3 cast iron pipes feet in diameter, set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower. This reservoir cost S150,0O0, and sup plies water for 5000 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern neut maintained a station at Florence from