The Florence tribune., 1900-03-03
TIE CASA eRANpe VALLEY.
information for Those Seeking Homes
 In the Garden Spot of the West.


 Pinal county was organized in lSlS from portions of Pima, Maricopa and aValal counties, and contains an area of 2. 5.ssa square miles, or 8, ,4S5, ,520 acres, one-thlrd or when could be made productive by systematic storage Cf the surplus water now running 10 waste. Next to Maricopa it is the most im- portant agricultural county inthe Territory It 1t traverSed from east to west Dy Vhe Southern Pacific railroad, and branch or Ing from the north. The objective point ot this road is connection with the sonora Eoad of the same system; Ine ;so., 9omthsrn frani Tempe, and it is confidently believed that work will not cease until the Deer Creek coal fields are reached and connecelon 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 Pinal county IS ent time, and inside of a year Florence, the county seat will be
 RAILROAD CENTER.
 At present it contains 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 popuia- tion will follow. Florence is at an eleyatlon of 1858 feet above sea level situated near the Gila river, twenty-six miles northwest Of the railroad station of Casa Grande, with which
  daily stage line. Going and coming stages run by the old Casa Grande rulns, ana passengers are allowed Q short time to ll- spect them. There are many handsome p5- vate residences in Florence, several brick stores, good hotel excellent graded school employing four teachers, churches, secret societies, Commercial Cup, 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 ot comfort 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 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 on the invest ment. It is also the natural home of alfaira, which grows in the most Pronnc manner. The grape does exceptionally well III tnls valley, and wine and raisin culture IS destln- ed to become prominent industry. Citrus fruies 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 lection, and few date palm trees are also In full bearing. The season is from six weeks to two months earher than ooutherh Sailio1- mia, which gives fruit growers an appreclat- cd advantage in
 HE EARLY MAkhEI5.
 The absence of fogs and nightly dews is a 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 a succession of crops that double or treble the productive value of the land.
 PRICES OF LAND.
 Improved lands with government title and wnter right, can be bought for from S2O to $50 per acre, according to location and inn proyements. In the immediate neighbor- hood and to the south of the Casa Grande ruins there are thousands of acres covered with 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 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 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 a thing Of the past, and 1t 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 Pacific coast that has one-half the natural advantages and so few engineer ing difficulties as the Butte reservoir. Here nature has built the abutments in eTer-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 220 feet. A country is drained through this narrow canyon 20U miles square, representing 40,O00 square miles. or larger than Maine and Massachusetts combined. The rainfall is suf- ficient to fill the reservoir twice year, and the land to be brought under cultivation is practically limitiess. This may read like Q 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 largest in tbe territory. It covers surface of l69G acres, with aver age depth of F 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 0 depression in the plain l4, 600 feet in length. 125 feet in width at the bottom and B feet in width at top, to slope on each side, and an average height of 9 feet. The waste is regu- lated by cast iron pipes feet in diameter, set in solid masonry, regulated by gates and tower This reservoir cost S15O,O00, and sup plies water for 6.0e0 acres.
 Meteorological Statistics.
 The signal service of the general govern ment maintained a station at Florence from 1874 to 1882. The reports covering the period Ing statistics which may be taken safe e-r1fde to the rrevailiug temDerature given