The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-13
THE PRESIDENTS JOURNEY.

time, nd that not many years ago Whet
the Territory of Arizona was known Only
for its position on the frontier and for the
stories Of its rough cowboys, wild Indians
caCti, and general Iavlessness; but
change is being wrought The cowboy re
mains but he is a rancher; the Indian IS
still here, but he is rapidly becoming civ
ilized- the cactus blooms. butts domain
is being steadily encToached upon by the
cultivation. by means Of irrigation, of
more useful vegetation. and the IawIess-
ness has practically disappeared
The President, on his trip through the
Territory, witnessed as peaceful, Iaw-abid-
ing and patriotic a population as is 70
be found anywhere within the Union 1t
was q typical Western population that
greeted him. which means that while If
may not have the polish,
dignity. and refinement of the
East, it was democratic and
hospitabIe- The journey across the great
alkaH plains was very dry. hot, and dus-
", but when the train entered the Valley
of the Salt River. Of which Phoenix is the
metropolis, the President saw what irri-
cation will do to reclaim these now vast
barren wastes. This section OF the Ter
ritory is naturally the refuge of the
heaIth-seeker- The surrounding noun
taiEs are rich in mineral wealth and, with
irrigation, the desert is being transform
ed into fertile garden spot. Give US
water is the great cry of the people Of
Arizona as it is of southern New Next
co and western and northwestern Tex
as. Irrigation has begun in the Salt Riv-
or Valley, and the transformation which
has taken place in this section is wonder
ful, bat only a beginning has been made
There are. some 659, 800 acres of land in
the valley and only one-third Of this is
irrigated The irrigatinE plant is owned
by a private company and makes use Of
the waters Of the Salt River. Its plant
diverts them, but it does not store UP the
food waters which must go to waste I'M
til the Government takes an interest in
the project and provides reservoir.
The average resident of the Eastern
States does not separate the garden hose
and the sprinkling pot from his idea of
irrigation. He lives in d land where
season of six weeks without rain is ca
Iamity: but here in Arizona six months
pass without e~en a shower. NOtwith-
standing this, however. the most bOunte-
Gus crops are produced by means Of
bitches which take the water from the
river and distribute the Iife-giving fluid
far out upon the fertile plains
In the Salt River VALLEY, the visitor
may drive past nearly 2.0)0 acres, all
green with grass. alfalfa. vines. and fruit
trees, and to each acre has been diverted
water IN the necessary quantity Up to-
ward the highlands Is seen the lire of the
great iTTigating canal. upon which boats
might De run Above il lies the desert N
a gentle, sloping plain covered with dark
green CROSSWORD. with here and there a
beautiful IronwoOd tree or a curious polo
cerde which at this season Of the year
is a huge bouquet of yellow blossoms. Be
low the canal, in sharp contrast, lies the
reclaimed land
From every main ditch run scores 81
Iatg-ais, fed by gates over which the va
ter tender keeps g je@ lous eye These lat
erals asain divide eat branch to its own
farm of whatever Sic Six large canals
Traverse the section lying about Phoenix
Out in The fields bare-iegged Eaborers re
cefve the tide with welcoming shovels.
Small bitches run along the edges Of fields,
ana the water spreads over the dry earth
which absor5s IT. In the orchards the
water IS conducted into burrows plowed
in well Ioosed soil and thus reaches every
tree
The soil is wondrousIy rich. aad is ca
pable of producing ana does produce
vast variety of vegetables and tropical
fruits not only IN abundance, but Of the
largest and best quality. 1t grows oranges,
apTiCOts, peaches. pears plums. almonds
olives figs. grapes, and dates The dates
were introduced about d year ago by the
Department OF Agriculture Secretary
Wilson sent d specialist at considerable
cost TO an oasis In TripoIi Africa, to Sc
cure some very valuable specimens of the
date palm. and some COO trees were
brought to port on the backs of came!s
shipped to New Orleans, and then sent to
the irrigated districts in Arizona, near
Phoenix. where they have thriyed as
well as on their native heath. Secretary
Wilson was much interested in hearing
while at Phoenix the report concerning
these date palm trees at the experiment
station near the city. He intended to visit
the place. but, owing 10 a delay in run
ming in from Congress Mine, was unable
10 DO So
Alfalfa Is the principal crop Of the frri-
gated district At some places IT stretches
away for miles ike dark green carpet.
beautiful TO the eye and very refreshing
after having passed through miles and
miles Of barren desert, where the cacu
and the sage brush only are seen Usu-
ally she fields produce four or five crops
Of alfalfa q year. 4 large portion of it
is fed 10 the cattle when they are driven
in from the plains to be fattencd for the
market Much Of the remainder is baIed
and shipped away.
Irrigation iS-by no means j new method
Of making the rich soil os these plains and
valleys fertile There are evidences all
about Phoenix that the Aztec and Tolcc
civilizations hundreds and hundreds Of
years ago resorted to this method Of di-
vert.us the water Of The rivers 70 noisten
the fields which produced their corn
Traces of their bitches and canals and
dams are still to be found.
The President was afforded an excellent
opportunity to learn what irrigation viii
do for this section. during his drive from
Phoenix to the Indian school little less
than three miles from the city At places
along the highway there was on one SIDE
. barren desert, and on the other. where
the land had been irrigated. fields Of way
ing grain and green acres of rich alfalfa
He has several times during his trip
through this region expressed himself as
favoring irrigation, and Secretary VII
son is an enthusiastic advocate Of it An
effort is being put forth to induce the
Government to aid the project in this re-
giou- Now the flood waters are wasted
and only the ordinary flow Of water is
diverted. Consequently. when the river 10
low there is not sufficient water to sup
ply all the fields. The farmers now pay
-+s.s- e. 81