The border vidette., 1903-09-05
SANTA CRUZ.
POpuIatiOn>and General Resources Of
the Youngest County in Arizona.

area, the smallest of the thirteen
counties of Arizona, was created by
Act of the Legislative Assembly,
approved March fl teen, 1899, out
of the area then embraced within
the boundaries of Pima county.
and each year since its creation
shows material increase in re
sources, taxable property and pop
ulation. Its area is ,26O square
miles, but in taxable wealth it
stands eighth in the list, showing
a greater amount of property than
number of the older and larger
counties.
POPULATION.
The census of 1900 gave Santa
Cruz county population of 1915;
but the population is rapidly in
creasing, and conservative
estimate at present places the num-
Der of people within her borders
at not less than 5000. With the
continued opening up and develop
ment of her rich mineral resources
it is confidently expected that the
population will show still greater
proportionate increase during the
next year. 'Nogales, the County
Seat and the principal town in the
county, is a growing, thriving little
city ofabout 2 500 people. Situated
as it is on the International Bound
airy Line between the United States
and Mexico, at the gateway to the
rich and rapidly developing State
of Sonora, Nogales is destined at
no far distant day to be one of the
most important cities of southern
Arizona and of the South West.
Its citizens are of the sturdy, sub
stantial class, the greater number
of whom own their own homes.
A great number of substantial bust
ness structures and neat brick and
stone cottages have been built dur
ing the past year. The new Santa
Cruz County Court House. now in
process of construction at cost of
$50 900 is one of the most sub
stantial, commodious and up-to-
date structures of it's kind in the
west. 1t will be ready for occup-
ancy about October first. There
are two banks, one beings National
bank, four substantial church
edifices, a fine public school build
ing, a cigar factory employing
seventy-five hands, large foundry
and machine-shop, one daily and
two weekly newspapers and all
branches of mercantile business are
represented. Other important
centres of population in this county
are Washington, Lochiel, Harshaw,
Orc Blanco and Patagonia.
FINANCIAL CONDITION..
Santa Cruz county, when created,
was burdened with an Inheritance |
from Pima county in the shape of |
a bonded Indebtedness amounting
to $S3. 4O7, its proportion of the in
debtedness of Pima county. In
the year 1902, under a special Act
Of Congress, the county issued and
sold its bonds in the sum of $50
900 for the construction of its new
court house and jail. These bonds
bear five per cent. interest, and sold
ut premium of over $500. In
addition to this, Nogales School
District has issued and sold its
bonds in the sum of $4,000, from
he proceeds of which has been built
md furnished one of the best con-
;tructed and most modernly equip
ped public school houses in the
southwest. The floating indebted
hess of the county on June 3Oth,
1908, was only $11 ,S52 80, of which
%, 4022S was due to the road fund.
The assets of the county are repre-
ented by the court house and
grounds valued at $4,000 and
ASH in the Treasury on June
10th, 1903, amounting to 1896 ~.
TAXABLE PROPERTY.
The assessment roll for 1903
hows the taxable property amounts
o 81 $50, 3O7 so, an increase over
he preceding year Of $116,483
nd over the year 1901, of $780,
~. This valuation is represen-
ed mostly by property in the town
# Nogales. by the railroad and bv
he ranch and stock interests, as
here are but few patented mines.
MINING.
The mining development has
zen substantial and unusually
ctive during the year, bringing to :
he county Il number of capitalists :
rom the east and from California as ! !
YELL This is especially true of the !
and the Orc Blanco Dis !
riots. There are many rich mining :
istricts in the county, the princi- 5