Arizona republican., 1904-07-22


 70O,000 acres of land-a sufficient area to support comfortably a half million families.
 There is much apprehension because of the ignoring of the land reform measures by congress, which leaves the land practically at the mercy of the spectators, but it is believed that public opinion will impress the con- mittee on public lands between now and the next session.
 A company is being organized for the growing and manufacture of Manila hemp in the Valley of the Co., lorado, whose lands are to be settled chiefly by members of the California Society of the Army of the Philippines. Special concessions have been granted by the government to the soldiers whose term of army service may be deducted from that required to home stead a piece of land, which under the present law is five years.
 Nowhere is nature so lavish of sun shine and fertility, as in the great southwest where millions of fallow acres lie awaiting only the requisite moisture to make them bloom like a tropic garden. But where is the wa ter to come from? The Californian outlook is fairly good, but Arizona is another story.
 No one who has not travelled by team or horseback across the vast stretches of western desert can have any con- ception of the magnitude of the area now lying waste. sufficient, if properly titled, to sustain the entire population of several European kingdoms. At present the Colorado river intersects a stretch of wilderness that teens with the tragic history of pioneer days, and indeed, of our own times, for the Mo- jave desert and the Death Valley are vast burying grounds of unfortunate pTospectors and settlers who tried 10 cross their burning, trackless sands in quest of gold and homes. On the Arl- zona side the traveller occasionally finds a stray camel, the relic of the Egyptian caravan that Perished there not more than thirty years ago.
 + seems incredible that human in- genuity can turn that raw desolation of sand and heat and thirst into hab- itable, fertile land, yet it needs only water to do th-s. Down in the Salt valley, where the government has erected modest irrigation system covering sixty miles. the observer sees from a mountain eminence, vividly green oasis so sharply defined by the surrounding wilderness as to resemble a tiny island in un endless ocean Of sand
 The cattle ranch seen in the illus tration cuts sharply into the bone-dry desert on one side; on the other II borders the canal waterfall which s fairly smothered by tropical verdure This ranch yields four abundant alfal- ia crops a year. The sixty-mile tract supplies the whole territory with feed and beef, and butter Thousands Of arid but equally fertile acres await the miracle of irrigation.
 The Tonto basin project now under construction in the Tonto valley pro- mises great things for the future Of Arizona, provided Providence favors the scheme by sending sufficient rain, for the water supply will depend upon conservation of all the rain that fall4 within the natural basin.
 Grave doubts have been aroused by the coninued drought. as there has been no appreciable rain fail since last July, and the subsequent depression among cattlemen is widespread. The range herds are dying by the thou,- ands, and there is no immediate pr,- mise of relief The Irrigation ques- tion is becoming more and more ser ious. Drills to the depth of 400 feet have proved unavailirg, and ft is be- lieved by some that the difficulty is insurmountable.
 Three years ago two men of means and ideas took up a 1000 acre claim Of the finest land in the territory. just south of the Buckeye valley, where they intended to set up a pumping plant and lay out an extensive model ranch. Part of their machinery was so heavy that it sank half way in the deseI't sand on the way from Phoenix. The rest was transported at an enor- nous oatlay of labor and money. and finally set in working order.
 The location of the plant was most promising. mile from the Gila river. where, if anywhere, water should be abundant. The experimenters sue ceeded finally in obtaining twenty-two inches of water-barely enough to ir rigate half section of land at the cost of $15,OO0. The project was. of
 S~Cs'4lNOAIGo, dtlQ JQe ldnQ trans fered tnck to the government with mos of the machinery left standing at the half-flled tanks
 This is the present condition of things in Arizona, which. unless hu man ingenuity can devise some means .ot artificial water supply, is likely 70 remain arid for the most part. Aside frcn very few rich mining properties Arizona has comparatively nothing to attract immigration. But it does possess the finest, driest. most toni, climate in America, if not in the world.
 It s far superior to that of Califor na' which is unquestionably saIubri ous and delightful, but which lacks the bracinS, vivifying. recuperating ouali ties that Are almost instantly felt in all sections of Arizona except the ex- treme southwestern portion For the rest, Arizona is a land of desolation and heat and thirst and loneliness.
 Baseball Players and Foot RacersI
 Louis J. Kruger, eX-champion long