The copper era., 1905-12-28
Cause for Satisfaction.
9m the International. American.

From the International American.
 Arizona has good reason to be sat
 isfied with the progress made in the
 development of her resources during
 the year which will pass away with
 the close of the present month. In
 nearly every section of the territory
 there has been unusual prosperity
 because of the activity induced by
 the ascending price of the metals
 which are held in our rock-ribbed i hills, because of the excellent condi-
 tion of the cattle ranges and because
 of abundant crops grown in the agri-
 cultural valleys, as the result of 1 abundant rains.
 Copper bids fair now to reach 20
 cents per pound before the year 1905
 shall have been completed, and cop-
 per has not been worth so much in
 twenty years; silver is climbing and
 like satisfactory prices rule for lead
 and other metals. These excellent
 prices have stimulated all mining
 enterprises to unusual action and the years mineral production will go
 away beyond any previous year; es-
 pecially will this be true of copper.
 The cattle interests have been fa- vored by continual rains from Janu- ary to December, and today the herds on the broad expanse of mesas and valleys are in prime condition.
 In the agricultural valleys, aside to damage to irrigating ditches, the farmers have enjoyed unusual pros- perity and the crops of the year have been of the best Less water has been required for irrigation than during any year since the first sowing and reaping began in Arizona. The great agricultural possibilities of the territory have been fully recognized by the government and already the work of storing water for the recla- nation of the millions of fertile acres here has been begun under the direction of the national irrigation department. When the great Tonto dam has been completed then other opportunities equally as inviting for storing water will be taken up by the government, until practically all the land within reach of the Salt, Gila, | San Pedro and other rivers will be l made productive and afford homes for a population of many millions of | people.
 In Cochise county, especially, the | people have good reason to be con- te nted and satisfied with their lot in | the race of life. Five years ago this county had dwindled to one of the l smallest to be found in the territory, but today she stands as the richest l county in the territory, and second l only to Maricopa county in popula- ton. In the year 1900 the registered | voters in the county were less than | sixteen hundred, and the registration last year showed over five thousand. During this period of five years just m even one dozen banks have sprung nto existence in the county, where ,here was not one, and in these banks Ire more than S2,OOO,OOO on deposit; titles and towns have sprung up on he desert plains. Mining companies lave been put under way that have developed tabulously rich mines where there were none before.
 Bisbee has become the greatest opper district in the world, and it s not prediction to say that within he next year it will be yielding more opper bullion than any other district n the whole world.
 The Copper Queen has doubled 1 its great smelting plant q Douglas, and the same may be aid of the Calumet 6 Arizona. oon the Bonanza Circle properties ill be producing as much copper ore S the Copper Queen, and besides, here is the ShattuCk, Denn and other around Bisbee which re already planning for building nelters for large bodies of ore al eady blocked out Douglas surely has a right to be and satisfied with it's l rowth during the past year. The ity is just five years old; its present ( opulation is not less than nine lousand, and its growth has been ;eady and of a more substantial laracter during the whole of the resent year