Arizona republican., 1907-06-19

and interesting. on the first train in came Colonel Atkinson, in charge of the Colorado Indian agency. whose mission in Phoenix was to purchase certain supplies for the reservation.
 And right here is the hint to Phoe- nix people. particularly the merchants There is a vast field for operations now opened up to Phoenix and it is up to the valley people to till it well before the road is completed on to California and the coast missionaries of commerce get in their work They may be looked for on the first train from the west and they will be alive when they land. If Phoenix wants to do business. now is her opportunity. Now is the time to make friends and build up a trade to the west that Cal ifornia competition cannot dislodge later. California cannot touch it now but it will not do for Phoenix to sleep and wait for business to come to her. Nearly all the supplies used in that section have heretofore come in by way of the Needles and been floated down the river in flat bottomed tubs in five ton loads. Five tons has been the limit for no larger boat than that could be lowed up the river again by the Indians. as most of the upstream journey has to be made by Indians dragging the boat and walking on the river banks: It Is a somewhat primi- tive means of transportation but it was the best that could be done un- der the cirmustances. Now the iron horse is there and it only remains for tl, on and go to the front.
 The resources of the country are all most incalculable. There is now a large tonnage Of ere in one camp and another that nas been piled up on the dumps awaiting the coming of cheap transportation. This will be moved at an early day and where one ton has been taken out, a hundred, il is expected. will follow in the near future. Where there is one prOspec- tors camp to supply. if proper in ducements are made there should in short time be a dozen. And there are already more of them than most Phoenix people know about, or will know about until they go out and "mope" around in the hills awhile. The Indian agency business ought also to be a factor for Phoenix merchants to inquire into.
 More than this the future possibili- ties of the Colorado river valley are almost inconceivable. There is an area of between 100000 and 100000 acres on the Indian reservation. the larger part of which is fine agricul- tural land. All it wants is water and it is expected that it will not be many years until the government will un- dertake its reclamation and eventually it's allotment to the Indians to the eX- tent of their beneficial use. and throw the rest of it open to white settlers In any event 1t will be recalled that Director Newell of the reclamation service. on the occasion of his last visit here took a trip to that section and was moved to remark that it was a fine field for the operating of the government just as soon as it could get around to if.
 Further enlargement on the won- derful resources of this so-called des- ert region must be left for another time, but the day. the hour and the minute is now at hand for Phoenix to arouse herself to her opportunity. For the present there Is only a box car depot at Parker but freight receiving