The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1907-03-21

Southern CAL; through some. i'll
devised irrigation across the Mex
lean border, which turned the
course Of the Colorado river in
the depressed region. The lake
is some 20 miles long. At pres
ent the Southern Pacific railway
has built 4 different tracks
around it, also a large dam, but
in spite of all this, the sea is wild
ening and is now right against
the grade. They claim they
never know when they are safe
at this place. We crossed this
place by moonlight with great
anxiety as to our safety. After
good nights rest we find our
selves in Arizona, the land of
sand and soap weeds. Some one
at some time and some place said
that this is a country that God
had forgot. From the car win
dow it would seems so. But lis
ten to the ''Tusconites" and see
what you can gather by their
story. They claim that Tuscon
is the oldest cityiin the United
States by thirteen years. They
claim a city of 354 years old stu
ated on a slightly rolling plain,
containing about 120 square miles
and having an elevation of 2400
feet above the level of the sea.
This great plain or amphitheater
is almost entirely surrounded by
majestic mountain ranges, some
of which rise to an altitude of
10000 feet. 1t lies 300 miles
west of Ell Paso, Texas, the gate
city of Old Mexico; 500 miles east
of Los Angeles and on the main
line of the Southern Pacific rail-
road. They claim there can be
no doubt that Tuscon enjoys the
distinction of being the oldest
town in the United States. This
is not according to our text books
However, they claim a proof
found in a stained and time-worn
document Of vellum, signed by
their Catholic majesties, Ferdi-
nand and Isabella and counter
signed by the Viceroy of Mexico,
and General Coronado, who in
the early part of 1852 raised the
flag of Spain over the little In
dian village of Tucson and laid
the corner stone of the first Mis-
sion with his own hands.
They claim the important pa
per was lost to the public until
about twelve years ago when it
was discovered by mere accident
among some papers of the an
cient church of San Kaver, nine
miles south Of Tucson. AS a
matter of precaution it was for
warded to the librarian of Wash
ington, D. c., where it now lies.
This discovery gives the resi-
dents of Tuscon the right to
claim that their city is the oldest
in the United States. This city
has a population of only 1900
and a property valuation of VS.,
500, 900.
Agriculture islimited to the area
that can be irrigated. The testi-
mony of the farmers is that he
greatly prefers farming by irri-
cation. The great wealth of Ar
iona is in the bowels of the
earth. Mining, especially, in the
southern half of the territory, is
the great industry. The mineral
resources of this region are SIM
ply immense; gold, silver, and es-
pecially copper, abound through
out the entire southern part of
the territory. The output of
these metals for the year was
about, gold, $8.000,O0O; silver
and lead, 100000, 600, and cop
per, $40. 900, 600, so that the total
output Of these metals for one
year exceeds the vast sum Of $685.
OOO. 900.
Now, the question? Is this a
country that "God forgot?" Why
this country, in addition to what
has been said in the foregoing
lines, produces quite a lot of live
stock. God remembered the
natives and provided them with
the soap weeds. They grow to
be Is feet tall and are sc inches
in circumstances. The pulp of
this weed can and is used same
as soap and makes a good lather.
However, by the looks of some
of the natives they haven't learn
ed what this curious looking
weed was intended for. These
weeds have the appearance of a
huge post with a very strange
growth of green leaves right on
the top end; no branches what