The Arizona sentinel., 1909-07-08
The City of Yuma.

The City Of Yuma.
 Yuma of to-day, with its 5000 popu- lation, macadamized streets, cement sidewalks, modern lighting and other conveniences, creditable business cs- tablishments, beautiful homes as well as schools, churches and excellent SO ciety, is a long stride in advance of the Yuma of yesterday. But if nat ural advantages argue for aught, if there is potency in a perfect location, if surroundings such as have builded the best cities of the country are of worth, then surely the Yuma of to- morrow must needs be the metropolis of the Great Southwest.
 Situate on the navigable Colorado river, at the transcontinental South ern Pacific's crossing of that water way; southern gateway to California; objective point of a railroad building from San Diego, which will open a direct route to the illimitable markets of the Orient; possessed of a water outlet to the Gulf of California and the Pacific; center of an agricultural and horticultural region beyond con- pare; headquarters for a mining dis trict rivaling the Klondike in extent and excelling it in richness; blessed with health-giving atmosphere and skies such as Italy cannot boast Yu- ma has in her own right the making of city of q hundred thousand and that in a few years.
 There have been drawbacks and de lays, disappointments and failures, such as all towns are heir to, but by and all, through good report and i'll, the prosperity of Yuma has been more faithful and the effect of finan- cial stringencies less apparent, than most towns can boast With the com pletion of the Yuma project, life and vigor are noticeable in every walk and every quarter. Yuma's future is assured.
 To-day there are openings for num- erous business enterprises, particular ly of a manufacturing character With the growth in population that has all ready set in, these opportunities will correspondingly increase.
 A goodly number of cultured and well-tO-do families, attracted by Yu- mas balmy winters and the life-giv. ing properties of her ozone, annually come as to a haven of refuge from the ice and snow and chilling blasts, the pneumonia and the "rheumatiz" of North and East; but when the beau ties of our climate and the health in our air shall become matters of more common information, the tide of travel will be regular and an impor- tant social, commercial and indus trial condition.
 Yuma has five churches-Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Christian and Catholic. The Valley has four-two Methodist and two Baptist.
 A splendid educational system af lords the youth of the town with high school and grammar school advan- tages, while seven grammar schools in the Valley give the rural children an equal show.
 There are active and flourishing lodges of all the principal secret so- cieties, such as Masons, Elks, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Work men, Woodmen, Foresters, Eagles, Spanish-American Alliance, Eastern Star, Pythian Sisters, Rebekahs and others.
 Two women's clubs-the Yuma Women's Club and the Ocotillo Club are well organized and important features of local social and civic life.
 An incorporated Sportmen's Asso- citation furnishes Athletic amuse- ments, especially baseball, for those who enjoy that sort of diversion.
 And last, but not least in the shape of permanent organizations of a pub lie or semi-public nature, the Commer- cial Club is an enthusiastic body of business men who sincerely believe that Yuma is destined to become really great city. Every possible ef- fort of this body is being unselfishly exerted toward that end.