Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-03
NOW HAS A RAILROAD LINZ

NOW HAS A RAILROAD LINE
Agricultural Area Equal to Cali
fornia, With Splendid Soil and
an Inviting Climate.
RY WILLIAM F. CURTIS
Special CORRESPONDENCE of The S+ar md tho
! Chicago Record Herald
/ TUCSON, April ~, 1911.
Until the Southern Pacific railroad of
Mexico was constructed the west coast of
| that republic was terra incoenito to the
outside world, although 1t was one of the
first sections Of the American continent
| to be occupied by white men and is a
region Of wonderful fertility and natural
resources.
| The Spanish conquistadores crossed the
mountains early in the conquest and in
1880 made thorough exploration of the
coast line and portion Of the interior.
A detachment from this expedition under
! Alvarado came up the Gulf Of California
discovered the mouth of the Colorado
river in 1540 and penetrated the southern
half of California. Coronado continued
the march northward through Arizona
and New Mexico as far as the Missouri
river in Kansas.
Euno de Guzman. president of the
royal audience of Mexico. reached where
is now the city of culiacan and there
found civilization more advanced than
was observed in any other section of
Mexico.
Early Home Of Aztacs.
Culiacan valley was the scene Of the
earliest development of the Aztec cul-
ture, and according to their records that
race settled there 500 years after the
! Christian era. Guzman found other semi
civilized people living in towns and cities
and from them gained the first knowledge
that the European world had of that eX-
traordinary race which developed from
what We call the Pueblo Indians and the
mysterious cliff dwellers
The Spaniards discovered minerals very
soon after the invasion and took hun
] dreds of millions of treasure out Of the
mountains along the west coast There is
a list of 125 well developed mines tina,
, were being operated at the time of the
revolution for Mexican independence in
1871. The withdrawal of the Spanish
. troops left them without protection and
| in 1879 the Apache Indians began tc
J raid them, and for a Period of eighty
years this prosperous region vas made
unsafe because of their attacks and
cruelty Mines We're abandoned, towns
were deserted and many communities
? were wiped out absolutely.
Subdued Yaqui Indians.
1t was not until eight or ten years ago
that conditions were such as to warrant
people in settling along the coast or in
vestins money either in mines or agri-
! culture. because the Yaqui Indians were
as ugly as the Apaches and were en-
. aged i'll almost continuous warfare with
; the government In 1902 President Diaz
! determined to put an end to this state
of affairs and sent an army into Sonora
] and Sinaloa. which practically eXtermi-
mated the YaQui tribe Most of the war
Irfors who survived were deported TO Yucca
J tan. Just as the government of the United
. States sent Geronimo and his Apaches TO
Indian Territory. Since then there has
been perfect peace and the Yaquis who
remain are now depended upon for la Dor.
The present revolution has unsettled con-
ditiCns along the border but south of
Hermosllo there have been no disturb
anceS.
A chain Of mountains, the backbone of
the continent, follows the coast line of
the Pacific ocean all the pay from Pata-
sonia To the Polar sea Along the coast
of Mexico there is a highly fertile plain
, between the mountains and the sea SINH
lar to that of California and Oregon 1t
! varies in width from :, miles to 100 miles
and the west coast railroad traverses il
for about 100 miles south of Ciuaymas to
! the port of San Bias.
Gentle Slope to Sea.
There is gentle slope from the shore
! to the foothills averaging about four
, feet in 4 mile, which is Of great adj
. vantage for irrigation, and there are
tVenty-nine rivers and many smaller
streams flowing from the mountains
across this plain into the sea These
| streams never go dry because they arc
fed by the melting SHOWS in the noun
tafns and ny innumcrable springs in the
foothills and the canyons. Eacn stream
| has fertilized the valley through which
| it flows by bringing decomposed yese,a-
ton and silt from the higher eIsya-
| tions with every flood. The valleys are
| therefore filled with deep. rich soil
Of inexhaustble fertility, and the climate
varies with the elevation so that every
plant known to the botanist can be
| grown.
For nearly seven hundred and fifty
miles this coastal plain is practically
| level. and is covered with low under
| growth and mesquite trees similar to
those OF Texas. 1t can he cleared at a
| minimum OF expense, from $40 to $40 an
| acre.
The foothills abound in valuable tim
Der, including rare cabinet woods like
| ebony rosewood and lignum vitae. The
| timber resources o. a value beyond
| calculation and will he developed as soon
As agricultural conditions are settled
| Back in the mountains. all along the
coast, is a succession of cascades and
rapids which will supply unlimited water
| power for electricity and for Industrial
| purposes.
| This wonderful region is filed with DOS
| sibilitieS for agriculture and manufactur-
| ing as well as for mining and only needed
| transportation facilities for DEVELOPMENT
! which are now furnished by the new
| railroad.
Like California Climate.
| The climate is similar to that of Cal
ifornia The high ranges of mountains
protect II from the cold winds of the
| east and north, and a cool breeze from
| the ocean, like that enjoyed by the peo-
pie of Oregon and Washington, tempers
the heat in summer so that the atmos-
| phere for the entire year is genial and
| heaithful. The thermometer never goes
| above 90 degrees and seldom falls below
| 80 the year around. BY climbing the
| foothills cooler regions ma be found
| and fruits which do not thrive in tropi-
| cal climates may be grown anywhere
| within forty or fifty miles of the coast
The lowlands produce wonderful crops
of cotton. sugar and other trorical
staples. On d higher level wheat corn
| rye. oats, barley and fruits and vegeta bles