El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-12
Stafford. Arizona. Center OF Great
Rich Valley. Developing Rapidly
Expects Soon to Be the County seat-Alfalfa Corn and
Garden Products Grow Well-Town Is Growing
Fast and Is Supply Center For 1000 People.
Fresh Snow Water From Mountains
CBy z. c. p rina. AIazorl

NAFFORD, Arizona, the metropolis
~ of the great ella valley, sends,
through its mayor and city gov
eminent, a hearty greeting TO the bust
ness men Of FL Paso ana EXTENDS 10
them cordial ana pressing invitation
10 visit this fertile valley and to make
an extended stay in Stafford on their
coming trade excursion.
Although the ella river runs across
Arizona from New Mexico TO CalifOr-
MIA emptying into the Colorado on the
western boundary line, q total dis
lance, following the Wlndlng OF the
river Of nearly 500 miles, only about
one-fifth of this distance supports
farming population This IS due TO
various causes pflnGlpalI1 Ihe en-
yOns OF the upper CHA ana the SINK
ing or drying up OF the stream over
its lower course
OF this fertile portion more than
half Of it lies in Graham county, and
probably three-fOurths Of the prOduc-
tive farms are to be found here.
From Duncan, near the New Mexico
line, in Graham county, nearly to Sol
onnonvfIle, is q stretch. OF 40 miles
where the ella passes through rocky
canyons and narrow valleys with less
than a dozen farms
ArfzOna-s Great ella valley.
At Sanchez and san Jose, six miles
east of SOlOmOnVille, the river valley
Tyidens and the part known as the
We can drive down the highway
through this valley for 45 miles, with
UnnTOkeu series OF SI4EuQ4Q LclLLLAS
on either side. Past SOlOmOnVille, the
old county seat, past Stafford and
Thatcher, the two largest towns ana
business rivals, scarcely three miles
aDart. past Graham, Central, Hubbard
Pima. Bryce. Eden, Eft Thomas, &C.
TOnfmO. Rice and san CarlOs--YTlth1n
Is miles of GlObe-a ride such such
as most of the passengers crossing the
deserts Of Arizona on the S p. DO not
believe could possibly exist
The cultivated portion Of this val
ley ranges from nan nile IN Wlogh
10 three or four miles. The main sec
ton of about % miles, of which
Stafford is the center, averaging three
Nearly all Of this made" land lies
on the southern side of the river, as
the ella hugs close in most places to
the north bank Hence, all the most
valuable portion was acquired from I
NTexico by the Gadsden purchase Of /
Canals and Irrigation.
A system of canals has been the Z
means Of retaining more than zo,Og0 (
acres of this fertile valley, and still I
only third Of the available land is .
r7Dder cultivation. Nearly $4,000 acres .
more viii be cultivated in time.
Twelve thousand people now in /
habit this rich garden spot and 1t l
can be made to supply 10 times that /
Il Alfalfa and wheat are the two most
important crops Alfalfa produces
a bout eight tons per acre a year, at
an average net profit OF 50 per ton
$40 per acre net
Alfalfa and Corn.
one man who had $4,000 to invest,
Maid $4,000 for an alfalfa farm of 120 j
scres. two miles from Stafford. six
years ago. He gave notes for SILL 900
al eight percent, covered by mort
gage His place is now unincumbered,
and $4,000 has been refused for the
land and improvements Just alfalfa
Corn yields enormously All kinds
Of fruits and vegetables do wonder |