Arizona republican., 1917-02-15
By F. W. Griffin

Peoria, the northern gateway to the Salt River valley, is located fourteen miles northwest ot Phoenlx on the Santa Fe railway and on the state highway to Prescott and the northern part of the state.
 It takes it's title from the fact that it is the first part of the valley that the incoming visitor from the north sees where actual and practical re- suits of the Roosevelt dam are evil dent.
 The location of Peoria is ideal from every point of view. It is high and dry and out of danger of floods. The soil is sandy and the little town IS surrounded on all sides by choice agricultural land that ranks with the best in the entire valley.
 The town dates back to the early history of the valley, although it was not until the early nineties that 1t was formally dedicated by Deloss s. Brown of Peoria, Illinois. The village at that time taking it's name from the larger city. The actual development and progress of the Peoria district dates from the completion of the Roosevelt dam and the purchase a few years ago of the interests of the Brown estate by a syndicate of Phoenix men. Since that time the town has made rapid strides and although in size is yet only a village, it has substantial l foundation and gives promise of the same growth that is assured the bal ance of the Salt River valley.
 Schools and Churches
 | Peoria is well equipped with gram mar scnool having five teachers and in addition a ward school three | miles distant has been found neces- sary. The grammar school is sub stantial ana modern cement building | but with the rapid growth of the dis | trict is far inadequate to accommodate | the attendance and already an addi tional temporary building has been | required. Plans are how being made | to vote a bond issue sufficient to en- able the district to construct suit | able building and this will no doubt 1 be done in the no distant future. The i district is the owner of a full block of ground centrally located and nicely improved. The ward school is neat and attractive structure built a couple of years ago to accommodate the pupils in that part of the district several miles distant from the grammar school It is well attended and two teachers are required at the present time with indications that more room and more teachers will be needed in short time.
 Religious organizations are repre- scented by the Presbyterian and Peoria home mission churches. both having their own grounds and buildings and in addition there are numper Of social and benevolent organizations. Farming Land
 There are some ten or twelve thous- and acres of intensely cultivated farming land directly tributary to the town, farmed under the Roosevelt project, practically all or when IS IT. rigated from the Arizona canal, the valleys largest irrigation waterway. All or this land is of the finest grace of soil and is largely planted to all falfa- In addition to this, tnere aie several thousand acres of excellent land to the northwest in the Marinette district which, while not under the project, is farmed by water from the Agua Eric and by pumping plants. This tract of land has been developed to large extent in the past few years and is devoted to general crops, but Is particularly suitable to fruit IL gives promise of great growth and inn provement and though not exactly part Of the Peoria district, it's develop ment will add to the growth of Peoria.
 Sheep
 There is no part of the Salt River valley so favorably situated in con- nection with the sheep industry as is Peoria. Every fall thousands of sheep are driven down from the northern part of the state to the valley and 1 practically all of the larger outfits l make Peoria their headquarters, the sheep being pastured on the alfalfa | fields in that vicinity and on the des- | ert to the north and west It is esti- | mated that over 100000 head wintered | in that section last winter and prac 1 tically the same number are in that ] vicinity at the present time. The big | droves begin to arrive in November 1 ana spend the winter there, returning 70 the mountain districts in the early | spring.
 While no shearing is done at Peoria, ! eleven miles to the northwest at the l station of Beardsley, shearing is now !. in progress and approximately 150,000 [ head will be Sneared there during the i present season.
 A number of the farmers of the | Peoria district have found the sheep |
 industry a profitable one and are !, making much of a success of it.
 Oairying and Live Stock
 Some of the largest cattle ranches ! of the valley are located in this dis | trict, one company at the present time i farming three seperate half sections of land or which are each winter. ' fattened hundreds Of head of northern i raised range steers. The smaller | ranches are largely devoted to dairy 1 ing as is true elsewhere in the valley. !
 The creameries of the valley send out large trucks daily to gather the milk and cream and the farmer is thereby saved the loss of time and labor in delivering it to the plant. 1
 Hay and Grain
 What may be regarded as the prin- cipal industry in the Peoria and sur rounding districts is the growing of alfalfa hay. It is dealy situated in this respect Practically all of the large ranches being withing a radius of few miles of the shipping point.
 The soil is especially adapted to the production of alfalfa and it is grown with much success. The station is one of the largest shipping points ol alfalfa hay in the valley. The present season in this respect has been par ticularly successful. not only have crops been especially good, but prices have been high and the farmers have prospered proportionately. Approxi- mately six hundred cars of bailed hay have been shipped from the station the last year and during the past season thousands of tons have been fed in the fields to cattle [
 The cultivation of the land how ever. is by no means confined to al- falfa, grains consisting of wheat, bar ley, milo maize, etc, are being suc- cessfully handled and cotton has been grown in the past season with most satisfactory results. In fact what is