Arizona republican., 1922-01-01
MESA GEM CITY OF SALT
RIVER VALLEY STANDS'IN
CENTER OF RICH SECTION

The city OF Mesa is located in the
center of the Salt River valley and
is the first of the cities Of the valley
to receive irrigation water from the
Roosevelt dam. Mesa Is connected
with Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, Gill
bert and all other cities OF the valley
by 18-foot concrete highways Mesa
iA also on the Bankhead highway, the
Old Trails highway, the Apache Trail
and the Atlantic Pacific highway.
This city is also on the direct route
between Tucson and Phoenix via
Florence.
The city of Mesa has a population
approximating 1000 and is the next
tlrgest town in the Salt River valley
TO the state capital, Phoenix. Mesa
is surrounded by very rich agricul-
tural section, all tributary to Mesa
and with population OF $4,000. This
tributary section will soon be greatly
increased by $4,000 acres of land
which will be irrigated from the new
auxiliary Eastern canal.
Streets Are Wide
Mesa streets are 100 feet wide and
throughout the business section are
paved from curb to curb. Some of
the residential streets are paved and
laid out in lawns and shrubbery Mesa
has four banks three cotton gins, a
flour mill, an ice cream factory. an
ice plant and creamery. Mesa schools
are noted throughout the Southwest
for their artistic construction and
their utility for modern school work.
The high school, If built at the pres
ent time. would cost close to quar-
ter million dollars. Recently a new
auditorium was added with complete
stage settings and a moving picture
projecting room.
Several weeks ago the site for a
new l. d. S. temple was dedicated in
Mesa which will cost before COM
pleted half million dollars. There
all the work of the l.. ID. S.. church
for the southwestern states will be
carried on. 1t will be one of the most
beautiful edifices in the Southwest.
Big Cotton Acreage
Cotton still maintains its supremacy
as a crop and a money -getter. This
year, that is, 1921, there were about
10000 acres planted to Pima Egyptian
cotton in this district This cotton
is the longest staple cotton grown in
the world and at the present time Is
pound Yields this year were far bet
ter than the year previous due, no
doubt to a better knowledge on the
part of farmers as to just how to
irrigate this particular kind of cotton.
In the Mesa district we can cite any
number of examples of bale to the
acre cotton. This was done on small
acreages and with a lot of care. But
II can be done and can be and will
be done increasingly often year after
year. Alfalfa supplies the numerous
Mesa dairies with feed for countless
high grade cows.
Much Dairying
Morning and night one can see
heavy trucks loaded down withs milk
making their way to the creanieries.
Milk snd its products is rapidly re-
gaining its place in the valley as the
chief remunerative crop. Mesa dis
trict has about 5000 acres of alfalfa
and more is being planted this winter.
Alfalfa is cut as often as seven times
in the Salt River valley and yields
grade Of hay which has made this
section famous.
There is considerable acreage OF
wheat, barley and oats. Bees are
plentiful, cotton and alfalfa supplying
the chief sources of honey. The best
grade of honey. however, is obtained
from the desert mesquite and this
honey commands the finest price
The long seasons here enable the bees
to work practically the whole year
through, which reminds one of the
suggestion by General Green on his
visit to Dwight B. Heard, that ar
arrangement be made with the light.
ming bugs so that 1t would be pos
sible for the bees to work nights.
Grapes Coming In
Grapes are just beginning to come
into their own. At one time grapes
were very staple crop but were TAX.
en- out on account of a lack of mar,
ket, but their possibilities are nov
realized and large acreages are beint
planted. SThompson seedless do ex
cellently here and are much earliei
in this valley than any other portion
OF the United States. Olives do wei
here, but are not extensively culti
waited. Dates are grown with a grea
deal Of success and are destined t
be one Of the money getters in tn
Salt River valley. Several hundret
trees are planted each year.
Grapefruit, oranges and lemon d
well here and are much earlier thai
the California citrus fruits. Arizon
grapefruit are absolutely the fines
fruit grown in the United State.
They command premium whereve
sold.
Winters Many Sheep
The Mesa district winters thou
sands of sheep and Is the home of tn
largest sheep owners in the entir
southwest. The entire mesa is dotte
with beautiful homes with all tn
modern conveniences that make cit
life attractive. Roses bloom through
out the year and one may we'll hav
two gardens a year.
Last year Mesa shipped somethin
like 600 carloads of cantaloupes a
well as several hundred loads of hea
lettuce. The recently complete
Mesa Superior highway makes
ready market for much of the produc
grown and packed in the Mesa dis
trict. We are now enabled TO shi
TO Globe and Miami without muc
difficulty.
Primarily a stock section. this dis
trict has lost none of its prestig
Stock raising, including hogs, will al
ways be one of the mainstays of Ar
zona. The nearby mountains provic
an immense range for cattle and til
valley, with it's immense quantitie
of hay and grain, provides an exec
lent fattening ground.
Mesa c. of c. Active
The Mesa Commercial club include
every business man of the city an
several successful farmers. It is a
active organization, devoting its er
ereies TO everything best for the cit