The border vidette., 1931-02-28
NATURAL RESOURCES ASSURE
WEST COAST DEVELOPMENT
(Arizona Daily Starr

coast OF mexico IN recent years
is the result from . belief that
this vast region with unsurpass
ed natural resources is only
awaiting development to make it
one Of the richest spots on the
face of the globe. With Tucson
as the pivotal trade point and
Nogales as the port of entry,
these two southern communities
are in = position to gain from the
fulfillment of future hopes for
the west coast.
The Southern Pacific of Mex.
leo several years ago completed
the extension OF it's main line so
that direct rail connections is af
forded at GuadalajarA where the
entire republic is accessible by
rail. Separated from the inter
ior by the natural barrier Of the
Sierra Madre, the district pre-
viously has been developed as =
separate unit but the new outlet
makes available . new field of
development to the capital and
energy Of the interior Of the re-.
public.
This West Coast empire is .
coastal plain thirty miles wide
and roughly seven hundred miles
long, watered by fifteen large
rivers and various small streams
furnishing an abundance of wat
er for irrigation. The climate
compares favorsbly with that of
California and ell crops (includ
ing fruits) that Californis can
produce, and some that cannot
be grown in California, can be
successfully cultivated.
There 10 "a estimated area OF
10000 acres of river bottom
soil and an additional tillable
and irri9able soil area of s, 250.
600 acres. This indicates only
land most available for irriga
tion-land that can readily be
brought under cultivation. "A
large percentage of this land
will raise one crop without irrig
alton and some Of it two crops.
The average richness of this soil
is not exceeded anywhere.
Practically all OF the rivers
haye suitable dam sites for con
trolling food waters. The noun
tain range is very highly miner
allied. with . number of produc
ing mines from which millions
have been taken. It is recalled
that John Hays Hammond once
pronounced the territory tapped
by the Southern Pacific Railroad
company OF Mexico's branch line
to Tonichi as being one of the
most highly mineralized regions
of the globe.
In 1905, small shipments of
winter tomatoes were made by
water from the Los Mochis dis
trict of the Fuerte valley in
northern Sinaloa. In 1918, there
were between 5000 aud 5000
acres planted. A survey in 1924
showed . total of Is, 600 acres in
tomatoes 1900 acres in mixed
vegetables, 1900 acres in green
peas, and $50 acres in cantal.
oupes. In other words, prod nc.
tion had tripled in six years,
while there was q total acreage
of approximately $4,000 during
the season Of 1929-193O, from
which more than 5000 cars were
exported to northern makets.
Ninety per cent of the capital
invested ia this branch of agri
culture on the west coast is
American. The Southern Paci
fc Railroad company of Mexico
has built q modern ice plant al
Empalme. Sonora, the total out
put of which ia used in icing
perishable shipments.
Wheat and rice are extensive
~ grown in the Yaqui River
valley. Three modern rice mills
and three -four mills are located
at Ciudad Obregon, Sonora
About 1900 tons of garbanzc
Spanish chic-pea) are produced
annually in the Mayo River
valley, NAvojos. Sonora. being
the headquarters town OF this
region.
The west coast region is JUS
emerging from the pastoral AND
mining era into that of intensive
farming and industrial progress
which has been slow and is still
small. On account of the email