The border vidette., 1933-07-15

branch of the Conoco Travel
Bureau. Those in charge will
be pleased to point out interest
ing places to 60 to make the trip
more enjoyable.
| Just south of the mountains
rolls away the Desert Flower
Garden-the beautiful cactus
country. Not just sand and
heat, but strange wild forms of
spectacular cacti-cholla lin
which the Indians used to throw
captive for torture ,mammillaria.
suguaro (Giant Tree cactus }, and
the bisnaga or barrel cactus.
Multitudes of different shrubs
and flo owers fare into bloom at
different seasons rain transforms
the desert into q fairyland of
blossoms and grasses-some of
which are quite independent of
any rainfall.
| Centered in the luxuriant oasis
of the Salt River Valley sur.
rounded by purple mountains
and topaz desert is Phoenix, the
city Of sunshine, palms. and
roses. the capital of Arizona. Il
is a lovely city with a metropoli
tan population of $4,000, owing
it's rosperity to the Roosevelt
and an extensive system of other
dams. The valley and river are
not and never have been salt-it
! is a semi tropical land (but with
q dry, healthful atmospheric
green with waving date palms,
orange and grapefruit groves,
lettuce, alfalfa. and cotton fields.
| Also in the rich Salt River VAL
ley are Mesa, with it's Mormon
Temple and foe homes, and
other lovely towns.
Ga the way to the stupendous
Roosevelt Dam is located the
Papago Saguaro National Monu
ment, /, $40 acres of virgin desert
covered with every conceivable
variety Of cactus and desert
fora. It is remindful of the fact
that Arizona contains the great
est variety of plant life, even
Including ferns, Of any state in
the Union. Not far away is the
Tonto National Monument with
cliff dwellings of much interest
and the Tonto Natural Bridge.
Near the eastern entrance of
the famous Apache Trail high
way which runs through the
country of the Indians Last
Stand are the picturesque copper
mining and smelling cities of
Globe and Miami. The largest
multiple-domed dam in the
world-Coolidge Dam-and the
fertile irrigated Gila Valley lie
to the west. This valley mum
bers progressive towns such as
Stafford, and other attractions.
Casa Grande (Great House),
the largest prehistoric ruin in
Arizona. lies south of Phoenix.
Although the site was abandon
ed 700 to 800 years ago, mud
bitches comprising a great pre-
historic irrigation system sur
rounding the ruin can still be
traced clearly.
Ga the mesa or plateau 2,4OO
feet above sea level. is located
Tucson, the oldest and second
largest city in Arizona. The
Pueblo de Tucson was a flourish
ing Indian village when the
gold mad Spaniards came thru
in 1540. and has been occupied
ever since. The city is sur.
rounded in season with miles
and miles Of profusely blooming
flower beds extending to the en-
circling mountains. There are
;. great stretches of giant saguaro
cactus close to Tucson.
A vivid contrast to American
customs is found in the typically
Mexican town of Nogales, So
nora. just across the border from
its sister. Nogales, Arizona.
The only surviving mission of
the string established across
Arizona by the Spanish padres
IS San Xavier del Blc, about six
miles from Tucson. Built 10 1892
it is still in use and stands white
and lovely in the shadow of the
Santa Rita Mountains.
| Near Nogales is the interest
ing national monument OF the
old mission of Tumacacori, start
ed in 1851 and finished in 1902
II was occupied until the early
part of the nineteenth century
when the padres we're driven out
by Apaches.
In the southeastern corner Ol
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