USA > Arizona > The resources of Arizona; a description of its mineral, farming, grazing and timber lands; its rivers, mountains, valleys and plains; its cities, towns and mining camps; its climate and productions; with brief sketches of its early history etc > Part 21
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The valley will no doubt yet be cultivated extensively, but there will always be room for thousands of cattle. No spot in the Territory gives more certain assurance of containing artesian water. The springs that dot its surface, and the strong flow found only a few feet below, prove conclusively that an immense reservoir is stored here, and that flowing wells will yet transform the Sulphur Spring into one of the most beautiful spots on the the coast. Windmills can also be utilized to advantage, and a steady supply be always assured. A large number of cattle are now pastured in the valley but there are vast tracts yet un- occupied.
The San Simon, fifteen miles east of the Sulphur spring and separated from it by the massive chain of the Chiricahuas, is another magnificent grazing region. It also, begins in the north- ern foot-hills of the Mother of Mountains and extends to the Gila river, a distance of over sixty miles. A rich and heavy growth of grass, similar to that in the Sulphur Spring, covers nearly its entire extent. The Rio del Sur finds its way to the Gila, a few feet below the surface; and wherever wells are sunk from ten to twenty feet, an abundant supply is secured. A portion of this great valley will yet be devoted to agriculture, but the larger part will always remain a stock range. Although several large droves are now roaming over its rich pastures, the greater por- tion remains unoccupied, a great plain whose oppressive solitude is scarcely undisturbed by a living creature.
On the foot-hills of the Chiricahuas, both on the San Simon and Sulphur Spring side, are many excellent ranges where an abundance of green grass, refreshing shade and pure water is found at nearly all seasons. Cattle love to roam these shady glens and feed on the sweet grass that grows among the oaks
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THE RESOURCES OF ARIZONA.
and pines. Several herds are pastured here winter and summer. The Upper San Pedro, from the boundary line to the town of «Charleston, is a rich grazing region, as are also the rolling hills and table-lands adjacent. A large number of cattle are pas- tured herc. In the narrow valleys and hills of the Hua- chuca mountains, there are some very excellent stock-ranges. Water is abundant in springs and streams, and the grass is sweet and luxuriant. The country which slopes from the Huachucas to the San Pedro is an excellent cattle region. The grass is rich and plentiful, and the distance to water at the river, or to the springs along the f. ot-hills, is not great. In short, Cochise is especially favored by nature for stock-raising, and few more desirable spots can be found on the Pacific coast. The county is rapidly filling up, and the choice ranges will soon be all occu- pied. The number of cattle now in the county is reckoned at 50,000.
Pima county has large tracts of excellent grazing lands along the Santa Cruz, the Arivaca, the Cienega, and in the rolling, grassy country southeast and southwest from Tucson. Large bands of cattle have been pastured on these plains and table- lands for years, and there is yet no apparent diminution in the quantity of feed. Herc, as in nearly every other part of the Territory the principal grasses are black and white gramma, the growth being heavy and thrifty. Stock-raising in Pima has been prosecuted under many disadvantages, since the time of the Mission fathers. Up to the year 1874, when the hostile Indians were placed on a reservation, through the efforts of General George Crook, the pastoral calling could not be called a profitable one. The red marauder was ever on the alert to swoop down from his mountain fortress and drive off every hoof which grazed on the valley below. Within an hour the accum- ulations of years were swept away, and the prosperous ranchero reduced to beggary. It was for years the boast of these free- booters that the Americans supplied them with beef, and the Mexicans with horses.
As may be supposed, the stock business in those days was not a very successful one. The herds had to be heavily guard- ed day and night, and time and again the hardy settler saw his stock in full career for the mountains, with a band of yelling savages behind them. But, despite these many drawbacks, the re- markable adaptability of this region for stock-growing caused the number to steadily increase, and to-day some of the largest herds in the Territory are found in Pima county. As in all other portions of Arizona, cattle-owners depend for water on springs and running streams. No effort has been made to ob- tain a supply by sinking, although it is believed such an attempt would be crowned with success. All that vast region south and west of Tucson contains some of the finest grazing ground in the Territory, but, owing to the scarcity of water, not a single
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hoof strays over its grassy hills and dales, where there is room for thousands.
Some of the largest droves in Pima are pastured on the Cienega. This stream has its rise near the divide that extends from the Santa Rita to the Patagonia mountains, and flows north to the Santa Cruz. It is not a continuous stream, as it sinks in many places, to again reappear for a short distance. It forms many large pools. and springs during its course which furnish an abundant supply of water. The country along its entire length is composed of level plains and rolling hills, covered with fine grasses. It is one of the very best stock-ranges in the Territory. The climate is exceptionally fine, and the water supply all that could be wished. The traveler over the South- ern Pacific railroad passes through a portion of this range a few miles east of Tucson, and its green meadows and clear running stream are an agreeable relief from dusty plain and jagged mountain. The Arivaca valley is another magnificient grazing ground.
From the Arizona mountains west to the Baboquivari range, a distance of more than forty miles, the whole country is covered with fine gramma and other rich grasses. There is always an abundance of water in the stream that flows through the valley, and north and east the range extends as far as cattle care to feed. The valley is claimed under a grant, and so the vast grassy region which surrounds it on every side is tributary to the little stream which murmurs through the "vale of flowers." The capabilities of this great stock region have never been thoroughly tested. It is a spot to delight the heart of the stockman, and no doubt the old Padres, who built a mission here, saw that the land was good, and rich in every gift from the hands of the Creator. Several thousand head are now grazed in the Arivaca range, but there is feed for ten times the num- ber.
On the Upper Santa Cruz and on the foot-hills of the Santa Rita, Patagonia and the Atascoso mountains, there is abundance of feed and a fair supply of water. Here as elsewhere the grass grows in wonderful luxuriance, and after the summer rains it reaches to the horse's girth in many localities. In fact this por- tion of Pima county has not its equal in the Territory for its vigorous and abundant growth of rich gramma. The region has long been a favorite range for stockmen and large herds have been pastured here for many years. Around the base of the Santa Catarinas the plains and rolling hills afford excellent feed, water being found in many of the cañons and gorges that make down from the mountain side. The cattle industry in Pima is assuming a prominence hardly second to that of mining, and a large amount of capital is being invested in it. The num- ber of cattle in the county is put at 65,000.
Apache is one of the leading stock-raising counties of the Ter-
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THE RESOURCES OF ARIZONA.
ritory. It has an abundant water supply, and the feed on its elevated table-lands and mountain valleys is sweet, nutritious and noted for its fattening qualities. The winter snow-falls and the summer rains, which are very general in this county, bring forth a vigorous growth of green grass. Sheep also do re- markably well in this county, and the wool clip is increasing steadily year by year. The principal ranges are along the Little Colorado and its numerous tributaries. On the White, Blue and Black rivers, on Silver, Nutrioso and numerous other smaller creeks, there is prime feed and clear, cold water. In the ele- vated valleys and on the low hills of the Sierra Blanca and the Mogollon mountains, there is room for thousands of cattle. During a few weeks in the winter months, when the snow-fall happens to be heavy, cattle are driven down to the lower foot-hills and plains.
The elevated valleys and glens throughout this mountain region make some of the most desirable ranges to be found any- where within the Territory. The grass is green and fresh nearly all the year, and abundance of shade and pure water are most favorable to the production of fine beef. The country south and east from Fort Apache has grand stretches of grass-covered lands capable of sustaining large droves. That portion of the county included within the San Carlos reservation is nearly all good grazing land, capable of fattening many thousands of cattle, if the Indians were removed from it.
The number of cattle in the county is rapidly increasing. The Atlantic and Pacific railroad, which crosses it from east to west, has given an outlet to foreign markets, and the industry has received a marked impetus thereby.
Many large herds have been· driven in from New Mexico, and the ranges are rapidly filling up. But there are yet many locations unoccupied, and many that can be had for a reasonable figure. To the stock-raiser, who thinks of moving to Arizona, Apache offers many advantages not possessed by other localities. The industry is but yet in an inceptive state, but the time is not far off when her pine-shaded mountains, valleys, and glens will be alive with cows and steers. The number of cattle in Apache county will reach 35,000.
From this necessarily brief sketch of the stock industry of Arizona it will be seen that the business has already assumed respectable dimensions. The opening of another transcontinental railway has given stock-growing a grand impetus on the road of prosperity. Prices have doubled within the past two years, while the demand for beef cattle is steadily increasing. A large share of this demand is from California, and it is certain to attain grand proportions. The following recapitulation will show the number of cattle at present in the Territory:
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Yavapai county
65 000
Pima
¥
65,000
Cochise
50,000
Apache
35,000
Graham
30,000
Pinal
.
12,000
Gila
10,000
Maricopa
8,000
Mohave
8,000
Yuma
‹‹
5,000
Making a grand total of. .288,000
These figures show an increase of more than 300 per cent. within two years. No other industry in Arizona has made such rapid strides, and none has yielded such large returns on the capital invested. Averaging every animal at $25 per head, which is a low estimate, we have a total of $7,200,000, as the value of the horned cattle now in Arizona.
This is not a bad showing for a country that five years ago did not have 40,000 head within her borders. With the present rapid growth the stock industry will soon rival mining in the amount of capital invested, the profits derived, and in its extent and importance generally. Stringent laws for the protection of stock-raising have been passed by the Territorial legislature, and severe penalties are imposed on cattle-thieves. In many of the counties associations composed of stock-growers have been formed for mutual protection, the exchange of views and the de- · semination of intelligence affecting the business. The stock- growing industry is on a firm basis. It has already gained a good start, and has every natural advantage in its favor. To those who desire to engage in it, we say, come to Arizona. For- tune beckons you on, and certain success awaits you.
The breeding of fine horses is being carried on successfully at many points in the Territory. In Yavapai county several breed- ing farms have been established and the results have been most gratifying. The climate, water, grass and ranges are all favor- able. Thoroughbred stallions, from the most famous stock, have been introduced, and trotters, running horses and fine roadsters are being raised from blooded mares. The pure bracing air and fine grasses of the Colorado plateau are well-adapted to the breeding of fine stock. Diseases among them are unknown, and thoroughbred stock can always command fancy prices. In Graham county the business is being gone into extensively, the largest breeding farm in the Territory being situated here. The colts raised on this farm are being in- troduced in many parts of the country, and are noted for their beauty, docility, bottom and speed. For roadsters and the saddle, they are in every way superior to the best grades
186
THE RESOURCES OF ARIZONA.
from California or the East. They are thoroughly acclimated, and their endurance and staying qualities make them much more valuable for service in the Territory.
The breeding of horses in Arizona is yet merely tentative, but enough has been done to prove that it can be carried on with success and profit. That it will yet be extensively en- gaged in, and that Arizona-bred stock will command remunera- tive prices abroad as well as at home, is beyond a doubt.
According to the most reliable data which could be obtained, the number of horses, mules and hogs in the several counties of the Territory, is as follows:
HORSES.
MULES.
HOGS.
Yavapai county
6,000
2,000
1,000
Maricopa
«
5,000
1,500
7,000
Cochise
=
4,000
3,000
500
Graham
3,000
1,000
500
Pinal
2,000
1,000
600
Gila
1,000
Soo
300
Yuma
800
300
200
Mohave
1,000
500
200
Pima
6,000
2,000
1,100
Apache
3,000
1,500
Total.
31,800
I 3,600
1 1,400
Wool-growing, next to cattle-raising, is the most important live stock industry in Arizona. It has been prosecuted successfully for many years, and is steadily growing in import- ance. The climate in certain portions of the Territory is peculiarly adapted to the business. As with cattle, no fierce snow-storms, no freezing winds or destructive " northers " sweep away entire flocks in a single night. Here the shepherd can let his bands roam over hill and dale, winter and summer alike. No region on the continent is better adapted for wool-growing than the elevated plateau of Yavapai and Apache counties. The short, sweet grass, which grows on the foot-hills and valleys and of which they are particularly fond, keeps green nearly the whole year. While the wool-grower in northern regions sees thousands of his flock destroyed by snows and icy winds, and is compelled to provide food and shelter for his shivering flocks, here in Arizona they roam at will over hill, mountain and dale from January to December.
With his dog and gun the sheepman follows his bands over the grassy plains and hillsides, and at evening they are "bunched" by the side of a stream or spring. The herder kindles a fire, and soon has ready his tempting evening meal. After enjoying
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it, as only those can who have had their appetite sharpened by a tramp over the hills, blankets are spread on the greensward, pipes are lit, and after a recital of the day's events and a mapping out of the route for the morrow, the tired shepherd enjoys the refreshening slumber which a clear conscience and a good digestion always brings. Myriads of brilliant stars flash in the blue canopy above him; the' air is soft with the faint breeze of a summer night; around his camp the tired flock form a white semicircle against the green background of wooded hill and grassy plain. It is a beautiful picture of quiet repose, and aptly illustrates the shepherd's life in Arizona.
In Yavapai and Apache counties the sheep are pastured dur- ing the spring, summer and autumn in the glens and foot-hills of the San Francisco, Mogollon and Sierra Blanca ranges, and on their outlying spurs and parallel ridges. The short, sweet pine grass of the mountain country is eagerly sought after by the sheep, and they grow fat very rapidly upon it. Late in the fall the flocks are driven to the valleys and mesas of the warmer regions farther south. In the spring they are taken to the shear- ing grounds, and then to their mountain pastures for the re- mainder of the year. Besides the grass we have alluded to, the alfileria, or wild clover, has been introduced by sheep driven from California, and is rapidly spreading over the country. It is a species of feed sheep are especially fond of and on which they keep in prime condition at all seasons.
Diseases among sheep in Arizona are rarely ever heard of, and the wool-grower is saved the expense and constant annoyance of "doctoring" his flock, as is the case in other countries. The pure air and clear, cold water of the mountain region, has a re- markably healthy effect, and in the winter months as well as in summer, they keep in excellent condition.
The fearful droughts so fatal to sheep in California and the regions east of the Rocky mountains, is never known in Arizona. Here, year after year, there is abundance of feed; green grass always covers'the plains and hillsides, the water supply is always abundant, and although Arizona is considered a dry country, deaths among stock on account of a scarcity of feed or water are hardly ever known. In other lands, which are looked upon as especially favored for cattle and wool-growing, thousands of fes- tering carcasses often cover the plains, perished for want of food or drink. In the Territory such a spectacle is never witnessed ; and sheep-owners from neighboring States and Territories have often saved a portion of their flocks by driving them to the cool, shady mountain regions and sparkling springs of northern Ari- zona.
As in cattle, the increase in sheep is something wonderful. The average, year after year, is fully sixty-five per cent., and not unfrequently it goes as high as one hundred. The genial nature of the climate well suits the young lambkin, and the percentage
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THE RESOURCES OF ARIZONA.
of loss among them is very light. In a few days after making their appearance they are frisking over the plain and cropping the sweet, tender herbage. The owner has little trouble with his lambs. They require scarcely any attention, being left entirely to the mother's carc. This, and a balmy air and genial Arizona sun, soon puts strength and vigor in the limbs of the youngsters and very few are lost.
The grade of sheep in the Territory is being steadily improved by the introduction of many fine Merino, Southdown and Cots- wold rams. The stock first brought to the country were driven from New Mexico, and were a poor lot, reduced to mere runts by inter-breeding. But a better grade has been driven from California, and by careful crossing the Arizona sheep will com- pare favorably with any in the Rocky mountain region. They are fine wool-growers and make delicious mutton. The yield per head averages about eight pounds per year. Sheep are shorn twice a year; in the spring and fall.
The price of wool on the shearing ground is about eighteen cents, and delivered in the markets of New York or Boston, from twenty to twenty-five cents. Since the building of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad freight on wool has been greatly re- duced, and the Arizona product can be marketed cheaply and expeditiously. Eastern buyers lavish many enconiums on the long silky fibre of the Arizona crop and its remarkable exemption from the dirt which is so objectionable a feature of wool grown in the western country.
Sheep in Arizona are worth from $3 to $4 per head, and year by year, as the grade is being improved, the price grows higher. The number is rapidly increasing and the sheep industry in the north and northeastern portions of the Territory is assuming large dimensions. Regions which are too rough and precipi- tous for cattle are the favorite grazing grounds of sheep. They require much less water, and large areas which would be value- less for stock are the choice feeding grounds of the wool-pro- ducer. While there is always something like jealously existing between the wool-grower and the cattle-man, there is no cause for contention. This grand domain is wide enough for all, and the boundaries which divide the grazing grounds of the cattle- grower from the owner of fleecy flocks, are as clearly defined as those which separate them both from the agriculturist. Besides, the industry is always likely to be confined to certain limits, and can in no way interfere with the cattle business.
The quality of Arizona mutton has a well-deserved reputation for juicy tenderness and exquisite flavor. Fed on the wild grasses the year round, it is equal to the best fattened in en- closures for the eastern market. Travelers have declared that the famous mutton grown on the English downs is but little superior to the Arizona product. Sheep keep fat all the year, and at all seasons a juicy chop or tender roast can be found in
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market. There are still many fine ranges in Yavapai, Apache and Graham counties open to location, but they will not long remain so. Large bands are being driven from California every year, and the choice ranges are being taken up. The area of grazing ground in the Golden State is being steadily curtailed, and the wool-grower is compelled to seek fresh fields for his flocks. Arizona presents the most inviting pastures, and hither he is fast driving his wealth in mutton and fleeces. The num- ber of sheep in the several counties at the present time is estimated as follows :-
Yavapai county
50,000
Apache
600,000
Graham
10,000
Pima
5,000
Cochise
5,000
Pinal
3,500
Gila
3,000
Maricopa
1,500
Mohave
2,000
Making a total of. 680,000 head.
Averaging the yearly clip of each sheep at eight pounds, and we have a total of 5,440,000 pounds. Putting this at twenty- two cents per pound in the eastern market, and the yearly value of the Arizona wool crop shows the respectable sum of 1,196,800 dollars. Placing the valuation of each sheep at $3.50 and the total would represent $2,380,000. This is a handsome showing for an industry of so recent a growth, and which had to struggle against the disadvantage of high freights, until within the past year. If we include the crop of the Navajo Indians the wool product of the Territory will be largely increased.
And it is only in its infancy. The large profits realized are an inducement not easily withstood, and the remarkable success which has attended those who have engaged in it will naturally attract others. Nearly every man who has gone into the busi- ness has already become, or is fast getting rich. The failures in nearly every instance are due to ignorance and mismanage- ment. With some practical knowledge and a good start, a man with average energy and a fair share of industry will find him- self independent in a few years. There are yet fine ranges unoccupied in many portions of the Territory, capable of sus- taining thousands of sheep, while very desirable locations can be secured at reasonable figures. In eastern Yavapai and Apache counties the sheep pastures are not excelled by any in the Southwest, while the facilities for shipping the crop are everything that could be desired. In Graham, Gila and Pinal
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THE RESOURCES OF ARIZONA.
are also many choice ranges where fortunes can be accumulated within a few years.
For those wool-growers who are compelled to battle with the rigors of a northern clime, who, year after year, see a large part of their flocks destroyed by the elements, who are put to a heavy expense in their struggle against adverse surroundings, we say come to Arizona. Here is a land where nature is always in a genial mood, where the grass is green and the sun shines nearly every day in the year, where the profits are high, the labor light and the risks reduced to the minimum. If, like Jason of old, you are searching for a Golden Fleece, Arizona is the modern Colchis where you will find it. No fierce dragons guard it, and no perils are encountered in reaching it. Industry, energy, good management and good sense are the aids which will assist you in gaining it. Thus equipped you will find yourself in a few short years the possessor of countless flocks, the owner of a respectable bank account and can boast "the glorious privilege of being independent."
WOOD AND WATER.
Popular Opinion Regarding Arizona-The Timber Lands of the Territory; their Area and General Character-The Water Supply of the Territory- Irrigation-the System Adopted in Other Countries-The Plan of Irrigation in Los Angeles-The System in Arizona-Artesian Water, etc., etc.
P OPULAR opinion long considered Arizona a portion of the great American Desert, a treeless and waterless waste, where the principal productions were cacti, rattlesnakes and Gila monsters. People in the East who had obtained their knowledge of the Territory from the reports of some disappointed adventurer, or the highly-colored letters of some veracious newspaper correspondent, had an idea that it was altogether devoid of vegetation, and so destitute of water that the unfortunate traveler ran the risk of perishing from thirst in traversing its plains and mountains. Until within a few years this was the general impression, and even the opening of two transcontinental railroads and the influx of travel have not yet entirely dispelled it. Throughout the land, to-day, many people will shake their heads when Arizona is mentioned, and warn their friends against emigrating to a country where they are sure to perish from heat and thirst, even if they should escape the tomahawk of the Apache.
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