Arizona Territory Area and Resources
The Territory of Arizona is bounded on the north by
Utah, east by New Mexico, south by the Mexican State of
Sonora, and west by California and Nevada, and lies
between the parallels 31° 20' and 37° of latitude and
109 and 115° and 115° longitude. Area 105,120 square
miles. Capital, Tucson. Counties: Mariberg, Mohave,
Pima, Yavapai and Yuma. Principal towns; Camp Bowie,
Castle Dome, Cerbat, Ehrenberg, Florence, Phoenix,
Pueblo, Viejo, Sanford, San Pedro, Tubac, Wickenburg and
Yuma. That portion of the territory north of the Gila
was acquired from Mexico with the conquest of California
and confirmed by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo at the
conclusion of the Mexican war in 1848. The portion south
of the Gila was obtained in 1853 by the treaty known as
the "Gadsden Purchase," and the Territorial Government
was organized in 1853. The physical features of Arizona
are peculiar and find few, if any, comparisons in the
United States. The western portion is dry and barren and
the heat of summer is improving with the altitude. In
the elevated regions rains are more prevalent and large
areas of arable and grazing lands are found and forests
of timber.
The principal rivers the Colorado, Gila, Salt, San Juan
or Colorado Chiquito, San Pedro, Santa Cruz, Bill
Williams Fork and Verdie, with some smaller streams. The
Colorado is one of the great rivers of the continent,
formed by the junction of the Grand and the Green in
Utah, the former having its source in Colorado Territory
and the latter in Idaho, giving the length from the most
distant sources to the sea of about 1,500 miles. This
great river constitutes the western border of the
Territory and is navigable for a distance distance of
600 miles from its mouth, estimating by the meanderings
of the stream. The Colorado is distinguished for the
deep gorge through which it flows in its northern part,
its rapid current, its barren and burning valley through
its navigable portion, and its dangerous "tide rips" at
its mouth. Limited areas of the valley in Arizona and
California have a soil of surprisingly fertile elements,
and when irrigated, produces a most luxuriant growth of
vegetation. The principal northern affluent is the San
Juan or Little Colorado, flowing northwesterly from New
Mexico, and entering the main stream about 50 miles
south of the Utah boundary. Much of the region through
which it flows is broken by deep canons but the country
affords a large area of excellent grazing lands. Bill
Williams Fork enters the Colorado a little north of the
84th degree of latitude, sometimes a powerful stream,
but generally lost in evaporation or sinking in the sand
before reaching the river. This is formed by two
principal branches, the main one flowing from the south,
and the other, the Santa Maria, flowing from the north,
and joining about 25 miles before entering the Colorado.
The upper valleys of those streams contain some good
grazing lands but the extent and capacity is quite
limited.
The Gila rises in the Sierra Madre, in New Mexico, and
after a westward course of about 500 miles empties into
the Colorado at Yuma, 175 miles from its mouth, being
the principal branch of that stream and watering a
country of much greater value. Along its course are
numerous valleys of large areas of fertile soil, and
susceptible of a high degree of cultivation, although
through the arid region of the lower portion the sandy
deserts often crowd to the water's edge. Pueblo Viejo is
in the most eastern of these basins, or valleys, which
contains about 70,000 acres of most excellent farming
land. Florence, Sanford Gila Bend and the Pima
Reservation, are in others. Salt River is the most
important branch of' the Gila' and is a beautiful, rapid
stream, sadly misnamed, as it is of pure fresh water,
flowing through one of the largest, best cultivated, and
most productive valleys of Arizona. This has its source
in the White Mountains, in the central part of the
Territory, and flows southerly to the main river. The
San Pedro rises in Sonora and runs northwesterly through
a valley of fine agricultural land, which is bordered by
an extensive area of gently undulating hills and mesas,
clothed with a luxuriant growth of gramma grass and most
favorable for grazing. The Santa Cruz is west of the San
Pedro and runs parallel to it, and in its upper part
through a similar country, but, upon entering the dry
region near Tucson, entirely disappears. The Verde, Date
Creek, Hassayampa, Walnut, and others north of the Gila,
are small streams and in a, country where water is so
scarce, are regarded as important.
The mountain system of Arizona is irregular and
peculiar. From the low and torrid valley of the Colorado
the land rises in the northern and eastern part to a
high plateau of 0,000 or 7,000 feet of elevation, broken
by valleys, mountain peaks, ridges and table lands.
Among the peculiar features are the many flat-topped
hills or "mesas," often extending into broad plains,
sometimes producing only cactus or the bitter date,
palm, or similar vegetation of the desert, and in other
sections growing the juniper or pine, or covered with
grass. The mountains bordering the Colorado are of
barren, rugged rocks having little or no vegetation, and
presenting an appearance of wild desolation, but beneath
the repulsive' surface are vast treasures of gold,
silver, copper and lead to redeem the country from utter
condemnation
In the east and about the head waters of the Gila are
the Mogollon, Sierra, Ancha, Apache, Pinal and White
Mountains; south of the Gila are the Chiricahua, Dos
Cabesas, Dragoon, Patagonia, having an altitude of
10,000 feet; Huachuca and Santa Catarina; in the north
are the San Francisco, whose snow covered peaks rise
13,000 feet above the sea, the Black Forest. Cerbat and
other mountains.
Arizona has been denominated the land of the cactus and
Apache. These have been its most prominent features. The
first is the most detestable plant that curses a desert
country, growing to excess and in countless varieties,
over hill and plain, of the barren region of the west;
and the other the most cruel and implacable of savages.
More extended explorations of the country have shown a
much greater area than was formerly believed is
susceptible of cultivation or occupation by the grazier,
that the cacti of the west give way to the grasses and
trees of the central and eastern part; and by the skill
and energy of the brave General Crook, the terrible
Apache has been subdued, and Arizona is added to the
habitable and inviting. Territories of the Union. Its
great mineral wealth is traditionary, and developments,
as they progress, give proofs that the bright hopes are
well founded. In almost every mountain range, from the
northern borders to the Mexican frontier, from the
Colorado to the Sierra Madre, gold, silver, copper, lead
and precious stones are found. The mining districts of
Cerbat, Mineral Park, and McCracken' are in the north;
Santa Rica, Patagonia, Sacaton, Oro Blanco, and
Montezuma, are in the south; Castle' Dome and Eureka in
the west; Wickenburg, Bradshaw, and many others, in the
interior. Over this vast extent of country are but a few
thousand people, where millions could make their homes
and be prosperous. The Apaches, until recently, savagely
contested exploration and occupation, but their
subjugation has rendered travel comparatively safe, and
the country invites enterprise, development and
railroads.
Pacific Coast Business Directory
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Arizona Territory Index

Source: Pacific Coast Business
Directory for 1876-78, Compiled by Henry G. Langley, San
Francisco, 1875.
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