Arizona Created By Hand of Artist and Soul of Poet

ARIZONA is a land created by the hand of an artist and the soul of a poet-a land which the modern Midas is fast turning into gold for the inspiration, the pleasure and the profit of man.

Here is a country of surprise and infinite discovery-superb and unique in its scenic beauty, rich in historic and prehistoric lore, and astounding in its exhibition of what a few short years of effort have done to develop its natural resources.

With an area fifth largest among the states and a population hardly one half that of the city of Los Angeles, the Baby State has accomplished a gigantic task in building up governmental and industrial machinery to serve its widely scattetred population. From 1910 to 1920, Arizona exceeded all other states in percentage of growth, and indications are that this record will have been maintained during the present decade.

The growth of Arizona has been due to that creative genius which can transform barren rocks into busy mining camps and cactus covered wastes into farms and gardens, and this ever continuing process is steadily accumulating more wealth and more prosperity for the fortunate people who live with in the state. These material advantages, coupled with an abundance of sunshine and pure, dry air, give Arizonans a prior lien on "health, wealth and happiness."

The biggest contribution to Arizona's prosperity has come from its mines, which represent the oldest and largest single industry in the state. The early history of mining in this region is romantic in its association with adventurous Spaniards and their padres who followed Coronado into Arizona from Old Mexico, searching for gold. Later it is picturesque for its ripping, roaring mining camps, and for all the hazardous life of the once crude western frontier. But now mining has settled down to a real business, and today Arizona is the largest copper mining region in the world, producing 46 per cent of the total output of the United States, and 22 per cent of the entire world's production. Arizona also exceeds all other states in the combined value of its copper, gold, silver, lead and zinc.

By JULIET DAY, Arizona Industrial Congress The best way to describe the magnitude of Arizona's first industry is to give its production value, which for its five best known metals, reached the figure of $116,400,000 in 1928. Since the post-war depression, the industry has become stabilized and is now operating on a sound basis and looking to a brilliant future. Modern science has so reduced operating expense and so enlarged the field of activity, that there is now almost no limit to what can be accomplished in the mining industry in this state.

Recent developments in the non-metallic field of mining are of considerable interest in Arizona. Quicksilver is being smelted in the Payson district; asbestos is shipped from Gila county and feldspar from the northern part of the state. Large lime plants are operating in Cochise county and gypsum products are showing good success, as are marble, tufa, granite, mica, silica and onyx.

The mining industry is a far reaching asset to Arizona in that it pays nearly half of the taxes of the state employs about 18,000 men and has an annual payroll of $36,000,000. The industry spends millions of dollors year ly purchasing supplies in the state, thus pouring a large percentage of its acquired wealth back into the coffers of the state.

Strange as it may seem to those whose ideas of Arizona have been gleaned from movies and wild west stories, agriculture is next in importance to mining in the state. This, of course, is due to vast projects for reclaiming the desert by irrigation, which have been worked out so successfully in the wide valleys of southern Arizona.

In 1911 the United States Reclamation Service completed the great Roosevelt dam, 75 miles east of Phoenix, making possible the irrigation of 246,000 acres of land in the Salt River val ley. It is the most successful irrigation project ever built by the service and is notable for the fact that its power development soon will provide revenue sufficient to pay all operation and maintenance cost, and to meet construction cost payments. Nearly a hundred thousand acres are irrigated by smaller projects contiguous to the Salt River valley, and other projects over the state include the Yuma valley of about 60,000 acres, and smaller acreages in the Florence-Casa Grande valley, at Safford, Duncan, Gila Bend, Tucson and elsewhere. Some dry farming is practiced successfully in northern Arizona.

As to the future of this industry in Arizona: irrigation projects for some 300,000 acres of virgin soil are in process of completion in various sections, the largest of which is served by the new Coolidge dam on the Gila River, completed last fall and capable of irrigating 100,000 acres of land in the Florence-Casa Grande valley. Here all natural conditions resemble the Salt River valley and within a few years it will be a rich farming area, second only to the Salt River project.

Twenty thousand new farm families will be needed to settle this area, and the Arizona Industrial Congress, with the aid of chambers of commerce and the railroads serving the state, is initiating a nation-wide campaign to attract the interest of farmers who will appreciate the ideal conditions which Arizona offers this basic industry.

But more about farming in Arizona -the land of cowboys and Indians. Briefly, in 1928, Arizona's 600,000 acres of farm land contributed more than $50,000,000 to state production-second only to mining in value. For three consecutive years, the farming industry of the state has maintained an increased value of 20 per cent over the previous year the only state in the Union showing such a record.

Arizona, in 1928, ranked first also in its average per acre yield of wheat, all tame hay, alfalfa and alfalfa seed, and second in cotton and grain sorghums.

Arizona now ranks second among all states in shipments of lettuce and cantaloupes, and third in the production of oranges and grapefruit.

"Pima" or long staple cotton is one of Arizona's leading farm productions, last year reaching, with shorter staples, a value of $20,000,000, including cotton seed.

Page Twenty market prices. Figs and dates are easy to cultivate on Arizona soil. The citrus crop alone last year was valued at about $1,000,000. Six to nine cuttings of alfalfa can be obtained in one year -an invaluable asset to the farmer and to the dairyman.

Arizona's farm conditions are particularly suited to the dairy and poultry industries. Green feed can be had the year 'round and a mild climate precludes the farmer from spending large sums for equipment and shelter-items which constitute a large part of the overhead burdens of the eastern farmer.

The live stock industry is the oldest in the state, next to mining, and has played an important part in its development. In point of production value it ranks third of the industries, last year's figures reaching a total of $24,700,000 for cattle shipped and slaughtered. The value of sheep, including lamb shipments, wool clip, Indian wool and mohair, was $6,000,000. Goat raising for breeding purposes and for mohair is considered to be assuming proportions in Arizona as its importance as an industry is becoming recognized in the live stock world.

Arizona claims pre-eminence in stock raising because of its natural adaptation to the industry. Mild climate of a large portion of the state allows year 'round grazing at minimum production cost. Conditions are also ideal for the production of young stock as there is little danger from the elements. There is also a wide diversity of forage and supplementary feeding is unnecessary except as an emergency measure in time of severe drought.

Arizona cattle are remarkably free from disease and producers have the advantage of improved shipping facilities and nearby coast markets. In other words, the cattle business in Arizona has developed from a picturesque cowboy sport into a serious industry which might well be termed "manufacturing" -the converting of natural vegetation into a marketable product.

Among Arizona's most valuable natural resources is its timber. The state boasts of the longest unbroken pine forest in the United States, located largely in National forests and invaluable as recreational areas as well as economic assets. Centers for the lumber industry are in the northern and northeastern section of the state, around Williams, Flagstaff and McNary. About 2,500 men are employed in this thriv-ing industry, which in 1928 had a value of around $5,000,000 for 170,000,000 board feet of lumber produced.

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

It naturally follows that large construction programs have been neces-sary to keep up with the rapid develop-ment of Arizona's natural resources. It is estimated that within the last five years something like $75,000,000 has been expended in this state on extensive irrigation, railroad and mine construc-tion projects.

The amount spent for urban and rural building is nearly equal. During the past two years $12,000,000 has been put into hotel construction alone, in an ef-fort to handle the enormous tourist trade that has developed with the grow-ing popularity of Arizona as a play-ground.

Millions of dollars are being spent in the creation of dude ranches and guest ranches around the state-great recreational areas where the spirit of the "wide open spaces" abides and where the glorious air and sunshine are captivating eastern millionaires and weary denizens of skyscrapers.

So great has Arizona's popularity become that tourist trade is one of the state's leading industries. Last year, motorists passing through left some $25,000,000 in Arizona, while those coming by train spent many millions more.

As to what attracts these visitors no amount of description will do justice to Arizona scenery. It is so diversified and so unique. Now the road is through sandy wastes covered with cactus and mesquite jagged hills in every direction. Now it winds up through deep canyons of multi-colored rocks, around abrupt precipices, up and up into the pines where silver trout streams call the fisherman, and where bear and lynx are hiding from the gun. Down again roads lead through bustling mining camps and drop into dream-like valleys, sweet with the smell of orange blossoms, or across vast plains into silent forests or over stretches of gleaming sand that wave toward the horizon in a myriad of colors.

From Phoenix as a central point, roads lead in every direction where a few hours' drive will reveal all the startling beauties of Arizona's everchanging panorama. Straight south, 205 miles away, is the Mexican border and Nogales, with Casa Grande ruins some of the oldest and best preserved prehistoric ruins on the continent; Tuc-

VACATION LAND, 1929

son, second largest town in the state, San Xavier mission and partly ruined Tumacacori mission to visit along the way. West, half a day's drive takes the motorist to Yuma and its fertile farm lands irrigated by the Colorado River on the border of California and half way to Los Angeles.

Another famous day's trip from Phoenix lies over the historic and colorful Apache trail to Roosevelt Dam. The road dips and curves through painted canyons and over dizzy heights, skirts shimmering dam-created lakes, and leaving lovely Roosevelt lake, returns through the Globe and Miami copper mining district. Not so long ago this region was the haunt of the fierce Apache Indians, and the ruins of cliff dwellings along the way tell the story of an ancient civilization before history began.

From Globe another mountain road goes east over the new Coolidge dam - unique for its architectural beauty, and then on through a fertile valley to Safford and Clifton, famous for its healing hot springs. On it goes into the north, over the Coronado Trail, leading into a marvelous mountain region which rivals Switzerland for beauty - a paradise for lovers of outdoor sports.

Back to Phoenix and north over splendid roads, is Prescott, a veritable jewel in the pines and to the east is Jerome, picturesque mining town which fairly clings to a high precipice of the mountain side like an ancient cliff dwelling. On east and north, through another brilliantly colored canyon, is Flagstaff, guarded by snow-clad San Francisco peaks; and still further on, the Painted Desert and the great Petri-fied Forests lure lovers of the unusual in nature.

But of supreme delight and reward is an easy day's trip from Phoenix, through Prescott, Ashfork and Williams, to the Grand Canyon of the Colorado that most gorgeous of nature's wonders that terrific and awe-inspiring chasm which draws people from the four corners of the earth to its brink to marvel at its magnitude and dazzling colors.

So it goes-cactus blossoms and orange blossoms, sage brush and trout streams, lofty mountains and vivid canyons, weird, barren wastes and rich farm lands-Arizona. And too, a state fully alive to its industrial possibilities and eager for their fulfillment in a brilliant future.