

SOUTHERN ARIZONA. 15 



erection at the present time the Commercial Hotel, to cost $25,000 ; 

 Porter block, $20,000; Patton block, $18,000; Thibod's building, 

 $15,000, and numerous others. The city has issued bonds for the 

 erection of a City Hall, and the Phoenix and Maricopa Railroad 

 have approved the plans of a commodious depot. 



Franchises for street railroads have been granted, and the street 

 cars will soon be in operation. 



Real estate transfers have been averaging over $200,000 per 

 month, and are increasing. A short distance from the city is located 

 the Territorial Insane Asylum, a structure of imposing appearance, 

 built at a cost of $75,000. 



The County Court-house is a handsome brick building of two 

 stories surmounted with a graceful dome. An elegant public school- 

 house stands in a lovely plaza shaded by towering cottonwoods. 

 Phoenix has gas works, planing mills, flour mill, ice factories and 

 many other industrial establishments. Its population has doubled 

 within the past year and is now about five thousand. 



The weather is warm in summer and the thermometer will some- 

 times indicate 105, but the altitude above the sea is 1800 feet and 

 remarkable as it may seem the atmosphere is so pure, dry and balmy 

 that even when the temperature is highest it is less oppressive and 

 far more comfortable than 80 at Los Angeles, San Francisco, or 

 any city on the Atlantic sea-board. 



The town of Tempe is nine miles above Phoenix on the Bait 

 river. It is a flourishing and busy place. A great deal of capital 

 has been invested there during the past six months and it is growing 

 rapidly. The Maricopa and Phoenix Railroad passes through it and 

 in its suburbs is located the Territorial Normal School. Its growth 

 will keep pace with that of Phoenix. We have elsewhere described 

 the lovely town of Mesa City, embowered in orchards, vines and 

 flowers. It will be a great sherry wine producing district. 



The profit to be derived from wine making is illustrated, says Gov 

 Zulick, in his report to the Secretary of the Interior, by " The results 

 of an experiment made by the Count de Ramey from grapes grown 

 in the Gila valley, near the town of Florence. From a vineyard of 

 4 acres, three years old, he manufactured 60 gallons of white wine, 

 superior to that of California or France, and in body and flavor 

 equal to the best of that of Spain. The white wine of France and 



