N QUEST OF 



southern and western parts of the Territory, which aro 

 drained by the Gila and Colorado rivers. Northern Ari- 

 zona is distinguished by its mines, its notable forests, 

 and the indescribable grandeurs of the famous Colorado 

 canyon. The southeastern quarter, which adjoins New 

 Mexico, is a great pasture, bearing scanty or generous 

 crops of nutritious wild grasses, according as the season 

 is dry or wet. 



The Salt River Valley is the glory of Arizona. Ap- 

 proaching it from either of the transcontinental rail- 

 ways the traveller sees naught but the gray desert soil, 

 marked by the gnarled branches of the mesquite and the 

 slender pillar of the cactus. Even the mountain-sides 

 appear to be devoid of verdure and tanned to a dark 

 brown by the sunshine of centuries. But suddenly all 

 the beauties of the Garden of Eden burst upon the aston- 

 ished gaze of the visitor. Wherever the waters of irri- 

 gation have moistened the desert, and man has planted 

 the seed of grass, flower, or tree, the most luxuriant 

 vegetation has sprung from the soil to revolutionize the 

 appearance of the country. 



The capital city of Phoenix risen from the ashes of a 

 forgotten people is the pulsating heart of the new life 

 of Arizona. Here are modern business blocks, hand- 

 some public buildings, busy stores, a promising uni- 

 versity, and hundreds of beautiful homes resting under 

 the shade of palm, magnolia, and pepper-trees. Tucson 

 and Yiuna, though thriving and populous, are Mexican 

 in architecture and habits. Prcscott, Flagstaff, and nu- 

 merous other communities in the higher altitude are the 

 products of the mining industry. But Phomix is distinct- 

 ly modern, and almost wholly the oilspring of irrigation. 



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