Home › A › Arizona (State of the Western Division)
Arizona (State of the Western Division)
a State of the Western Division of the North American Union, bounded by Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, California and the Mexican State of Sonora; gross area, 113,870 square miles; organized Feb. 14, 1863; pop., (1900) 122,931; (1910) 204,354; (1920) 334,162.
Capital, Phoenix.
Topography. The surface in general is a series of plateaus, ranging in altitude from 80 to 7,500 feet above sealevel. It is traversed by the Northside, San Francisco, Black, Black Mesa, Gila, Dragon, Santa Ana, Zuni, Santa Catarina, Mogollon and Penaleno Mountains, with peaks stretching to an extreme height of 12,572 feet (Humphrey Peak).
The watercourses are the Colorado river and its tributaries, the Little Colorado, Gila, Zuni, San Juan, and several smaller streams. The principal rivers pass through cañons that are among the greatest wonders of the world. Dotting the plains are enormous mesas or tablelands, some with perpendicular sides more than 1,000 feet high. No part of the world has so rich a field of archæological and ethnological investigation as Arizona. Long-buried dwellings and cities, with other ruins of an exceedingly ancient people, are being continually disclosed.
Geology. The weird cañons are remarkable in that they exhibit all the geological formations of North America. Geologists declare that the Colorado river, in its whole course, has cut through strata representing a thickness of 25,000 feet, and ex exposed the gradations from the quarternary alluvial deposits through volcanic alterations to the primary azoic rocks. The Grand Cañon of the Colorado alone shows upper carcross-stratified boniferous limestone, sandstone, red calcareous sandstone with gypsum, lower carboniferous limestone, shales, grits, Potsdam sandstone and granite and other formations.
Mineral Production. - Arizona is one of the most important of the mineral producing States. Its most important 115° V 1140 ARIZONA mineral products are copper, gold, sil- ver, and lead. It also has valuable de- posits of zinc, coal, nickel, graphite, tungsten, and other metals. The copper ver, and lead. It also has valuable deposits of zinc, coal, nickel, graphite, tungsten, and other her metals. The copper production has increased steadily in re- cent years. The smelter output in 1918 was 769,522,729 pounds, compared with 719,034,514 pounds in 1917. In the pro- duction of copper, Arizona far exceeds any other State. The gold production 719,034,514 pounds in 1917. În the production of copper, Arizona far exceeds any other State. The gold production in 1918 was 278,647 fine ounces, valued at $5,760,200; the silver production was 6,771,490 fine ounces, valued at $6,771,- 490. The zinc production exceeds in value $2,000,000 annually. The value of the lead produced is also in excess of $2,000,000. Gold production in 1919 was valued at $5,716,200. The total value of the mineral products of the State in 1917 was $212,615,978.
Soil. Of the total area, embracing over 72,500,000 acres, only a comparatively small portion, approximating 5,000,000 acres, is arable land, and of this part about 500,000 acres are under irrigation and highly productive. The construction of irrigating canals and water storage reservoirs is daily adding largely to the agricultural area. acres.
The pine timber land covers an area of nearly 4,000,000 Agriculture. The principal crops are wheat and hay. Within recent years much attention has been given to the cultivation of sugar beets, date palms, melons, cotton, tobacco, sugar-cane, and the canaigre plant, used in tanning. Alwheat and hay. Within recent years much attention has been given to the cultivation of sugar beets, date palms, melons, cotton, tobacco, sugar-cane, and cots, potatoes, corn, barley, oats, and root products generally do well under irrigation. The production and value of the principal crops in 1919 were as follows:
Corn, 1,287,000 bushels, valued at $2, 574,000; oats, 533,000 bushels, valued at $533,000; barley, 1,102,000 bushels, valued at $1,543,000; wheat, 1,204,000 bushels, valued at $2,709,000; hay, 676,- 000 tons, valued at $13,520,000; cotton, 75,000 bales, valued at $19,125,000.
Manufactures. - Natural conditions have made Arizona more of a mining and agricultural region than a manufacturing one. The chief productions were flour, grist, and lumber in various forms.
In 1914 there were in the State 322 manufacturing establishments, employing 6,898 wage earners. The capital invested was $40,300,000; wages paid amounted to $6,229,000; value of materials used was $39,283,000; and the value of the finished • product was valued at $64,090,000.
Education. The school population in 1919 was about 78,000. There were enrolled in the grammar schools 63,714 pupils and in the high schools, 4,504. The daily attendance in the grammar schools ARIZONA was 38,139 and in the high schools, 3,220. There were 1,702 teachers in the for education purposes in 1919 was $2,public schools. The total expenditure 973,339. For higher instruction there were public high schools at Phenix and Phœnix, Sacaton, Prescott, St. Joseph's Academy at Prescott, a public normal school at Tempe, and the University of Arizona at Tucson, opened in 1891. Schools for Indian youth are maintained at the Colorado river, Fort Apache, Navajo and San Carlos agencies, and at Ph Churches. The strongest denominational. tions numerically are the Roman Catholic; Latter-Day Saints; Methodist Episcopal, South; Baptist; Presbyterian; Protestant Episcopal; and Congrega- Supai, Hualapai, and Hackberry.
Railroads. The railway mileage is about 2,500. About 30 miles of new track were constructed in 1919.
Finances. The total receipts for the fiscal year 1919 were $7,089,715, and the balance at the end of the year of $1,329,- 260. The total bonded indebtedness of the State, including county and city in- debtedness, in 1919 was $2,996,275. balance at the end of the year of $1,329,the State, including county and city in- 260. The total bonded indebtedness of debtedness, in 1919 was $2,996,275.
Government.-Arizona became a State as a result of the passage in Jan. 20, 1910, of an Enabling Act which authorized the election of delegates for the constitutional convention. This election was held on September 12, 1910. The Convention was in session from Oct. 15 to Dec. 10, 1910. The constitution prepared by this body was extremely radical, in- cluding the recall of judges, initiative by this body was extremely radical, including the recall of judges, initiative and referendum, and other provisions of a like nature. It was ratified on Feb. 7, 1911, by a vote of 12,000 to 7,500. a like nature. It was ratified on Feb.
Congress, as a result of action on the part of President Taft, passed a resoluzona as a State if the provision for the 7, 1911, by a vote of 12,000 to 7,500. from the Constitution. This action was tion providing for the admission of Arifrom the Constitution. This action was eliminated on Dec. 12, 1911. The procla- mation formally admitting Arizona to recall of judges should be eliminated mation formally admitting Arizona to the Union as a State was signed on Feb. 14, 1912. At the first election held on Dec. 12, 1911, officers and members to Congress elected all the officers. An amendment Legislature is composed of 19 members providing for woman suffrage was carried at this election as well as an amendment to the constitution restoring the provision for the recall of judges. The a term of four years. of the Senate and 35 members of the House. There is one representative in Congress. The Governor is elected for were elected.
Democrats History. The country now included in