Arizona
Arizona names 3 different subjects across the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. Each is set out below. 1 of them is described by more than one encyclopedia.
Arizona a territory of the United States
Described by 2 of the 6 encyclopedias.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
a territory of the United States . It is situated on the Mexican border, between New Mexico and California. In shape it approaches a rectangle. Land area, 112,920 square miles. The name is Spanish, meaning arid zone. There are but 100 square miles of water in Arizona. The mountains of Mexico trend northward through the territory, throwing off a number of short, steep spurs. Humphrey Peak, near Flagstaff, is the highest point. It rises to a height of 12,794 feet. The northern part of the territory is a vast, waterless plateau from 5,000 to 8,000 feet high. It carries numerous mountain spurs and is cut by deep canons. The Grand Canon of the Colorado lies in this section. Farther south, the surface drops off to a sandy plain, little above sea level. The entire surface is drained into the Gulf of California, which at one time is thought to have extended much farther inland, and to have occupied in part the plain now traversed by the Gila River. Owing to lack of rain, the Colorado, fed by snowcapped peaks farther north, is the only permanent river. A large part of the surface is without soil. The rocky torrents swell in time of rain, and then run dry. The Gila shrinks to a mere chain of brackish pools. The upper plateau has an annual rainfall of about twenty inches; the lower plain, five inches. The average temperature of the former is forty-nine degrees; of the latter, sixty-nine degrees. There are but two seasons, a short rainy season in midsummer and a dry one the rest of the year. A region around Fort Gila, at the mouth of the Gila, is the hottest part of the United States. The thermometer rises occasionally to 120deg. in the shade. On the upper plateau, parching days and cool nights are the rule. The dryness and clearness of the atmosphere render it a desirable region for invalids. MINERALS. Arizona is crossed from east to west by two trunk lines of railway, the Atchison and Santa Fe , and the Southern Pacific. A branch of the latter connects the two systems. No section of the Union is richer in minerals. It is next to Michigan and Montana in the production of copper. Gold and silver mines, opened by the ancient Aztecs, are still worked. There are also workable mines of lead, and small seams of coal. Iron, tin, nickel, platinum, mercury, borax, salt, gypsum, and sulphur are found. The larger part of the territory is as yet little known. Although prospectors are supposed to have examined every turn and canon, it is believed that vast mineral wealth remains to be discovered. A marvelous petrified forest has been found in Navajo County, near Holbrook. Entire tree trunks of a yard in diameter have been turned into stone, and have cracked into cylindrical blocks of exquisite coloring. Fine specimens of opals, garnets, chalcedony, sapphire, and turquoise are found. Onyx is sawed into slabs for table tops. PRODUCTS. Certain regions toward the north have an abundant growth of bunch grass and mesquite, or buffalo grass, on which cattle are pastured the year around. A large part of the surface consists of alkali plains, thinly covered wth sage brush, grease wood, agave, yucca, and cactus. The cottonwood grows along the edge of streams. It is estimated that about one-fourteenth of the state may ultimately be brought under intensive cultivation by means of irrigation. In 1905 there were about 254,000 acres under crop. Plans are under foot to create huge mountain reservoirs, in which the water that now runs away through the Salt, Gila, and Colorado in an annual flood may be held and doled out during the long dry season for purposes of irrigation. The soil is naturally rich. It is believed that Arizona has a great future in the production of semi-tropical fruits, such as apricots, lemons, oranges, raisins, grapes, almonds, figs, and dates. The United States Department of Agriculture is experimenting with dates at Tempe and Yuma. Egyptian cotton and mulberry trees seem to thrive. It is quite possible that Arizona may prove to be the silk producing region of the United States. The irrigated lands are devoted largely to the production of alfalfa. Several crops are produced yearly. The upper plateau has also its wooded regions, in which the mountain sides are clothed with pine, cedar, and juniper. HISTORY. Arizona was visited by the Spaniards in 1539. In the following year, Coronado led an expedition to the settlements of the Moqui and Zunis. He found the remains of ancient cities, aqueducts, and temples, indicating that the region was at one time the home of some prehistoric race, familiar, like the Aztecs, with the art of building. Aztec legends locate the "Seven Cities of Cibola" here. In 1560 Tucson was founded by the Spaniards. Citizens assert that it is an older town than St. Augustine, Florida. The region was acquired from Mexico by treaty in 1848. A strip south of the Gila formed, however, a part of the Gadsden Purchase , made in 1853. Arizona was organized as a territory February 24, 1863. Settlement has been retarded greatly by the Apaches and the Navajos, whose frequent uprisings and midnight raids deterred even the boldest stockraisers and traders from leaving the shelter of garrisons. There are thirteen counties. EDUCATION. Every effort has been made to provide schools for the scattered children of the commonwealth. According to the last census, over seventy-five per cent of the children between five and seventeen years of age were in actual attendance at school, a record which states much more favorably situated have not equaled. A territorial university was opened in 1901 at Tucson. The largest town in the state is Tucson. It had 5,100 inhabitants in 1900. Phoenix is the capital. Next in order of size are Prescott and Jerome. At Flagstaff, on the Santa Fe, the university has established an astronomical observatory. The population of the territory in 1900 was 122,931. Of this number 26,480 were Indians, living on five reservations. They have for the most part settled down to stock raising. Several schools have been established for their benefit. There are also about 25,000 Mexicans and 2,000 Chinese. The Mormons are the strongest religious denomination of the territory. Next in number are the Roman Catholics. STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest to be had from trustworthy sources: Land area, square miles 112,920 Population (est. 1906) 143,745 Phoenix 7,000 Tucson 6,000 No. counties 13 Members of state senate 12 Representatives 24 Salary of governor $3,000 U. S. representatives (territorial) 1 Presidential electors 0 Value of mines (not taxed) $100,000,000 Assessed valuation of property $80,637,541 Bonded indebtedness $1,012,972 Acres irrigated 210,000 Agricultural Products- Corn, bushels 430,000 Wheat, bushels 400,000 Oats, bushels 144,000 Hay, tons 330,000 Domestic Animals-- Horses 101,000 Mules 4,000 Milk cows 23,000 Other cattle 603,000 Sheep 1,031,000 Goats 250,000 Swine 18,000 Miles of railway 1,882 Capital invested in manufacturing. $14,395,000 Operatives 4,793 Raw material $14,595,000 Output of manufactured goods $28,083,192 Silver output $1,916,000 Gold output $2,664,000 Copper ore output (pounds) 256,000,000 Quarry products $237,000 Teachers in public schools 645 Pupils enrolled 26,314 Average no. of days attended by each pupil 78 Percentage of male teachers 17 Average monthly salary of men teachers $99.50 Average monthly salary of women teachers 75.06 Av. annual expenditure per pupil 40.41 See United States ; New Mexico ; Irrigation ; Apaches; Sunshine ; Alkali ; Colorado Canyon; Cactus Giant cactus, Phoenix Arizona
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
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; 204,3563 (1920) 384,162. Capital, Phenix. 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 shows upper carof the Colorado alone boniferous limestone, cross-stratified sandstone, red calcareous sandstone with carboniferous limestone, gypsum, lower 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 mineral products are copper, gold, silver, and lead. It also has valuable deposits of zinc, coal, nickel, graphite, her metals. The copper tungsten, and other production has increased steadily in recent years. The smelter output in 1918 was 769,522,729 pounds, compared with 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. The pine timber land covers an area of nearly 4,000,000 acres. 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. Almonds, ds, peanuts, oranges, lemons, apricots, 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 was 38,139 and in the high schools, 3,220. There were 1,702 teachers in the public schools. The total expenditure for education purposes in 1919 was $2,- 973,339. For higher instruction there were public high schools at Phenix and 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 Phœnix, Sacaton, Ph Supai, Hualapai, and Hackberry. Churches. The strongest denominations numerically are the Roman Catholic; Latter-Day Saints; Methodist Episcopal, South; Baptist; Presbyterian; Protestant Episcopal; and Congregational. 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 disbursements $5,760,454. There was a balance at the end of the year of $1,329,- 260. The total bonded indebtedness of the State, including county and city indebtedness, 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, 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. Congress, as a result of action on the part of President Taft, passed a resolution providing for the admission of Arizona as a State if the provision for the recall of judges should be eliminated from the Constitution. This action was eliminated on Dec. 12, 1911. The proclamation 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. Democrats were elected all the officers. An amendment 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 Legislature is composed of 19 members of the Senate and 35 members of the House. There is one representative in Congress. The Governor is elected for a term of four years. History. The country now included in
Arizona UNIVERSITY OF 252 Arizona and New Mexico was partly
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
UNIVERSITY OF 252 Arizona and New Mexico was partly explored in 1539 by Marco de Nizan, in quest of the precious metals, and on his report Vasquez de Coronado organized an expedition in the following year and visited the Moqui villages and the New Mexican pueblos. About 1596 the first colony was established; in 1680 the Spaniards were driven out of the country; by 1695 they had recovered nearly all of it, and by 1720 Jesuit missionaries had established a number of missions, ranches and mining stations. There were serious Indian outbreaks in 1802 and 1827, and what is now Arizona and New Mexico was acquired by the United States by treaties in 1848 and 1853.
Arizona UNIVERSITY OF, a coeducational institution in Tucson
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
UNIVERSITY OF, a coeducational institution in Tucson, organized in 1891, reported at the end of 1919: Professors and instructors, 90; students, 968; volumes in the library, 32,000; grounds and buildings valued at $85,000; productive funds, $10,500; income, $700,- 000; president, Rufus B. Von Kleinsmid, Ph. D.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
Aiton's still calls Arizona "a territory" in 1910; it became the 48th state on 14 February 1912, and its 13 counties are now 15. The "huge mountain reservoirs" then only "under foot" were built — Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River in 1911, Hoover Dam on the Colorado in 1936, and the Central Arizona Project canal from the 1970s and 80s — and the irrigated desert that supported Tucson's 5,100 people in 1900 now carries a state population of more than seven million, with Phoenix past 1.6 million and among the largest cities in the United States. Arizona did become the mineral state Aiton's predicted, long the source of most American copper, though the silk industry never appeared and the Grand Canyon, then simply a feature of the plateau, was made a national park in 1919 and draws millions of visitors a year.
Written for this edition, 2026.