Arizona, a territory of the United States of America in 30° 20'—37° N. lat., 109°—114° 45' W. long. It is bounded N. by Utah, E. by New Mexico, S. by the republic of Mexico (Sonora), and W. by California and Nevada. Its western
Copyright 1888 in U.S.
by J. B. Lippincott
Company. boundary is mostly formed by the Colorado of the West, a large river remarkable for its great cañons. This river traverses the NW. part of Arizona in a deep and narrow water-worn channel (the Grand Cañon), more than 300 miles long, and nowhere less than a mile below the surface of the surrounding country. Arizona has an area of 112,920 sq. m.; it is thus nearly as large as Italy. It is in general a region of high plateaus, traversed by various mountain-ranges, presenting abundant evidence of not remote volcanic action. In the SW. the country has a desert character, and in all parts the rainfall is decidedly limited in amount. In various parts there are extensive lava-beds. The whole region lies in the drainage basin of the Colorado, though many of the smaller streams do not under ordinary conditions pay any tribute to that river, their waters being all evaporated or absorbed, except in rainy seasons. The chief affluents to the Colorado are the Gila, the Bill Williams, and the Colorado Chiquito. The main Colorado is navigated by steamboats for 600 miles, but abounds in shifting sand-bars. The water-supply over large areas of Arizona is mainly derived from deep natural wells and 'water-holes.' There are many evidences that this water-supply, probably never large, is now much smaller than in prehistoric times, there being in some districts extensive remains of abandoned aqueducts or irrigation-canals, where at present there is very little water to be had. There still exist a few Indian communities (Moquis towns, &c.), where the ancient agricultural semi-civilisation survives, though in a decadent state. The agricultural prospects of Arizona are good. It is believed that fully 10,000,000 acres of ground might be profitably irrigated. The country is in general extremely healthful; but in the SW. the summer heat is excessive, and malarial fevers are not unknown upon the bottom-lands of the Lower Colorado. The rainfall is scanty, 14·21 inches only being registered at Fort Defiance. The mean annual temperature at Tucson is almost 69°. Maize, barley, and wheat are the leading products. The Indians have from immemorial times cultivated a little cotton. The sugar-cane has been successfully cultivated in the SW. Grazing is largely carried on, and in the watered districts sheep and cattle give rich returns. The vegetation of Arizona, though not luxuriant, comprises many trees and plants not found elsewhere in the United States.
The animals are mainly those of the Rocky Mountain region. The avi-fauna is rich, many Mexican birds occurring here either as residents or as visiting species. The 'Gila monster' (Heloderma horridum) is remarkable as being the only known venomous species of lizard; and the 'horned toad' (a lizard) is very common.
Arizona is an important seat of gold and silver mining; the aggregate value of these metals produced from the organisation of the territory to the end of 1885 being over 17,250,000. The product for the year 1885 was officially estimated at 6,595,146. The precious metals are generally obtained from regular lodes, since the absence of a sufficient water-supply makes 'placer' and hydraulic mining for the most part unprofitable. Copper is also mined and smelted very largely. Coal has been obtained at various points. Rock-salt, lead, and other valuable mineral deposits are reported from almost every part of the country; but many of the most profitable mining enterprises are seated in the south-eastern districts. It has been observed that the richest mines of the precious metals are on a belt crossing the territory from NW. to SE. The territory is traversed from east to west by two great lines of railway, of which the Atlantic and Pacific crosses in the northern central region, and the Southern Pacific Railway in the southern part of the country. The manufacturing interests of Arizona are for the most part connected with the mines. The crushing, milling, and amalgamation of ores is an important business. Ores rich in lead, and some others, are largely smelted, instead of being milled and amalgamated.
The principal towns are Phoenix, the capital (pop. in 1890, 3152); Tucson, an old Mexican town (pop. 5150); Prescott, the capital till 1891; Yuma, in the SW.; Tombstone, a silver mining centre, in the SE.; St John; Clifton; Globe; and Mineral Park—all mining camps of greater or less importance. Allusion has been made to the interesting old Indian towns, or pueblos, with their remarkable native semi-civilisation. In some instances these communities occupy a single large stone-built house several stories high.
This region was first visited by Spaniards in 1570, and their military post at Tucson was established in 1580. Considerable numbers of the Indians were Christianised and partly civilised by Spanish missionaries; but many of the half-civilised pueblo Indians have persistently refused to become Christians. The warlike Apaches and other wild native tribes for 300 years have given much trouble, and it was not till 1886 that the United States forces and the Mexican troops, acting conjointly in the frontier districts, gave the Apaches such a severe punishment, that their power to annoy the white settlers would appear to be for ever destroyed. Indian hostilities have from the first greatly interfered with the development of the country. After 1821 the country was a part of Mexico until 1848, when it passed to the United States under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In 1853 the United States government effected the 'Gadsden Purchase,' by which a large area of land was obtained, most of which is now in Arizona. The territory was organised in 1863. In 1870 the population (other than tribal Indians) was 9658; in 1880, 40,440; in 1890, 59,620.