Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Arizona

ARIZONA, 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, Phœnix.

Topography.—The surface in general is a series of plateaus, ranging in altitude from 80 to 7,500 feet above sea-level. 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 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 carboniferous limestone, cross-stratified 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 mineral products are copper, gold, silver, and lead. It also has valuable deposits of zinc, coal, nickel, graphite, tungsten, and other metals. The copper 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. In 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, 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 Phœnix 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, 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 were elected. Democrats 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 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.

Copyright, L. L. Poates Eng. Co., 1921