| Show GRAHAM COUNTY ARIZONA SAFFORD graham co ariz february we very tory seldom see eee anything in abe i NEWS from our settlement hence a tew lines from this remote mouth southern clime may be of interest to your many readers we are located almost in the mouth east corner of the territory and visit ura UM tell us ua that we have the finest climate there la is in the united states state ool got BO 80 hot in nor ii ib it deiy cold in winter our valley la Is about seventy five miles milea la in beaw length rum irom eat east to west wea tand and varies in width from about t taree aree to twenty miles the western part of the valley la is occupied uy oy the san ban carlos indian reservation the eastern portion is occupied mostly by white people with some low few case there are tan settlements to in this thia part of 0 the valley beginning at the east Is ia Bolo Sulo monville include lug san ban jose the mexican part of five miles west weel we re come to the double town of safford tord or layton or both when dating our letten or giving our floe address we write safford but when speaking ol of our ward organization we say bay layton still further went three miles is thatcher thence three miles milea fui ther takes us ue to contra central another three miles dk dik taut tant la is pima formerly known as ae smith ville this to Is about the largest town in the valley three miles further takes us ua to the string town of mathens ville nine miles milea further west we come to old fort thomas lately abandoned by the military and now being rapidly settled up by citizens through gla the settlements above mentioned Is located the main traveled road through the valley including the alla valley and the globe northern railroad whose terminus nUB is ie at present at I 1 pima across the river on the north side bide of the valley are the towns of graham brice and curtis these towns are needing more settlers sett mott lero lerp and in fact all the settlements of this valley nave a capacity for more than dou bie their present numbers members of the he church burch in this the st joseph stake slake number about 2200 oula the voting population of this county bumbera something over 1600 politics politic has been democratic but the last jut november election went strongly tron gly republican with a sprinkling of populist liste the of silver has bag thrown a damper on the mining interests of the territory money in ie scarce and the cry of hard times and high taxes in ia beard everywhere yet improvement pro la is steadily goice 00 oo and many fine commodious brick buildings are going up in the different settle went menti notwithstanding the hard times were there is plenty of the necess arle of life for both man and beast and the awful cry for bread is ia not known in our land prospects never were better for an abundant harvest har veat the unusual amount of rain through the winter has bait made the farmers heart glad large deposits depo alta of snow abow in the mounia ina north and east of us ua also promise to furnish water for irrigation through the heated season of the year since the advent of the railroad in our valley last summer which has cut orf oil nearly all freighting by teams team the people have a settled down to home ma ina we are having consider able of the influences of modern in civil fixation that follows railroads and railroad building the influx of and the element that follows them all of which does not dot seem to have a very desirable effect on many of our you OR people and some of the older ones also A tow few days ago we had bad a visit fron from our beloved brethren george goddard and yarl karl G Q maeser in the interest or of the sunday 60 boult they came in the valley on oil friday and left here bore monday and during that time they held nine meetings three in the evening and alz ilz six in the day time and in every instance the meeting houses bouses seemed tu to be too small to hold ibe be congreve eions most excellent instructions were given and in several places expressions were taken with the uplifted lift ad hand baud as to whether the he people were willing to abstain from the use of or practice of the articles as brother goddard would put lt it holding up bial handt he would count from his fingers tess tea coffer coffee tobacco cos beer liquor and od round dancing tor for this last article he would count one finger twice in order to bring in the henix sixth tb in every instance ine tance molit moat of the people made this thia promise and quite liberally so BO with the young and I 1 have been pleased to witness of cioce nce then that it has made imade a good impression and many are more mor determined than ever before that they will abide by these instructions instruct ione the young people of our settlements ett lemento have been very liberally entertained this abia wintter winter but there seems to be a class of the more aged aed that were partially neglected hence the superintendents ten dente dents and teachers of our sabbath school by consent of our bishop took it in hand band to give the folks an aa entertainment the patriotic patri olic day the of february was selected for this occasion all that were over sixty years yeara old and the widows fatherless and cripples s were invited irrespective of sect or conditions other than that they were good moral people at 2 in the afternoon all gathered at the layton lay ton ward church house a program was carried out music muio singing nging Bi recitations speeches etc at 3 o a largo large table was spread with the bou bounties is and luxuries of life mind and it was wai enjoyable to see our old gray haired vt vot araos partake of the repast heartily after afier the old olka foks had eaten till they were filled those that were waiting on them filled another table and after they had eaten all they desired there was waa still more remaining which was waa distributed among ibe neighbors we believe that good will come from froin thus showing our ri lor for the aged teaching our children by example this ibis noble coble principle of respecting the aged for there seems to be an inclination to fulfil fulfill one of the ahinga 0 9 a of the old prophet isaiah that iu the last laet day the young would behave themselves t bema elvea proudly against the be aged and the base against vie toe honorable we should forestall this inclination oo on the part odthe of the young it if it is possible poe sible hence object lesson leenoma and examples exam plea of properly and agreeably entertaining our aged veterans veter aoa would be profitable lewon to the young as aa well as doing our 41 uty duty ani paying our respect to the aged A few caw cam of the dreaded disease made their heir appearance in our town though it is said aid to be the mildest form no cases have yet been fatal generally the health of the people has baa been good some coughs and oolda cold but very few at present writing trait fruit blossoms kanbe seen in various places out the valley lucern and grain fields look bright and greer greep gardening Is being busily braily prosecuted and nature seems beema to be about ready to put on her spring garments armento ff the first issue of the graham Guar guardian chan will come out next week a new industry indu atry lor for safford Ba flord this thin will be two weekly papera paper we have in this county the to la a delerme visitor and it comes quite re regular gulai we generally att etue fourth day after it 1 la prin printed tej ABRAHAM |
