Arizona citizen., 1877-12-28
TucsOn Items

Cloudy and raw wind on Monday At $ p. m. rain began to fall and con- .tinued steadily until after seven Tues day morning. The surrounding noun tain tops were covered with snow and also quite low down. Before noon the sky was clear and the remainder of Christmas was very pleasant overhead, and the ground quite soft with consld- erable water in depressed places. De cember here has usually been clear, with many frosty nights and rarely any rain. But the climate of 1877 has been odd 2ll over the western side of the continent.
 The Tucson public school children Jared well on Christmas, thanks to the ladies and reasonable assistance of the gentlemen. The pupils number about two hundred. Each one received a fancy bag of candy and nuts; also a paper bag with large orange, a liber- al supply of cake, nuts, &c.; and every one received one or more presents of more or less value to them. These presents were mostly hung on an ever green Christmas tree in the courtroom. The tree was illuminated with tapers, and the room otherwise darkencd. At three o'clock in the afternoon Santa Claus (NIr. Zeckendorf) appeared and announced to the crowded room of expectant children that he came a long way to make good his promise given last Christmas; that if they were good and obeyed their teachers, he would come again with good and abundant gifts. There was a large attendance .Of parents and as in all other respects regarding Tucson, the entertainment was pronounced an improvement on that of the previous year. In the even ing, the boys large school-room was crowded with old and young to wit ness fourteen tabeleaux, which were justly admired as well for the subjects as their excellent presentation. In this part of the days entertainment, esne- cial credit is due the teachers, Mrs. Aguirre and s.ster, Miss Bernard, and Mr. Horton and Mr. Bonlllas, assisted by those wi ling and competent gentle men, Messrs. Geo. J. Roskruge and W. :. Edwards. Quite q number of In- telligent strangers who happened to be in town, expressed agreeable surprise in witnessing such interest in public school matters, which they decm of essential importance in attracting fam lilies hither, and also confessed that the taste displayed in the festivities of the day was quite unexpected to them, and in respect to our educational affairs at least, they carry away good and useful reports.
 Various wild rumors of war with Mexico and of a raid upon Tucson from Mexico Lave been n circulation here this week, and all without any basis of truth, and the motive at the bottom of them is hard 10 reconcile with anything good. One report was that a meeting of Mexican citizens and residents had been held here to aid the invaders Hon. E. Ochoa, a citizen of Mexican birth and of the highest responsibility, says he will give his own head if there be any such on foot. AIr. D. Velasco, a most intelligent and reliable resident and of Mexican birth, says there is not the slightest foundation for the re port and is aggrieved it should have been circulated, as it can have none but a bad influence upon the best in terests of the people of Sonora and this section of Arizona. And so 1t. must be viewed by all who love peace and the products of peace and legiti- mate industry.