Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-04-04

from the coy farm houses, anu eau
the coy housewife as she
moves about the candle-lit room pre-
pairing an early breakfast. We pass
one thriving town after another and
follow the windings of the Arkansas
all day, and the second morning
brings US to Gloriette, New MeSico,
away up in the rugged tops of the
Rocky Mountains. The descent is
very rapid, and many are the twists
and turns in the track as it winds its
way down Apache Canon. In the af-
ternoon we pass Lima, where the road
to the ancient city of Santa Fee branch
es off and chimes up into the noun
tains eighteen miles distant. Along
this portion of the road the scenery is
beautiful, especially to one who has
spent the long winter months ia the
north. The road winds around on the
green slopes of the mountains, while
the snow-covered crown of some dis
tant peak giistening in the morning
sunlight, making strong contrast
with the deep blue of
THE sEMI-TRoPICAL SKY
and rich green of the valleys. Albu-
querque is passed in the night, where
connection is made with the recently
completed Atlantic and Pacific Road
through New Mexico and Arizona.
We arrive at Deming early in the
morning and eat hasty breakfast,
and check our baggage, and days
ride over the Southern Pacific brings
us to Tucson. This little city was
founded some 800 years back by the
Spaniards who came north from Mex
leo in search of gold A little stream,
the Santa Cruz, finds its way out up
on the deserts from a rugged noun
tain range about 100 miles to the
south, and, after turning the wheel OF
an ancient mill, and irrlgating few
acres for the people of Tucson, loses
itself ia the sands few miles beyond
the city. There are probably 5000
inhabitants, four-fifths of whom are
Mexicans, the Spanish language being
spoken altogether by them. Since
the Southern Pacific has been built
through the Territory, about three
years now, Tucson has grown and
improved rapidly, most of the Amerl-
cans living here having come since
that time, but the Indifferent Mexican
refuses to advance. They live in the
same primitive style that their ances-
tors did 100 years ago. Many of the
houses are without windows, few have
wood floors, and the ordinary Mexi-
can household has no use for furni-
ture of any kind. The kettle of
BEANS AND RED PEPPERS,
the staple article of food, is cooked in
an open fire place in corner of the
hut and placed in the center of the
room, or rather house-for they sell
dom contain but one room-where
upon the family gathers around, each
individual being armed with wooden
spoon and partaking without further
ceremony. The Mexican never sits
in chair. preferring his heels. A
Mexican family will arrange them
selves along the side of the house With
their backs against the wall and their
heels tucked up under them and
smoke cigarettes from morning till
night without a change of position
the whole day. Their necessities are
few and they do just enough work to
keep from starving They chop lit
tie wood occasionally when pressed by
hunger and bring it into town to sell,
fastened in bundles to the back of a
shaggy donkey. The houses are
built of squares of earth baked in the
sun and plastered together with mud.
A few poles across the top with foot
or two of mud spread over them form
the roof, and as it seldom rains, these
houses stand for years. Americans
here find the abode" houses, as they
are called, preferable to frame or brick
as the thick walls and roof keep the
interior cool, while a frame house
would be unbearably hot during the
long months of summer. Although
the temperature sometimes ranges as
high as 120 in the shade at midday in
July and August, the nights are al
ways comparatively cool and
TO SLEEP OUT OF DOORS
during the summer is of one OF the
Injuries of the glorious climate. The
winter climate is perfect. No snow,
no cold winds, but month after month
of drowsy still days that remind one
OF Northern day in June. Many of
the Americans here are interested Ia
mines. The mountains throughout the
Territory nearly all contain mineral
in some form, but owing to the eXor-
hitant freight rates charged by the
Southern Pacific Railroad Company,
and transportation of ore
are so expensive that onl y mines pro
ducing ore of very high grade can be
successfully worked. Much attention
has also been turned to cattle-raising
within the last few years. 1t Is found
that while cattle here do not weigh
as heavy as cattle raised in Kansas
and Colorado, the loss from cold win
tiers. which forms such an important
item in the North, is altogether eacap-
ed. An abundance of good range IS to
be foand in the mountains, but water
is scarce and the possessor Of a good
spring need have no fear of lack Of
grazing land. Many acres of land
along the ella and Salt Rivers arc
under cultivation, water being taken
from the river in canals and land lrrl-
gated,
THERE BEING VERY LITTLE RAINFALL
the greater part of the year. All fruits
and other products grown IN Cali
fornia can be successfully raised IN
Arizona. Much damage has been done
to the irrigating canals throughout
the Territory the past month by
floods. The season has been a remark
able one, and rainfalls already much
exceeding the usual amount. There
is no question but that Arizona has
great future before her as mining
and agricultural country, and If the
several thousand United States troops
in the Territory could keep the few
hundred Apaches from going out IN
the war-path every spring, Arizona
might soon be admitted as state.
A Big Drink and What Came of It.
Elizabeth Z Evans ia The Manhattan TO- April