Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-07-28
School District No. ..
An Interesting Competition from Tonto
 Valley, in GIIa Io1nty. by Miss of le |.

I cannot better indicate tho place where am writing than by saying that I sm 6 pupil in School District No. 2, GIls county, Arizona Territory.
 There is DO town here. There ie scar cely a settlement, The half dozen fam ilies live along 1obto Creek iH this dis irIct for 8 distance of five miles.
 Tonto Valley or Basin as II IS impro- perly called is 8 valley thirty miles lOng running ID 0 north-westerly direction from Salt River along Tonto creek
 This school distaict is the nearest one ID tbe valley to Ssli River. but there are other school disir ricts farther north still within the valley.
 Tonso Creek IS flowing stream the entire year and sometimes becomes 6 boiling torrent. IL flows from the north west to Inc southeast and emptIes into Salt River. The valley IS formed by the Reno range on lie Eestern side aud by low bills on the eastern.
 The "Four Peaks" are in full view directly west about five miles distant.
 The "Old Da.ch Woman,' 6 noun tain mbling a sitting wOmsn, is Tn a northeRstefly direction, distant sbou, ten miles. Directly east crossing low bills and distant about seven miles is Sandy Msy Greek, emp:yiog into Salt River from tbc northwest
 Our county seat IS Globe distant sbou: forty five miles to the Southeast. ;Iur nearest railroad station IS Casa GrArde distsut one hundrtd and forty miles on the 5ou'hern Pacific railroad shrnnnh our nearest Post Office, and Globe. All travel Is to Globe and thence either Co Cass Grande or to Bowie, although tbe distance to Flagstaff on the Atlantic 4 Pacific railroad Is about the same.
 The altitude is about 260O feet above the sea.
 Temperaiu,e in summer highest HOS, in winter, loEest BPS. In the day time m winter an overcoBt is scarcely need ed. No snow falls ID the valley but there is abundant rain in ihe winter months, and heavy showers ID July suc August. Climate generally very mild.
 No Indians are bearer than the San Carlos reservation, distant about thirty miles to tue east.
 Tbe soil along the creek is sandy will some fine loans. Irrigation is DecvssB- ", All the garden vegetables msy b, raised. Usnsl crop is barley.
 Principal occupation is cattle raising. Cattle range from Salt River along Tonto Greek and over to the "Sslly May" Grazing is good. No loss Of cattle in winter from cold.
 Settlers bt gan tO come into the valley about ten ytsrs ago. Mir. Christian Cline is the oldest inhsbItsnt, Lge 1S, occupation, cattle raising.
 There are uo churches or other put lic buildings. The school house is built Of logs The dwellings, are usually made Of logs, sometimes of adobe bricks.
 Cottonwood trees grow exiensiyel! along the creek; also sycamore and vii low. Mesquite bushes are scattered over the valley. Alders grow 10 large size; cst-clavs are frequent.
 Domestic animals are, horses, bee. cattle, mules, sheep and burres.
 Tte pild animals in the mountaint sometimts venture into the valley; the kinds seen are. conglrs, mOantain lions, wild cats, foIes, coyotes, skenks, rse- ooons, lyuI. bears and rabbits.
 There are many birds in this region the various kinds are Gs follows: Hawks. cranes, buFEards. road runuers, wood peckers, nc king birds. orioles. red birds. lsrks, dover, owls, wild ducks. qusil, pigeons, blue jays, cEnaries and black birds.
 The oply earthquake known. took place M.y 3 !, 1887. It vas ID the after. noon about three o'clock. The lor house commenced to shake; the door swung hack apd for sbout ten inches; 8 small bell banging ID the kitchen be- gan to ring. Three persons 10 our family. in he house, ran out. The water ID the irrigaiing ditch rolled from side to side percep,ibly. There was DO win , and the sky wRs clear.
 FRANCES J. HARER, age l6.
 ToDto Valley, F. Q. ArDer.
 Cils O., AriEonn Territory.
 MRs. NJ. k. Ro s, Teacher.