Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-03-01
Tempe Town Talk.

Since Friday afternoon Salt River has been on a wild and ungovernable spree, the waters rising in a few hours to height greater than ever before seen, even by the first white man who ever struck the valley" The force of the flood was so great that some two hundred feet of the trestle work at the north end of the railroad bridge was torn loose and washed away. Had 1t not been for the prompt action of Station Agent Hill and Section Fore man Stitsreid of this place the train of freight and passenger cars due at this place just before daylight would have been precipitated into the yawning gulf made by the washing away of the trestle work. And manager Masten should at least feel thankful that he has such diligent and careful employees for there can be no question but that the stupid folly of Masten caused the washout; he had constructed a series of wing dams on the north side of the river above the bridge, as he said to force the water to flow under the bridge, but the contrary result was produced as he so built his dams as to force the water north and thus poured the mighty volume of angry waters directly against the frail trestle work, and the loss of human life was only obviated by the vigilance of Mir. Hill in awaking MT. Stitsreid who at once seized Ian tern and rushed out over the bridge and signaled the rapidly approaching train to stop, which it did almost upon the very brink of destruction, and to these two gentlemen the public owe vote of thanks, and Masten a vote of condemnation.
 Since the rise in the river Tempe butte has been converted into an ob- servatory and every day one can see "fair women and brave men" field glasses in hand climbing its rocky sides or perched upon its rugged brow viewing the mighty flood at it's base or the green fields which cover the the bosom of the broad valley at its feet like an emerald carpet. The bright costumes of the ladies give the butte at times the appearance of a beautiful rose garden.
 Passengers, baggage and Uncle Sam's mail are now ferried over the river in small boats, the passengers having to walk long distance to catch the Phe- nix train as some three hundred yards of their roadbed has been washed out.
 Since the wash-out Tempe has had | the proud distinction of being the northern terminus of Masten's railroad system and we are informed that Phe- nix is consumed with envy, but the the passengers who are compelled to remain at Tempe over night are the gathers as well, as Tom Gregory who is laughing and growing fat as he sees the long list of names upon his register of prominent capitalists and noted statesmen who receive at his hands in consideration of their hard cash, first class refreshments both solid and liquid. May the shadow of the genial Tom never grow less and we venture the assertion that he carries his weight of years better than any old veteran ill Arizona.
 Will the Globe correspondent. give his opinion of Sec. 423 of the Penal Code of Arizona, read the 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and IF words and see if a hein- ous crime is not legalized by the mar riage ceremony.
 MT. and Mrs. Holder and their daughter Myrtle, of Maricopa, are, for & few days, the guests of agent Hill.
 Miss Florence Gregory, daughter of our veteran hotel keeper, who has, for some time, been attending school at San Francisco, has recently come to Tempe to make her home with her parents. Tempe gladly welcomes this addition to her society. HoBE.