Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1892-08-17
Verde Notes.
CAMP VERDE, ARIz., August l4, 1892.
IroR JOuRNAL-MINER:

EDITOR JoURSAL-MNER:
 The Demorest gold medal contest
 took place on Middle Verde, on Sat
 urday, August 9th, 1892, as was an
 nounced in the Prescott papers a flew weeks since.
 Your correspondent asked for a
 copy of the programme, but there
 was a request by the party manag-
 ing the affair to the effect that I
 write a piece for both the Prescott
 papers and also the Phenix papers,
 but upon my refusal to do so, the
 programme was not forthcoming. So I concluded to give this occasion the go by, and would have done so, only for the fact that some one. singing himself Observer" in a let ter dated Upper Verde, Aug. Sth. and published in the Weekly Cour- fer of the 12th, seems to have q very bad case of stomach ache over the fact that Miss Birdie Scott did not get the gold medal, notwithstand- ing the fact that she had such a terrible set 10 with Miss Jane Han nan. According to Observers letter no other persons were present or took part in the affair. So, as usual, the true facts of the case will only appear in the JoURNAL-MISER, which are about as follows:
 The people of Middle Verde pre- pared a splendid dinner and were just as good and kind as people could be to every one present, and were untiring in their efforts to take care of the 200 or more visitors to their settlement.
 Instead of the contest being be- tween Miss Scott and Miss Hannah, it was between the following-named persons; name and age about as fol- lows, as near as as your correspond ent could obtain from those who claim to know and by guessing, viz: Miss Birdie Scott, age 2; Miss Emma Schull, age 2; Miss Fife Bristow, age 20; Miss Nellie Pattee, age I7; Miss Jane Hannah, age 17; Miss Joseghine Hance, age l3.
 The judges were Messrs. Jack Kelley, Ugper Verde; Robt. Cannon, Middle Verde; Jerry Franks, Lower Verde. About F o'clock there was several songs of a decidedly tenn perance tendency, then dinner.
 About 2 o'clock, the speakers all took their place on long bench seat on the platform, provided for the occasion.
 The first to speak was Miss Emma Schull, of Middle Verde; Miss Nellie Patree, of Upper Verde; Miss Birdie Scott, of Upper Verde, Miss Fife Bristow, of Middle Verde; Miss Jos ephene Hance, of Lower Verde; Miss Jane Hannah, of Middle Verde followed in the order named.
 These six contestants are girls, and educated in the pubic schools of Arizona. Each hold a silver medal, which they won in contests in which six Ito ten contested. No allowance or handicapping is allow ed on account of age, and every one of them performed their parts we'll and the judges had a hard task to decide who were the winners. The pieces spoken are speeches delivered by the ablest speakers of the land, some of the pieces were prose and some were poetry, and some took of 8 dramatic nature, making it very difficult task for the judges to de- eide. As there was only one medal, and six to contest, five were, per haps somewhat disappointed, but I think the very best of feelings pre- vailed, and every one seperated, as the should, the very best of. friends. and so far as your correspondent | knows, there was Eo kicking or fault fnding, andl think the judges acted honors5iy in their awards.
 That the contests are conducive | 5f much good, there is no doubt, and should be encouraged by every community.
 It is to be hoped that the boys and young men will take hold and help in these contests, instead of leaving it to the young ladies. With proper encouragement I think they will, and We may have a lot of Chauncey Depews in an undevelop- sd form in Arizona. The first one ind, you will hear from.
 Yours again, VERDE.