Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1893-01-04

 ohrisiaa. Holiday. op Laesr serde
 CAsP VEapc, Dee 2s gRagular Corfesp spondenee T noa taka my pen in hand to Wrlie fo you few iinea to lei Yud know a foias 0n Lower Verde are ali wei and that we have had nice weather aud good social times during the Christmas holidays Although times are corly Santa Claus has been fairly gener- ous to all the little folks and many of the grown people as well; not even forgetting the minister, Rev. J. M. Green. to the wife of whom was born fine daughter, mother and youngster doing well.
 The two public schools on Lower Verde. Miss C. 4. Woods, District No.3, and Miss s. B. Hewitt, Dis trict No. 24, made arrangements for holding the school exercises and Christmas tree jointly at the east lower Verde school house. The school house was nicely decorated and the beautiful large tree was heavily loaded with presents for the yoang folks and many of the middle aged, and the old people were kindly remembered by their friends. The exercises consisted of speeches, siia- iogues, recltations, declamations and songs. Inc school marns who are loved by all the children and sorna Who arc not school children f,nt Tor goodness sake don't tell anvbody l said sol had taken great interest , in the children and the agFaiy ,vss very entertaining and instructive. The people feel proud of their teachers and schools; to make spec ial mention ol the children is rather a risky business Bat being the reg ular correspondent of the JouRNAL- MINER I shall do my duty (as in the case of the joint meeting between the eandidates), though tho heay- ems fall"
 have selected among the larger scholars Miss Lily Johnson, daugh- ter of that big hearted pioneer Has sayamper J. W. Johnson; Miss Anna ! Stout of the smaller scholars; Robt. Wingfeld and PoSey Hance (same as Posey County, Indiana.l of the little bits of folks; .Iary Eaman and Millie Jordan did extra we'll. Chas. F. Wingfield as Carl Dundee ADd Uncle Sam Randall as Santa Claus were very amusing especially to tho little folks. George Young with his regular Irish brogue in singing the i Irish jubilee, brought down the house. The room was packed full and the uproar in the way of ap- plause was deafening. This closed the evenings entertainment.
 Christmas coming on Sunday the young people met at the old post and had adance on Monday night. There was large crowd and "bas- ker supper" furnished plenty to eat. Walt VanDerin and Lee Hawkins furnished the music, playing just thirteen hours. Just after supper, while all were resting, George Young and I ack Gaddis sang several songs aId Miss Birdie Scott, a bright and pretty girl, spoke q piece entitled "The Martyred Mother,' which was feelingly rendered and for which she was paid many a compliment.
 Mir. Drummond, the U. $. Deputy surveyor, is surveying the old Fort Verde reservation. There are about ten thousand acres of good farmin land susceptible of irrigation and there is an abundpnce of water in the Verde river to irrigate it.
 The climate s.cEs Is perfection itself. 4 aere are more pretty days here than in any 365 anywhere else.
 Ifcapitalists are seeking fields for investment in agricultural pursuits come to Verde valley, where there are thousands of acres of good agri- cultural land and four good crops of alfalfa cut every year from the same land and an abundance of water for the taking it of without the necessity of resorting to the costly water stor- age system. Eaman X Co. are talk ing out a small ditch from the Verde river and many of the farmers are putting out frnit trees.
 Some stock is dying from starva- tion and for range stock the outlook is very blue. Hay, Sl0 per ton; grain. Sl.75 to S3.00 per 100 lbs; bran, Dc; spuds, S2.50; farm labor, Sl per day.
 hear of several marriages to take place in the near future. Hope they will hurry up as it is about time for another big eat. Very truly,
 c. VIII.