Arizona republican., 1895-12-27
PLEASANT PICNIC PARTY.
A Merry Crowd Spent the Day at
 Echo Canyon.

A picnic party comprising twenty young ladies and gentlemen made Echo canyon on the camel back noun tains northeast of Phoenix ring with their merry shouts and laughter Christmas day.
 The journey thither was made in | Stevens big Grand canon coach be- | hind six horses, the ribbons being held | by Charles Stevens There were a | few minor accidents on the way out but no damage was done. Once the large coach slipped down the steep bank of the cross cut canal and was in imminent peril of capsizing, but the danger was avenoed by everybody get ting out with more haste than grace. The second accident might have proved more serious by every one get ting cold bath on crisp morning but danger number two was aNerted
 In crossing the Arizona canal the
 bridge was not of sufficient width for the ponderous vehicle, and one of the front wheels ran off the bridge. The rear wheel lacked about two inches of also running off, which would have re- suited in the vehicle with its precious
 load being dumped into the swiftly
 running and muddy waters of the canal. All hands again made haste to jump from the wagon; everyone in voluntarily shivering at the near dan ger they had of having an unwilling | ducking.
 | The coach was rescued from it's posi- | tion and without further accident
 Echo canon was reached about noon
 Luncheon was had on a beautiful
 spot and Will Murray was delegated by the ladies to cook the coffee after ldhe scribe with tender phrases had
 contrived ito light a fire. The girls had
 everything eatable that was nice and all hands gorged cake and pie, chick en, etc., setting at defiance hygienic laWS.a
 After luncheon commenced the la
 porous mad painful struggle to ascend the Camelback, which was done
 after shoes, dresses and gloves were al most in tatters. In spite of these de- lplorable accidents everyone enjoyed the entrancing view from the bluff
 The return trip was made shortly before sundown without any mishaps excepa when Ralph Murphy and Carl Wilcox commenced singing A farm hand who bore the unmistakable
 stamp of the Faderland was riding by :, a horse and leading another when the !, two boys broke out in melodious strains. The Dutchman's horse snorted and was off like shot with the rider clinging for life to the mane A streak of dust was all that could be :, observed for miles that marked the ! ! path taken by the horse and rider His hat was found and hung on a
 fence post.
 B. Grant Randall was so impressed
 with the wild ride that he fell to spec lating as ito the poor fellows chances of stopping the runaway this side oi
 Podunk. From speculating he fell te composing poetry apropos of the fiery . steed. The lines were replete with 3 pathos and tender solicitation for the J fate of the rider. Space, however, will
 not admit of the verses being pub
 lished.
 " D Phoenix was reached about o'clock everybody feeling tired, but with the
 pleasing knowledge that a good time
 was had.
 = The following named comprised tht
 party: Mamie Plank, chaperone; Misse!
 Corbin, Clay Henshaw, Adele Haux c ihurst, Madge Richmond, Maggie Will . liscraft, Winnifred Coombs, Gertit T Rich, Sadie Wilcox, Edith Brooks :. Messrs B. Grant Randall, Dr. Starker ' Harris Rich, Will Murray, Ralpf Murphy, Ed Bowers, Carl Willcox ant ,; W. Gregory.