Graham guardian., 1896-06-19
THE GlLA VALLEY.
What the Editor of the Tucson Citi-
zen Saw in his Travels Through
the Valley.
A FLoURIsHING PEOPLE.
The Towns of the Valley Given n Good
and Favorabel Mention made
of our Leading BUSINESS men.

DOWh oil thS oEld, Ola VI SlSbt
miles below Solomonville, in the
very heart of one of Arizona's most
beautiful valleys lies the town of
Stafford. Owing to a popular Gus
tom generally prevailing in the val
ley, of holding large tracts of
ground for residence lots, the town
which is regularly incorporated, is
scattered over a large area. There
are number of large and imposing
buildings in the town, and from the
tops Of one of them, Judge Blake's
mill, most enchanting view is
obtained. Spread out for miles in
every direction, lie fields of waving
grain, acres of green alfalfa, and
beautiful orchards. The valley lies
between two mountain ranges and
down its center the Gila river winds,
furnishing the water which has
transformed the desert into a para
disc.
The town contains three steam
-four mills three saloons, and eight
or nine merchandise stores, which
are ample to meet the wants of the
community.
There are two well supported
Churches; a Methodist, and a
Mormon.
The school accommodations, while
good, are wholly inadequate. The
increased population of the valley
has added rapidly to the number of
school children, and it has been deci,
ded to vote $4,000 in bonds for a new
school house which will be sufficient
ly commodlous to meet the present
wants.
The steam Touring mill of John
Blake & Co., known as the Stafford
mill, handles about two thirds of
the wheat crop Of the valley. The
machinery of the most modern pat
tern, and a strictly first-class grade
Of -four is placed on the market by
the proprietors. During the past
year this mill has ground 2,500,000
pounds of wheat, and within the
past two months has shipped
quarter Of a million pounds of Al
flour.
John Blake, is at the head Of the
mill, and is also manager for the
we'll known Chiricahua Cattle
Company, was long time probate
judge of Graham county. He is a
man of sterling worth, and an
honor to the community in which
he lives.
The l6 to saloon is owned by
W. d. Jefferson, and is well con-
Quoted, orderly place. Besides his
saloon interest, Mr.. Jefferson owns
and manages pretty little farm,
and does most of the painting in
the neighborhood. Being a
thoroughly good workman, his
services are in brisk demand.
j. r. Lassator conducts a model
meat market, and supplies most
toothsome steaks, cut from fat ten
der, alfalfa fed cattle raised in the
neighborhood.
There are three hotels, either of
which offers excellent accommoda-
tlons.
Among the most enterprising
and popular merchants in the val
ley is W. b. Fonda. He carries a
large and varied assortment of
general merchandise and secures
and retains custom by fair and con-
siderate dealing.
Barney Palm, an old stage driv-
er, known to many Tucson peo-
pie, conducts quiet, orderly
saloon.
Rev. F. W. Downs, pastor of
the Methodist church, is erecting
a very neat dwelling. The walls
are of adobe, and will have an
outside veneering of brick. When
completed it will be a model of
neatness and comfort.
The large residence lots, many
of them covering ten acres, are
beautifully laid off, and with the
pretty brick houses which ale
very numerous, one is i'm
mediately charmed with the pros
perious atmosphere which provades
everything.
There has been no more potent
factor in the progressive movement
of Stafford than its newspaper, THE
GRAHAM GUARDIAN. Mr.. John j.
Birdno, ITS editor, is wide awake,
energetic, enterprlsing and con-
stantly on the alert for anything
useful IN the advancement of SAT-
ford, Graham county and the Ter
ritory. His paper is neat, clean
and newsy, and entitled to most
liberal patronage.
Below Stafford few miles IS the
village of Thatcher. In the opin-
ion of many, Thatcher occupies
the prettiest spot in the valley.
1t would be hard, however, to
make comparisons between the
different portions of this section.
Possibly Thatcher has few more
handsome residences than Stafford,
but any human being should feel