Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-18

much of interest in regard to the region
1t describes:
To the Editor:
Brother Andrew Kimball and party
arrived safely in Thatcher on Friday
the 9th inst, aften a journey of three
days and three nights Some of the
party were troubled with sea sickness
or an ailment very much like it, the
baby was wearied and Of course the
children caused Il great deal of trouble
and care, otherwise We got along nice
ly. After a make-shift entertainment
at Bowie the railroad station ON the
Southern Pacific. we were met Mt the
station with a hearty welcome.
As the train stopped at Thatcher
station and we emerged from the car,
We We're met by u host of people with
their carriages and wagons to convey
us and our baggage to our home. The
prettiest feature OF all was, shower
of roses that greeted us. In a few sec
onds after the car stopped the back
platform was completely covered with
boquettes of roses, and in fact so many
We're thrown by the crowd that the
ground was covered also.
The brethren loaded our baggage and
We Were divided among the crowd and
in few minutes the carriages unloaded
US at our respective homes. Pa had
rented a nice brick residence and al
though we had no furniture, we took
up our abode within its walls camping
as II Were on the floor.
We have often seen roses and beautl-
full flowers, but the splendid array OF
the beautiful roses we witnesses in al
most every door yard Is the best we
ever saw. Some rose trees are six feet
| high. large In proportion and they are
| In bloom they say ten months in the
more forward than In Utah and es-
| pecially Colorado, for we passed
| through about a foot of snow on the
| fiat south of Pueblo, and 1t continued
cold even until we got to this valley.
There is a splendid prospect of fruit.
Peaches. apples, plums and other var
ieties are as large as pigeons eggs.
Grain is heading out and almost ready
to harvest, Lucern Is being cut, let
tuce and green peas are on the table
with plenty of other garden stuff. The
valley at this time Of the year is like
park or cultivated garden. Every
where we look there is vegetation and
beautiful flowers. The people are very
kind to us in our unsettled condition,
and want us to live with them till we
get our household goods, but we have
sickness and don't want to expose
others. Our baby is just getting over
whooing cough and our little girl Ruth
has just come down with measles.
We have noticed remarkable de-
velopment in public as well as private
improvements. There have been over
four thousand shade trees planted in
the valley this spring, to say nothing
Of the orchard trees. The orchard Of
over 200 trees Pa planted before going
TO Conference is doing well and the
eighty shade trees are leafing out with
the purpose of giving us some shade on
our new home lot. To get shade trees
they cut off large limbs from older
trees and trim them up and plant the
stumps. Soon after 1t is watered It
leafs out and commences to be tree
itself. The most remarkable thing In
this connection is the fact that It is
not uncommon for n tree limb to lay
on the ground three or four months
and continue to grow and put forth
branches. While Pa was here in
March he bought willow table of
some dagoes. who camped along the
streams and cut willows and made
tables. picture frames, etc. The table
Pa put in Brother Charles Layton's
bedroom where he was stopping then.
He called our attention to 1t and we
discovered that II was still alive the
green branches shooting forth from its
knots.
The people are elated over the crop
prospects this year; they say they
never saw such a beautiful stand OF
grain and hay. nor more favorable
promise of an abundance of fruit of all
kinds All varieties of fruit are not n
sure crop, though the hardest kinds.
such as apples and plums. are. Early
warm weather causes the buds to come
out and they are caught by the late
ftosts, but this year 1t seems the Lord
has just more than blessed the people.
or course things are new to us, hut
we believe we are going to like 1t pref
ty well. Flies are very numerous, but
we have no mosquitoes. fees or bugs.
The evenings are cool; You can Just
sit out doors and enjoy solid coufort
that is If you get time. Everybody Is
so busy now. Haying is just COM
mencing, weeds are growing, there are
gardens and fields to water. and be-
sides this We are building an addition
to our academy.
The people Of Stafford are putting up
$4,000 brick school house The trug-
tees here fear they will have to law n
special tax and build several more
rooms. there is such an Increase in the
school population. There were nine
children blessed In Thatcher alone last
Fast day.
This is warm climate. you know.
ana Things grow rapidly. Last year
stalk OF corn grew over sixteen feet
high and sweet potatoe weighed
thirty-siN pounds right here i'm
Thatcher, 1 have Kimball cousin.
girl, who stands . feet O inches and
weighs 100 pounds and she is only 10
years old. / thought was large hut
] am not circumstance to some OF the
Arizona girls.
There is creamery and an ice plant
across the road from us. Those who
can afford it and have the time to make
II, eat Ice cream most every day. Tho
people are about such as we are nr-
customed to in the north, but I notice
one thing they are very sociable and
/