The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-09-26
ARIZONA AS A HEALTH RESORT.
-FOUR MONTHS OF SUMNER AND
THE BEST THE YEAR SPRING.

The Best Results are to be Attained Tor
Consumptives by Tenting on the Desert
Itself-Those who Brave tho Mfdsuin-
mer Heat are Said to Derive the Great
est Benefit.
The extreme aridity of Arizona, which
has caused the downfall of many we'll
laid AGRICULTURAL scheme and made the
sun-kissed Territory notorious, is one or
its great merits as a health resort, says
the New York Sun.
1t is a generally accepted theory nova
days that the white plague Is to be
stamped out only by the Segregation OF lts
victims and an absolutely out-of-door life
for them. The first condition is nnanifestly
impossible in the crowded city and the
second is feasible only where mother ma
ture is most beneficent, where the sun
never goes into hiding for months at
time, where the breezes are not TOO "anton
and where the night air is as dry and free
from vapors as the day.
All these conditions for the absolute cure
or the amelioration Of consumption are to
be found at their best in the Southwest,
particularly in the Salt River valley,
Ariz. Within its area of 100000 acres
fruitful as the Garden of the Gods, so soon
as irrigation is applied, there are miles OF
the relief Of all pulmonary troubles are
perhaps unexcelled in this country or
abroad. Here the transition of the sea-
Sons-and there are but two, four months
of summer and the rest Of the year a per
petual spring-is slow and gradual. The
skies are cloudless blue, the air so sweet
that it can almost be tasted, and the
average humidity so low as to be incon-
ceivable to the sweltering resident Of the
coast and lake regions.
For December and January the mocking-
bird MARBLES his clear-throated epithalam-
ium to his brown mate in the cotton
woods-the full orchestra Of red-winged
blackbirds follows the lead of its sable
precentor who sits up on pepper bough
and conducts his followers through a
chorus of Wagnerian melody, the shirt
waist girl swings in her hammock as COM
fortably as in an Eastern June, and the
small boy beats the sides of his burro or
Indian pony with bare brown feet. Pic
MICS are the order Of the day. In Febru-
airy the almond orchards, which rim the
deserts northern edge, burst into mass
Of pink white bloom, the pomegranates
are budded and the blossoming orange
groves send forth their fragrance for miles
around.
In the colder lands the invalid would be
SulSeTIuS 1UIudSS-lSdSSo AOOI1S, 1So1 III
OF every draught. Here he spends his
days and often his nights in the open, the
starry heavens his canopy. The nights
throughout the winer are cool, sometimes
cold. There was one week last January
when ice formed in the water bucket in
the tent, and a hot stone for the feet
night caps and bed socks were more than
welcome. Blankets are necessity all the
winter. Yet with the rising Of the sun
genial spring again asserts itself. This
difference Of temperature between night
and day Is possibly the one exception to
perfect climatic conditions. Forewarned,
however, is forearmed, and with plenty Of
bedding and warm night garments there
is no danger Of taking cold.
It is G. strange thing about this desert
life, thatit has charm which grows with
acquaintance-ando one who has spent some
time in the desert is said to be never quite
happy elsewhere. The summers are hot.
There need be no reservations about that
statement. For days last July the ther-
mometer registered anywhere from SO de-
gree to III degrees right along-but the
absence Of humidity made the heat much
easier to bear than the close, muggy de-
vitalized air Of New York and Brooklyn.
There were no sunstrokes, no heat pros
trations. Ranchers went about their work
suffering no inconvenience.
Although the majority Of health-seekers
turn their faces to the seacoast Of South
ern California or the pines OF Prescott for
midsummer days those who brave the heat
and remain are said to derive the greatest
benefit at this season. The intense heat
seems to heal the lung tissue and destroys
the germs. Sufferers from kidney trouble
gain in summer.
"bS1o yooor1v rannh In fho q11av
stands ready, for a consideration, to open
Its doors to the invalid. the best. results
are to be attained from tenting on the
desert itself. The ranches must be irri-
gated at stated intervals. The desert, no
mans land, Is dryness itself.
Although the camper, assured Of squat
ter sovereignty, may set up his canvas es-
tablishment where he will. the qeustion Of
a convenient water supply leads him to
select site near ranch. A quarter will
pay for barrelful of wash water hauled
each week on stone boat from the irri-
CATION ditch, while two bits more will keep
the swinging ola, or Mexican water jar,
filed and provide water for cooking from
some adjacent we'll Other supplies are
also readily obtained. The Indians bring
in from the reservations wagon loads of
mesquite and iron wood, which they retail
for 81 IS or 81 load, while the same
cot wood from the orchards which have
died for lack Of water. Faggoting parties
are also popular and he who will can
gather for himself the hotsam and jetsam
of the desert.
Fruits may be obtained at the orange
groves and adjacent orchards at a reason
able price and Of delicious quality. The
roll-call Of native fruits includes oranges,
grape fruit, lemons, apricots, peaches,
pears, pomegranates, figs, grapes. necta-
rines, plums, berries and melons galore.
Rich Jersey milk may be obtained at the
ranches for five cents a quart, butter for
twenty-five cents a pound, honey-deli-
cious as the famed honey Of Hymettis-
fifteen cents a pound. Ice, artificial, can
be obtained at any Of the towns at sixty
cents hundred. The markets of Phoenix
supply the best beef and mutton in the
world at live and let live prices. Groceries
are high, owing to the freight rates, but
the stores would be credit to any city
Of New York State outside the metropolis.
An accurate account Of living expenses
kept during the last year for family Of
three adults and . child showed an aver
age Of $40 month for table expenses. S
for water. service and laundry; oil and
repairs, 81 IS, and fuel. So 50.