Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-08
IS HOT IN ARIZONA
George n. Wheelock, a Former Of
tumwan Writes Interestingly.

THERMOMETER At 1870 DEGREES
Dry Heat is Beneficial to Persons suf.
fering From Lung Troubles-Tuc-
son Wide Open Town-Gambling
Carried on Extensively.
The Courier is in receipt of letter
from Capt. Geo. H. Wheelock, who
was formerly in business in this city,
but is now in the government service
in the internal revenue department.
Mr.. Wheelock writes from Tucson, Ari-
zona,and mentions among other things
that the thermometer registered 100
degrees in that city. With the
thoughts of the delightfully."- cool
weather which has been experienced in
this vicinity for some time past, where
the thermometer has lowered closely
around the 60 degree mark, it causes
measure of pity to enter even the
stoniest of hearts for the people who
| are compelled to endure 100 degrees
of heat and continue to live. Mr.Whee-
lock thinks, however, that the dry
heat in that climate is most beneficial
to sufferers from lung trouble and
considers it the most favorable eli
mate in the country for consumptives,
if they go there before the disease is
beyond control. Mr.. Wheelock
writes as follows:
Tucson, Ariz., June 49,
Dear Courier: 1t Is rather warm
here today, 100 degrees on the side
walk in front of the hotel. l am stop
ping at the San Augustine" an old
Catholic church turned into hotel.
Its thick adobe walls make it cooler
than a more modern hotel. The main
body of the church in front of the
altar is used as dining room and so
is the altar space when necessary.
City Has improved.
This city has improved wonderfully
since my visit three years ago. Quite
number OF modern business and res
dences have gone up and fine new
hotel is being constructed. The pro-
portion of Mexicans is smaller here
than in many of the old towns of the
territories. Most of the Mexican wo-
men still wear their shawls over their
heads and cling to the old customs,
but one could see quite number of
young bright girls who wear their
hair and dress like American girls
and it Is vast improvement.
| Climate Beneficial.
l don't feel the heat here as much
as | did at New Orleans last year.
Although it is very warm it is a dry
heat. That is what makes it so bene-
1 fetal in cases of lung trouble. | have
travelled over most of the United
States and having lung trouble in the
family, that subject has been ever
present in my mind-and from all that
/ / have seen and heard am convinc.
ed that this portion of Arizona and
the corresponding portion of New
Mexico are the ideal spots for con.
sumptives, that is If person comes
1 in time. Climate cannot make lungs,
the most it can do is to stop the
waste if any lungs are left, if not one
might better die at home than to come
here to die among strangers.
Another thing should be borne in
mind, if one comes to this part of the
country and is benefited. they must
stay here, for return TO the east is
almost certain to be fatal. So they
should make the choice between death
in the east and existing in the west
Wide Open Town.
This is like all western towns, a
4 4
| improvements. From the front of my
hotel last evening l looked into q
gambling house across the morrow
street lighted by electricity and with
electric fan going, a piano and violin
playing accompaniment to the rattle
of the chips. 1t was frequented by
Chinese. Mexicans. negroes and white
men Poker, faro, craps, policy and
roulette were all going, and yet there
lis very little trouble. l have seen sill
yer dollars STACKED up foot in width
length and height, on table not in
Iuse Just then and no one within ter
would be away watching the play al
some other table, but none dared take
the chances of touching that money.
4 l told one of the proprietors that ii
it was further east he would have to
stand over it with an axe. In this
wide open frontier town of 10000 peo
pie there is one day and one night
policeman. In no part of the United
States are its laws SO cheerfully obey
ed or it's officers treated more cour
teously.
4 A Mirage.
!, On the way here saw mirage. Il
looked like a large lake few miles
away across the hot dusty desert
across the sands. l could see numer
, Gus small whirlwinds taking column
of sand UP skyward, and | wondered II
this was the home of the twisters tina
are SO destructive further north ant
east.
Large Cactus.
The vegetation seems to change
about one hundred miles east of here
and coming west the cactus takes OF
most grotesque shapes and enormous
sizes. venture to say that if some
: one should paint some of these plants
would occart that n0tbiY.o liz