Waterbury Democrat., 1902-09-26
HAD HIGH OLD TIME.
Mining Man Started Watermelon
 Boom in Phenix.
Bought Up Entire Supply of the Ari- zona Metropolis and Then Bom- barded All Who Game Along
 with Broken Pieces


 The Arizona Republican says that for an hour or so, not long ago, Phenix was not as dull town as it has been for some weeks, or ever since the sum- mer hegira to the coast set in. It had a small beginning. and soon developed into a boom in the watermelon traue, which resulted in much profit to youthful melon broker. whose offices are at No. 'steen West Adams street.
 The watermelon corner was engln- eered by MT. Sparks, mining man from Alaska, who has been in Phoenlx for the last two months. He had been drinking some kind of a fluid which not only exhilafated him, but also warmed the cookies of his heart and consider ably decfeased the size and value of the silver dollar He bought a water melon and accidentally let it fall on the sidewalk. It burst open and the beautiful red inside put 1t in his mlno to paint the town red with water melons. That was kind of fresco1ng g that had never been heard of before He bought the load of melons and burst them all upon the sidewalk and soon surrounded himself with all the small boys in that part of the city. A snowball battle in August ensued; the broken pieces of melon were used in place of snowballs. The boys en- tered into the sport with zest which pleased the mining man, who now ana then showed his appreciation by show ering pieces of silver among them. The play became more and more splr- ited until there were no more pieces of red watermelon hearts left Dlg enough to throw, and the procession moved. on to the post office fruit stand. To the consternation of the proprietor the mining man began taking posses sion of his stock of watermelons and eantaIoupes and hurling them into the street for the delectation of his youth fuI followers. Some of them were thrown at passing vehicles and at per 5 sons who had not been regularly en- rolled in the game and who imagined that something disorderly was going on.
 The mining man threw cantaloupes into the air and offered $5 to the boy who would catch them. The scramble began to grow terrific, but at last all the watermelons and the other melons were exhausted, and then the mining man picked up crates of plums and other fruits and tossed them among the shrieking youth, who at the same time were peIting him with pieces of broken melon and any other debris that came handy.
 After this extraordinary sport had been going on for three-quarters of an hour. John Casey came along and though he does hot reside within the city limits he butted in in the interest of law and order, which did not seem to be receiving proper consideration from any other source. Mir. Casey told the mining man that this thing would have to stop. The mining man thought that he had another recruit and that there was going to be more fun than ever. He led with his right, which fell with the force of a pile driver on Mr. Casey's jaw, and that apostle of propriety was for moment converted into a spinning top. He brought up finally against a door, and when the world quit going around and around he went away. If the city taxpayers were willing to let such things happen, he reasoned that it was none of his business.
 The mining man paid for all the havoc he had wrought and at length allowed himself to be led away by a friend. The boy with the watermelon wagon said MT. Sparks was Godsend. If it hadn't been for him he would have cone home broke. MT. Casey holds that he was not a Godsend. Whoever sent him. if it had not been for him he would not have gone home with his jaw broken.
 A Waterspout's Activity
 The rotation of waterspout at the