Arizona silver belt., 1903-04-09

an average of 260 sheep each, or a total of over 25,OOO head.-Republican.
 AtWilliams, on Wednesday of last week, alarm was occasioned by the partial giving away of dam which released about 5000, ,OO0 gallons of wa ter, above the town. Fortunately, two larger dams, one holding 30, 900, ,000 gallons and the other l30, ,000, 900, with stood the pressure of the flood. As it was, a part of the town was inunda- ted, several small houses destroyed and two horses drowned.
 This is one of the old-time years for wetneSs, and in those years great deal of placer gold from the surround ing country found it's way to Prescott. The supply of gold did not fail, but successive dry years prevented the washing of the gravel. The, present plentitude of water everywhere will start up many rocker and sluice box and the old time volume of placer gold which did so much to keep up the local cash circulation may again be looked for.-CouTier.
 Pete Spence, one of the widely known old-timers of the southwest, came to town last Saturday. He and some others have discovered an i'm mense deposit of gold-bearing rock about twenty miles east of Douglas and six miles north of the railroad, on which they located seven claims. The rock assays $6 in gold. A peculiarity of the ore is that it burns with blue flame and is thus reduced to mass resembling coal clinker.- Douglas International.
 From all appearances this year the tax rate in the county will be consider ably lower than it has been for the past few years. The territorial tax rate this year will be reduced from SLY to less than Sl, while the assessment roll of the county this year will be nearly $5O0,000 over what it was last year, which means that the rate will be con. siderably reduced. The rate will prob- ably be nearer S3 20 this year than $4. 20, as it has been for several years. Douglas International.
 "The next to the worst flood that the oldest timer can remember" is the Republicans measure of the fresh ct in Salt river at Phoenix, last Thurs day. The river was mile wide in places, and for time it was feared that the temporary bridge of the PhOe- nix & Eastern would be carried away. It was moved eighteen inches out of line when the water began to recede. A family was with difficulty rescued from perilous situation on a small island in .mid-Stream. It is alleged that an unknown man, and team at tached to blackboard were washed down the angry stream and drowned.
 The Review reports artesian water close to BiSbee, It says: 'Our es- teemed friend, Mir. Stump, was in from his home at the mouth of Ash canyon "Wednesday. He states that artesian water in abundance has been struck at 147 feet, and has a strong flow. The well was cased down to the point where the drill entered hard rock, and the flow has every indication of per manence. Another well had been put down 60 feet when MT. Stump came through there. The discovery of an artesian belt in that locality means volumes for the stock and mining in- terests in and around the IIuachucas, and may be the cause of opening up an important agricultural feature in that section"
 That San Francisco conference Of the Southern Pacific officials resulting from an inspection tour of the com mittee sent out from Ilarriman's office to euggest plans for the improvement of the passenger service, is still being heard from. On the 18th of this month the Southern Pacific out of Fl PaSo will fall in line with most of the large roads of the east and put on ticket col lectorS on all passenger trains. These new adjunctS to the'service will attend exclusively to the taking up of tickets and the collection flares on the trains The conductors, under this arrange ment, will be relieved of all clerical duty and will have nothing to do but look after the operation of the trains. Phoenix Enterprise.
 At meeting of the board of regents held April ? the bids for the S25, ,000 university library bonds were opened. There were five bidders in the field and were as follows: Martin Costello, of Tombstone, $27, ,37l 10; Seasongood x Meyers, of Cincinnati, Ohio, $26, 6,S92; Parsons & Leach, of Chicago, $25, 7S3 American Trust X Savings bank, Of Chicago, $25,76l, and w. J. Hayes & Son, of Toledo, Ohio, $25, ,000. Mr. Costello received the bonds, his prem ium is $lOI higher than the highest offer received when the bonds were