The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-04-29
LETTER FROM ARIZONA.
0ovsransns Sehoel On Inaiss Reser.
vaaien-Keam's Csnyos-Neses ~
Mlss R~1is Hill.
Keam's Canyon, Arizona,
April Is, 1903.

Wtoe HA0l1 Hill.
Keam's Canyon, Arizona,
April is. 1903.
Dear Jessie:
Having written to you all along my
route, aad of my arrival here, which
lettess ] suppose you have received, ]
VIII nov tell you something Of how ]
am situated here, and Of Keam's Can
yon. .
have been here only . little over
two weeks, though Of course It seems
much longer to me. I am getting &C.
customed TO everything very fast, ex-
cept the climate. guess 1t will take
me some time to become acclimsted ; I
feel the cold wind much more than
thoee who have lived here some time
and the altitude 10 90 much greater
than thai Of South Carolina that /
have an uncomf mfortable feeling about
my throat and chest, and difficulty
In breathing.
sea level. Il took its name from an
Enxiishman Of the name Of Keam,
who came here some years ago, and
took possession of it by virtue Of what
10 known % ''The Squatters Rights"
He followed the business Of an Indian
trader for several years, when he died,
and brother came over and took up
his claim.
when the government Get apart o
reservation In this section Of Arizona
for the Moqpl Indians, this canyon was
included within its boundaries, and
Mr.. Keam was paid ten thousand dol
lass and given one hundred and eighty
acres Of land further down the canyon
for bis claim. 80 you see Arizona
sand and rocks come high some times,
even though it may scarcely produce
vegetation sufficient to feed burro.
This. the Moqui Training School,
wss established about fifteen years ago.
It n the only boarding school In the
reservation, but there are three day
schools,
Tia school buildings are scattered
along both sides Of street or road, and
side walks bordered with Q thick row
Of cotton wood trees extend about i've
hundred yards up the canyon.
Az there are always Indians coming
and Hoing, and traders or workmeD
coming TO the post Office, it presents
the appearance Of . small VILLAGE. We
have Q money order post ofdce and
something over one thousand dollars
was sent out last month In post office
orders.
Every thing has to be ordered from
Q distance by tho employees, 90 every
o1e has catalogues Of some large fur
nishing houses In Northern, Western
oe Eastsrn cities.
The government furnishes ali sup.
plies for the school, but an employee 10
not allowed to boy even . yard Of call
co as the school store.
This canyon is about two hundred
yards vide at this point and the rock
walls, Or naesns % they are called, are
from one hundred 10 one hundred and
fifty feet perpendiculsr.
Cold, clear water which comes from
under the rock walls Of the canyon, IL
conveyed through pipes all through the
school Rrounds. It is pleasant 20 the
tasts, bot % hard, IL 10 very dlsagreea-
ble % the skin.
The style Of architecture Of our pres.
ent school buildings 10 not very prepos-
ssssine and the buildings are In rather
o dilapadAted condition tho govern
ment not caring to expend any more
on them than ie absolutely necessary
70 make them habitsble, % they will
soon be vacated.
Most Of them are long one story
buildinRs, made Of rough rock, plas-
tered inslce and ont. covered with
tin and built 60 - TO form two three
sidsd hollow squares fronting on the
road or street and having the rear lines
Of the square formed by tho perpendic.
ula1 walls Of the canyon.
Inside Of one Of the open courts the
mess dining room and Kitchen arc sit
uased, and In the other is the girls dor
mitory.
Weare rather crowded now for room
o there was Q fre on the 18th Of
March last which destroyed Ave
rooms; but No hope soon to move into
our neW buildings about one and half
miles further down the canyon, where
We win have all the modern conve-
uiencss Of city school.
Our new plant will cost the govern
ment about one hundred thousand dol
lays. The buildings will be lighted by
electricity, steam heated, hot and cold
water, cts.
Thsre ass three large two-story
buildings with hasements; laundry,
electric power house, store house. doc
tors and superintendens's cottages,
stables, &cs, all built Of Q kind of gray
stone. quarried right In the canyon.
Cur coal n mined within sight Of the
new buildings. Cedar ID the only kind
Of wood We have 70 burn.
There are about one hundred and
eighty boys and giris ut this school,
Hangine In age from fou. to eighteen
yeaSs. The teachers and other em-
ployeee, (White), number sixteen, and
there are seven Indians. four police
men, one interpreter, and an assistant
In che kitchen and In the lauL y.
suppose We will have to lave an
electrician and several Others when we
move % the new plant
The white employees have . man
cook. The doctor IN mess manager,
buys all the provisions, &c., and appor-
ticna or profstes our board bill. We
live very we'll, considering that every
thing has TO be freighted 60 far over
land after leaving the railroad-in fact
about % well % the average boarding
school All visitors, and We have more
or lees every week, such - government
school inspectors, insurance agents,
&c., board with the mess and are
chsrRed transient rates for their meals ;
20 It h not only pleasant for US TO have
visitors from the outside world but
profitable from Q financial standpoint,
% it usually has the effect Of reducing
our board bill somewhat.
The employees in the school consist
Of nine ladies and seven gentlemen,