Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1903-09-09
A BANQUET ID
 PECK VISITORS An Informal Entertain ment Last Evening. Prescott Citizens Extend Cordial Welcome to MT. Clifford'S Guests
 From the East.

An informal banquet was given las evening to the Eastern guests of H. B Clifford who have been on visit tt this section. It Was rather an i'm promptu affair, and was arranged by the citizens of Prescott, who accom- panied the party to the Peck mine on Thursday, as a courtesy not only tC the visitors but as a compliment tC Mir. Clifford as we'll. Covers were laid for twenty, the number who went on the trip, and the banquet was given in Hotel Burke dining room, con- mencing about : 10 and closing about II o'clock. In spite of the fact that only few hours notice had been given of the banquet a most elaborate spread was served, which would do credit to even a more pretentious ho- tel than the one presided over by Prescott's mayor, although such is seldom found in towns of the size of Prescott.
 After the discussion of the viands. speech making was indulged in and good fellowship and social intercourse prevailed for a couple of hours.
 There were no formal set toasts or speeches, but eXtemporaneous ad- dresses were made by number pres ent among them being A. H. Jackson, of Fremont, Ohio, James H. Southard, of Toledo, Ohio, Judge Herman P. Goebel, of Cincinnati, Ohio, all members elect of congress and Will jam H. Bixby, large manufacturer of Haverhill, Massachusetts, each of whom expressed himself highly pleased with the cordial reception which had been accorded them here, as we'll as with the prosperous condi- tion of the territory at present, and the bright mineral outlook for it for the future. While they did mot come here believing the wild and wierd stories which have been circulated about Arizona, and expecting to find a long haired race of semi i-barbarous people, each one carrying a six shoot CT in his belt and dagger in his boot leg, they expressed surprise at finding such fine, well built town, with all of the modern conveniences. found in .afT- ,f particularly gratified with the hospi- tality of its citizens. Many of them ] having resided in a comparatively level section of the country all their lives, enjoyed the view of our rugged and picturesque mountains as well as the journey made on horseback over the trails of some of them on their visit to the Peck mine. In fact each and all of them expressed his pleasure that the trip throughout had afforded him, and the better knowledge which had been gained about section of the country of which the majority of eastern people know very little and of which very many have formed erron- eous and exaggerated opinions.
 MT. Clifford gave a very interesting though brief talk detailing his exper- fences in Arizona, coming here from Colorado as a mere boy, during the palmy days of (the Peck mine, and how he had worked in it as a miner for nearly month, afterwards going to Tombstone. of the warm spot in his heart for the territory ever after wards. of his return in recent years when fortune had gone adversely to him, of his efforts to secure capital for the development of its mines. and of his never faluering faith in its resources, and of the bright and pros porous future which is in store for the territory and future state, as capital will furnish the key for unlocking its treasure vaults yet hidden beneath its surface. Speaking of the Peck mIne. the history of the product of which in the past is so we'll known to all, he expressed his belief that a greater flu ture was in store for it when its lower depths were opened up and made to yield the richness believed 10 exist there.
 On behalf of the citizens of Prescott Judge E. W. Wells, Judge R. E. Sloan, Forest Supervisor F. R. Stew art, Mayor Dennis A. Burke. District Attorney E. s. Clark, City Attorney E. E. Ellinwood, A. w Edwards and Attorney T. G. Norris delivered brief but appropriate addresses, some of which were interspersed with interest ing "reminiscences of early days. and all of which breathed answering loyalty to Arizona and glad welcome to the visitors Judge Wells gave a very interesting history of the discov- cry of the Peck mine, the piece of ore or float which led to its discovery two years later, having been found in 1872 by Ed Peck while acting as an Indian scout. Mir. Peck while in the vicinity picked up a piece of rock which be
  ing its value. Accidentally running across a similar piece of rock in L. B. Jewell's assay office from the Me Cracken mine he told Jewell. of his find, showed him the rock and a party of five men went out to prospect the country and succeeded in finding the location where the original ore had been discovered, traced up the float, found the ledge and located the mine. They took out from near the surface a small amount of ore which netted them Sl3. 900 and that he said was the only work done on the cIaim by the original locators.
 Many, and in fact nearly all of our home people, while expressing the pleasure it afforded them to welcome our eastern cousins and friends on any and every occasion of their visit here. could not refrain from giving expression to sentiment which is uppermost in the mind of every loyal ArizonaD. that of statehood, and coupled it with the hope that the con gressiOnal contingent of the visitors might find sufficient evidence during their visit, of our fitness and qualifi- cations to become a state, and there