Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-06-22

country, imposing on the editor of some
reputable newspaper a screed purport-
ing TO set forth conditions in Phoenix
and which effusion is absolutely indie
feasible. maliciously and damnab bly,
false. Such a screed. and the most in
famous one that has yet appeared in
print was published by the st. Paul
Pioneer Press in its issue of June 18th
under the caption. Prosperity is Based
on Death; Arizona Towns Sole Indus
try is the Entertainment of Sufferers
Who Are Victims of the Great White
Plague"
This composition covers three and n
half columns, including pictures of the
capitol, courthouse. city hall and
Methodist church. 1t was written by
some falsifier who is or has been here.
and who would undoubtedly be sued for
libel if n community could bring
suit and his name were known.
Not only 50, but it is printed as
special dispatch from Phoenix under
date of the day before when of course
it is only a feature story sent by mail
together with the pictures. Undoubt-
eddy the correspondents idea was to
make his lies so big they would be
startling enough to sell to the Pioneer
Press. thus showing that there is one
industry beside that of robbing sick
and dead people that fiourishes here.
and that is the business of the men,
dacious correspondent.
Wild west stories and even exagger-
ated stories of real things that hap
pen in Arizona have become so frequent
in the feature papers that they are
fairly we'll understood by the reading
public. and The Republican long ago
ceased making denial of any halfway
plausible lies that might be told re-
garding Arizona, but this particular
"dispatch?" is such an insulting out
rage that IL demands some attention.
He lies about the history of the town.
lies about the people, lies about the
population. belittles and lies about the
corporation facilities. lies about the
lodging houses. lies about the irrigat-
ing systems, and even states that in
the early days the Salt river valley
was irrigated from the ella river.
Then he lies about prices. Says a room
that rents for SO anywhere else costs
$40 here. Drugs of course are from so
to 100 per cent higher here than else
where. and tho doctors attend only
tuberculosis patients. robbing them
when they are too weak to resist. But
his most spectacular lie is in respect
Of the undertakers and the death rate.
Here is what he says:
Probably the worst phase of exist
ence here is presented by the under
takers. For them business is plentiful,
indeed. and their charges are exorbit-
ant, $500 being the most modest fee de-
manded In this business. and the SER
vice rendered for this pittance is. you
may be sure, modest likewise. From
$1,000 to 81, 500 is the size of the bill
presented in most cases, ranging in &C
cordance with the impression made
upon the undertaken rela tive to the
probable means of surviving relatives.
Their gloomy work is done at night.
and the late gambler or sleepless stroll
Ter can scarcely escape, if he plans it.
the sight of the dead wagon and often
a race between two or more wagons
of rival establishments: for it is the
first undertaken on the spot that gets
the job. The deaths in this town aver
age five a day. and on the few dark or
wet days of the year the number shoots
up to twelve and fifteen"
AS to deaths, this liars most modest
estimate in the dull season when
there's nothing doing is five per day or
1926 per year. Add a few weeks at
fifteen per day, as he suggests. and see
what the total would be. 1t would re-
quire an army to bury the dead. The
city health officers annual reports
from June to June show the following
total death roll: 1901, 269: 1902, 1913;
1903, 342. This from all causes, and the
liar under consideration says himself
that 5000 of the population came here
to die. And as for undertakers, they
are done brown. Instead of the under
taking jobs averaging $500 each. The
Republican has taken the trouble to
get some figures that are reliable ana
has found that the average is but very
little over 800. The most expensive
job that a Phoenix undertaken ever fell
heir too was a little over 5000 and the
patron pleaded with him to find some
thing in the shop that would cost more
if he could, for money was no object
In one case within the personal
knowledge of the writer wealthy Mis-
souri, merchant talked poverty till