The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-10-08

this country / was then husky young
fellow about 1S, and was sitting in q
saloon when some of the cowboys came
into town and began shooting it up.
laughed at some of their antics. which
was resented by bad man who happened
TO be in the saloon, and thought that
was putting on some airs for n tenderfoot
He said to me, 'IOungster, do you know
where you are gOingI' and when | an
swered that | did not he said, ''Headfore-
most out of that window, and l am going
to put you out"
l replied that | had not heard a word
of 1t up to that time, and | did not think
it was so. He jumped for me. | was a
pretty healthy youngSter, and before he
realized it | had him oil his back. He
gave in very gracefully, and asked me to
let him up. and We became friends. This
seemed to make me solid with the boys,
and ut an election | was chosen Deputy
Sheriff. Things were running wide open
in those days, with bad men running loose
everywhere. but with little tact and firm
ness. / managed to get along with them
and maintain peace and order and my
standing with them. Now our town is as
orderly as any you will find in the East.
and there is as little gun play. All sorts
of men came out here for while, and
when you struck a man you might be pre-
pared for almost any sort of a past for
him. For example. fired for a long time
for Capt. Hamilton, who had been an
excellent cavalry officer for many years,
but had been cashiered. He became one
was very devoted to him until he fell into
his old habits and had to be discharged
OLD FORT YUMA.
Running down the river we at last come
to Old Fort Yuma. at the junction of the
ella and the Colorado, which used to have
an uncomfortable reputation of being the
hottest and worst billet in the United
States Army. 1t is of this place that John
Phoenix tells the story of the bad solder
who died and went to the place where all
bad soldiers go. A few Nights later he
appeared to his comrades and demanded
his blankets. 1t was so much colder in the
place whittier he had gone than the place
he was accustomed to that he was chilly.
Apparently the civilians have not found
it as uncomfortable as the soldiers did. for
Yuma is now thriving town of 1,5OO.
the County Seat of Yuma County
and has a church. a convent. a newspaper
office, the Territorial prison, Court
House, and various other public buildings.
The country round about is rich in copper,
gold and silver, and it is an important
supply town for the mines in that part of
Arizona and Mexico. 1t is the head of
navigation on the Colorado River, and does
a good deal of business by water with Old
California.
IN LOWER CALIFORNIA.
When we arose in the morning to go
into the dinng-car for breakfast, we found
that the scenery had totally changed We
were now running through an ever-widen-
ing valley, with the handicapped noun
tains receding farther and farther to the
right and left.
Now" said the inevitable Californian,
we gathered in the smoker and he
pointed at the landscape with a wave of
his hand, NOW you are somewhere Now
you are where God Almighty used the ex-
perience that He had gained in making
the rest of the world to make something
very much better. Here is where the Gar
doubtless would have been but for the
grasping East"
Yes" said n new man who had come
in during the night, ''this is California, and
the very best part of California. This is
Southern California, and much the better
half of the State"
The other Californian scowled Mt the
Los Angeles man, for such he proved to
he, but this did not faze him a bit. He
was as enthusiastic as anybody, but his
enthusiasm centered around Los Angeles
and the southern part of the State. San
Francisco and the other half were simply
an annex to Los Angeles. What helped
him amazingly in his rhapsodies was that
he could constantly point out objects TO
sustain his assertions. 1t was simply Won
derful wherever the eye rested. The
orchards and fields, nourished by irriga-
ton. far surpassed anything in the East.
The trees were SO close together, so thick
ly brancled. so heavily loaded with mag
nificent fruit. Pears, peaches, olives,