Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-25
LAND OF SUNSHINE
Al. W. LEE ON TRIP THROUGH
SOUTH AND WEST, .
WRITES LETTER FROM TUCSON, ARIz.
Describes Pleasant Journey to Ell Paso,
Texas, Juarez, Mexico, and Across
Desert to Observation-Disclosures in Gil
mate Very Noticeable.


Desert to Observation-Disclosures in Gil
mate Very Noticeable.
Tucson, Arizona, Feb. Is, 1904.
Dear Courier: For twenty-five years
have had a desire to see Tucson, ART
Iona; just why, I have never known,
Dor did find out until reached this
Place. Then it quickly became self
evident that there are several good
reasons why people should want to Wis
u tucson at this season of the year.
Principal among these reasons is the
Simple delight of bathing in the glori-
GUS sunshine from morning until night,
and breathing air as pure as the
snow on the mountainous, which hem
IN on all sides the beautiful valley in
which Tucson is located. We do not
wonder that this place is full of people
IN the winter time, who have come
here simply to breathe, for to breathe
This air is to live, and it has in fact
brought life and health to many a
sick and weary pilgrim. They call
them "lungers" here-not an elegant,
but certainly very expressive term,
which translated into medical par
lance. means that the person so de-
nominated is suffering with tuberculo-
eis. Very many Of these people live
IN tents, for their chief object is to
Simply live out of doors, battle in the
Sunshine and drink in the pure air.
Many marvellous cures are effected
and in other cases there is material
relief from acute suffering and mani
fest extension of the period of life.
New Mexico and Arizona are certainly
destined to become the most impor-
tant health resorts in the world for
persons suffering with lung diseases.
These "lungers" are distributed all
the way from Ell Paso to the California
line, and plans are being perfected for
Erecting numerous large and complete
banitariums at different points in this
widely separated territory. At Ell Paso
| met gentleman, one of the proprie-
tors of the Evening Herald who came
here from Wisconsin few years ago.
, physical wreck, but with lots of
courage, and a firm faith in the elm
Rte After living in tent for year
and half he had so far recovered as
to take up again active business life,
and is today a well man. 1t goes with
put saying, that he is convinced that
This is a mighty good country to live
In
Just one week ago today we boarded
the Rock Island train in Iowa for FL
Paso; it was zero weather and all af-
ternoon we rode through a severe
Bnow storm. In southwestern Kansas
we began to feel the effect of the per.
petual sunshine in this country, and
at Ell Paso, where we arrived the fol.
lowing morning. we were enabled to
entirely discard winter wraps, and en-
Joy the grateful warmth of a tempera-
ture that seemed like June at home
While the nights are quite cold and
the mornings and evenings cool, dur
Ing the day it is warm enough for the
children to run in the streets barefoot
The days ride from Ell Paso to Tucson,
most of the way across a desert waste
was uncomfortably warm, and here at
Tucson, the weather is simply superb
This afternoon we drove nine miles
out of the city to the old San Xavier
mission, which was founded by the
Franciscan fathers in 1892, and we
found it so warm that umbrellas were
necessary to protect us from the suns
rays. The sun shines all the time in
this country, that is, during the day;
there is, however, no twilight, for the
sun suddenly. disappears behind the
mountains and then it is night. The
air Immediately becomes cool, and this
Is the case, even in the summertime
SO that blankets are necessary 4 for
comfort in July and August. There is
practically no winter here, for during
the day the constant sunshine creates
warmth that is exceedingly delight
full.
At Tucson l had the pleasure OF
meeting Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Forbush
formerly of Qttumwa, Iowa. who have
been here for nearly two months, on
account of Mr.. Forbush's health, We
are pleased to state that the latter is
improving. When we remarked upon
our sudden transition from below! zero
weather at Ottumwa to the June-like
temperature of Tucson, he replied that
we had reached Tucson on the coolest
day of the season.
The travel to California this winter
is unusually heavy, and there are sew
eral reasons why this is the case. In
the first place the winter in the Mis-
sissippi valley apd in the east has
been unusually severe; in the second
place general prosperity has prevailed
throughout the country; but probably
the chief factor in causing the in
creased travel is the unexcelled facili
lies now offered by the railway com
panies in handling this traffic. AS an
example, the Golden State Limited Of
the Rock Island railway, which runs
daily between Chicago and Los Ange
les, is one of the finest trains in the
world; in less than three days it will
carry one from winter climate, where
all the rigors and Inconvenience Of
severe cold are being experienced, tc
q land of sunshine, delightful warmth
pure and invigorating air, and bloom
Ing flowers. The long and tedious
trip across the western plains of for
mer years is entirely eliminated now
the journey is one of continuous pleas
IRE, amid the most comfortable ant
enjoyable surroundings. The Pull
man sleeping and dining car give tc
the traveller every convenience ant
H. L. II a.