Graham guardian., 1904-01-29
ARTESIA.


by our honorable board of super
visors; some besitancy was appar-
ent in the board before our petition
was granted, but our representa-
tives stated that the proposed dis
trict would not lapse. Since that
time we have not been idle, but
have steadily moved forward to-
ward making this upper cienega
valley more Of community
A comfortable house of adobe
and frame was built for use as a
school room and since the first day
of our school, have had good at
tendance, which has steadily in
creased until now some seventeen
are on the rolls.
From the first it appeared that
in matters of general interest this
school house would be the center
of attraction for this district, and
so we have not stopped with the
school and been satisfied, but soon
organized an association for the
purpose of maintaining public
worship of God. Since the start
ing of this service, there have been
from fifteen to twenty present each
Sunday, coming from radius of
three miles.
This association is based on in
terdenominationa worship so as to
welcome all who may choose to
come. Just as soon as our supplies
arrive, we will divide our number
into classes and be more as a mod
ern Sunday school. When we or
ganized it was our plan to ask
each of the ministers accessible to
come out once each month or as
often as convenient to conduct a
regular preaching service after our
Sunday school; this is still our
plan. Our school meets at 2 p m
each Sabbath.
The scope of this organization
also included the possibility of M
occasional musicale or literary
meeting during the week and so
with this in view, we will now also
have a weekly gathering on Thurs
day evening for social and literary
purposes and also to practice, as
occasions demands, the songs to be
sung on the following Sunday.
There are rumors in the air of
the established of store, a post
Office and also of a coming survey
of that part of this district which
is still not open to regular entry.
Thus this district is progressing
and continually we are endeavor-
ing to prove that, despite unfav-
orable reference heard, we are
worthy Of consideration and in
time we will show that our valley
here is all we have claimed it to
be.
With a public school in our
midst, service of public worship
maintained, we certainly have two
of the bulwarks of any new com
munity and, if we can ever get
suitable machines and competent
operators in here so that we can
have numerous wells developed
with business like promptness Of
prices not prohibitive, we are sure
this locality promises bright
fnturo ~ oil who anna
There is no doubt but that
plenty of water can be developed
in this belt and the growing crops
which can be seen any day, on
those places where water has been
secured, prove that the soil is rich
and full of productiveness, and
now all that remains TO be done is
q reliable study of this belt Of
/. water and a satisfactory develop
ment of the same TO the land
owners.
; Co operation, not opposition
with liberal business dealings by
the valley merchants, will have a
tendency to keep our trade in SAT-
ford, but we will progress in this
district and some day be valua-
able neighbor to the rich Gila val
ley.
, We have'kept and will keep oui
: word TO the board of supervisors
regarding the lapsing of this
school district and our friends may
count on us to keep our word to
} make this community worthy oi
consideration.