The copper era., 1905-03-23
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 2 NEWS OF THE VALLEY. E
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dll0 VI =. - III I al A0 sAA V lN"-NN ing this week in Fl Paso.
 The farmers complain that it is so wet that they cannot irrigate their fields.
 Luther Green. the stage man. is laid up with q multitude of car bunclcs.
 The alfalfa fields of the valley would cut d good crop right now. All vegetation has made q surprising growth.
 The wheat and barley fields of the valley are heading out. \ freeze would do q great deal of damage now, both to the grain fields and fruit trees. which are far advanced.
 Ira Harper and F. Depee are still here cndeavoring to drill deep well for Jim Parks. They have q fine outfit and when through here will drill several wells on the Parks cat tie ranges.
 It seem, to have escaped the press that the Giia valley and the Clifton Morenci country is now in telephonic communication with Phoenix and the outside world. The extension from Glooc to Pho>nis has brGf The work of rebuilding the Diaz hotel. destroyed by the flood. is pro- gressing well and the establishment will be ready for business by court time. Don Abaran Diaz has displayed commcndable grit and enterprise in facing his misfortune.
 District court will convene at the county seat April 3rd, and the work of trying the big water suits will be taken up first. These suits will oc cupy two or three weeks and the iurics will not be summoned until well toward the end of April.
 The valley is agaIn cut off from all railroad and mail connections. No mail has been received or dispatched for six days at this writing and all reports indicate that the Gila Valley. Globe X Northern will not be open for several days vet to come. This causes the greatest inconvenience and business of all kinds is practically at q ,tandstill.
 The Solomonvillc school district voted q special tax last Saturday for the purpose of providing funds with which to continue the schools. Tine district has been in debt for long time and had reached q point where heroic measures were necessary. The special levy will make high taxes. but schools we must have.
 In speaking of the big flood of January, which destroyed a large portion of Solomonville, the Era stated that the damage was done Gy the overflow of the san Simon. This wa4 an error, the damage coming en- tircly from the Gila river water which secured q course on the upper side of the Montezuma ditch embank- mcnt and stood about three feet higher than the level of the river. This statement is made merely to correct the files of the Era.
 The valley now receives mail about every other day. coming and going at any time without reference to schedule. For several days the trains have been running only as far as Geronimo, it being necessary to travel by stage about twenty miles in order to get into Globe. Travel CTS complain of much hardship and d general attempt at hold-up along the way. As high as $IO k charged for the twenty mile stage ride and very high prices for all accommoda- tionS. The lot of the traveller in Arizona is not d pleasant one just now.
 W. F.. Beck was again in justice court last Saturday. charged with ob- taining S2 with fasc pretense. He was given a jury trial, plead his own case and was convicted. His punish mcnt was assessed at Sl00 fine and one hundred days in jail. the latter being suspended for three days d subtle hint for the prisoner to seek other fields. Trying Beck for hi, petty miSdemeanorS has become d pleasing diversion at the county seat but it is rather expensive for the county.
 The Gila river has developed d most avaricjouS appetite for the rich farming lands of the valley. Careful estimates place the areas eaten up absolutely during the past few weeks at over I5O0 acres. worth an average of SD per acre. The river simply becomes possessed of an ovcrwhelm- ing desire to change it's bed and boldly cuts into the bank distances varying from a few feet up%E mile. In some instances farm build- in~S have been engulfed and the residents obliged to flee for their lives. Each recurring rise adds to the danger and damage, and the end is not yet in sight.
 The preliminary hearing in the Sisson murder case has held the at tention of the county seat this week. II. w. SisSon shot and killed Charles Robey in the artesian country March l4th. Robey and his wife were work