The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-12-14
GRAND CANYON.
A woMAN'S IMPRESSIONS AND DE-
SCIPTION OF THAT NATURAL WON
DER
Correspondence of The Journal.

CORRESPONDENCE of The Journal.
FORT APACHE, ARIZONA, October,
1905 Since coming to Arizona, nine
teen months ago, my hearts desire has
been to make tour Of the Grand Can
yon of the Colorado, and the wonderful
Petrified Forest, the largest in the
world, realizing that this doubtless is
the one chance of Il life. time for me, as
] will never be nearer those two mar
wells of nature than now. In the months
of September and October the climate
here is about at its best, SO making all
preparations to enjoy few weeks in
sightseeing, l left my husband and
brother to ''.bach" it, alter leaving with
them many verbal injunctions and a
long list of written instructions con-
corning the careful attendance on each
particular member Of my numerous
and petted family, which consists Of
cats, dogs, mocking birds, a canary,
saddle ponies, and about 200 Of the
most wonderful chickens Gn my estl-
mation) that ever stroye and scratched
in Arizona.
A lady friend here was to have ac-
companied me, but when matters trans
pired to alter her plans |, nothing
daunted, started out alone on the over
land mail team to Holbrook, 90 miles
away, from there to SO by rail to the
canyon. This mail, having several relays,
goes through in a hours, and often
soldiers in a hurry to get home on a
Through make it without stop, but |
found > days was barely enough for me
to compass it i'll with comfort. we
stopped for dinner at large milk
ranch, where | had to step carefully IN
entering to avoid the swarm of chick
ens and little black pigs. This was
about l 900 feet higher than our start
ing point, and just IN the edge OF the
grand pine forest which extends some
40 miles. A little later we came to the
well known Cooley's Ranch, which is
like an oasis in desert.
To all officers and soldiers who haze
ever served at Fort Apache, and Who
have taken the long dusty ride between
there and Holbrook, the mention OF
Mr. Cooley's name is sure to awaken
agreeable recolections of genial host,
who. as the ambulance rolls up, is al
ways, like st. Peter, waiting at the gate
to welcome the sojourner L had pre-
viously enjoyed more than one delicious
meal at his table, these meals usually
consisting of patters piled high with
crisplv-fried mountain brook trout,
yanison steaks and the fresh laid eggs
of his thoroughbred poultry. Mr.. Cooley
is one of the most famous of story tel
lers. and his good stories of the army,
and of Arizona, are among the most
pleasant features of a days visit. A
pioneer of Arizona, lie is skilled III the
Apache language, life and Characters
ties, and knows everything about
Apache Indians. He is familiar with
the Zuries and all the Pueblo Indians,
and knows every inch of Arizona and
New Mexico. He secuted with Crook
and McCook, was personal friend OF
Gen. Crook, and is frequently mention
ed by Burke in his famous book ON
The Border with Crook. Mr.. Cooley
has often prevented clashes between
Apaches and the troops by his tact and
influence over the Indians.
Farther on is Pine Top. the divide,
which is 1850 feet above sea level.
Through this immense pine forest is
one of the prettiest drives | ever en-
ioyed. nearly level it would seem, there
beng a long, steady. but almost lmper-
ceptible ascent to Pine Top, and as I'M
perceDtible Il descent on the other side
smooth as the finest country road,
thickly carpeted with pine needles, and
wood flowers everywhere. The exhll-
arating. spicy air VAS something dellc-
iouS to my nostris, and surely the
germs of disease could not llnger here.
This is the forest | mentioned III for
mer article as All ideal site for huge
health sanitarium. Its only drawback
is the considerable distance to a rail
road-something more than days
j0u!ney-althoug if they get the auto
mobile route up through there, which
is being discussed, it would be of easy
access to invalids. This is Govern
memt Forest Reserve, just beyond the
limits of the Apache reservation, and
not tree is cut down without permit
from the forest ranger. Beyond Pine
Top are the small settlements of Show
low, Taylor, and Subway, these being
composed almost entirely OF Mormons.
The most noticeable feature of these
settlements, which are scattered all
through this country, is the multitude
Of children. No danger of trace sui
eide here, surely, for at every pane and
doorway are little faces. and usually a
row at the gate watching the mail go
past.
There are numerous ranches along
this road, several having comfortable
brick houses with bay windows and
verandas. When | at one time ex-
claimed over the great number of chill
dren everywhere, the driver. with jol-
ly laugh replied: "Well, we have to
raise something, and on some of these
places where we cannot get water to
lrrigate with, that is about all we can
raise Later on when we called at his
home, which was small ''dry farm, y
and | counted seven towheads like a
row of steps, more fully comprehend
ed his ideas. A funny thing about it,
too, is the fact that they are all tow
heads in this country. Among the hun
dreds of children and young people |
noticed on my way to and from Hol-
brook, less than a dozen were dark. The
driver said it could only be explained in
that the first settlers were mostly fair,
and that these families married and
intermarried among themselves.
The mail system along this route is
the r. +. d., each ranch house having
its individual mail box holding small
canvass {. $. bag, placed at the gate.
We spent a night at Fools Hollow"
which is stage station of but one
house and most primitive accomoda.
lions. After hearty supper and nights
rest. was on the next stage at the I'M
godly hour of in the morning and
watched the sun rise and perform its
Il,