Williams news., 1907-01-26
Volume IS
WRITTEN IN BASS USUAL BREEZY STYLE

Editor WILLIAMS NEWS.
 Dear Sir: arrived here Friday morning, Is hours behind our schedule, and have, at last, found little time to spare and will send you few lines as promised.
 I left Phoenix at 4:15 p. m., on the 5th, but could not get the Washington sleeper on No. $ over the s. P. so changed at Ell Paso, Texas, to No. TO-. This gave me several hours there and 1 made good use of the time in looking around. It is 25 years since 1 last visited this then old "doby" town. and now that it has nearly 5O,0OO population I found it impossible 10 locate any old land marks.
 The first person to greet me was "Spence," who was in charge of the Harvey curio store at Williams for some time. He has vastly greater responsibilities now than when we all knew him, but Spence, like all the rest. is gradually getting home sick. 1 also met Jim Broyles, who moved there from Ash Fork He has thriving business place at the corner of San Antonio and Fl Paso streets.
 The Sea board Air Line is very satisfactory route at this season, but it is little like "looping the loop' from Grand Canyon 10 Washington. You will remember the horrible weather the day we left-snow, wind and all kinds of di agreeable mbinations -w well, that was the prevailing condition until we passed Congress Junction and Wickenburg. where the storm ended and 1 have not encountered either snow or bad weather since In fact 1t has been so warm some of the time that we kept the car win dows up all night. Shirt waists and straw hats were very much in evidence all through Texas and Louisiana.
 Business was decidedly quiet in Phoenix. and quite number with whom I talked seemed to take a pessimislic view of the outlook for the near future. The Tonto irrigat ing system will not be operative in less thin two years, and there IS nc inclination among the farmers tu increase tn ir acreage this season as the sugar factory at Glendale will not open until they are assured plenty of water. The gambling embargo will take effect on Feb 1st and many of the saloons will go out of business, while the balance will close at midnight, and oi course. this element that now helps to increase the cash circulation will look for other quarters. 1 was told that one saloon there paid $200 every twenty four hours ir wages alone, and that the little
 O.. HOO fair estimate of the amount put into hands that spent it as fast as they got it. and very few of them tax payers of any kind, directly. :.
 The trip through Texas has been quite revelation to me in more ways than one. The region from Fort Hancock to San Antonio look good to me, both as mining and stock country. For about 1OC miles in- Brewster county the country is of volcanic formation but is said to have plenty of water at reasonable dep h. The stock looks well and there is enough timber for general purposes.
 Fortunately 1 had for seat nrighbors, two gentlemen from Houston who were returning from California, and they kindly gave me much interesting informa tion regarding the region and it's history but this will have to be omitted foI this time. Canyons are not the rule on this line, but the one through which the Pecos river fl ,ws, at the point where the road crosses, made me feel as if 1 was fa fraro hnn,a of