Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-10-21
LETTER FROM ARTHUR WHITE.

Phoenix, Ari., Sept. IT. 1893.
Ny dear Father
| will now try and write you
something about our vacation trip. 3jF9I
We left Phoenix at 5 p. m on the
18th of August at temperature of ITO
degrees, and went north on the S. F.
P. & P. r. R., first odt through groves
and gardens and farms for 20 miles
and then up among the mountains over
the crookedest railroad / ever saw at
places We could See the track IN two
places below US where we had been
going up, and it grew cooler fast. the
altitude being higher and the atmos-
phere lighter, BY 10 p. m. we were
cold and when we got to Ash Fork i
about a. M, where we had to wait
for three hours it was cold for US and
we did not have warm enough clothes. !
This was small place, little there's
except the railroad yards, hotel and
depot. We left here at 5 a. m. and
went to Williams, had breakdown on
the engine and We're, two and one-half
hours late, and here after an hours
wait took the train for the Grand Can
yon and for 60 miles saw scarcely a
house, few cattle ton the plains, but
nearly all deserted. We reached the
Canyon at II and stopped at the
Bright Angel hotel and the rim of the
Canyon was not over 80 feet from the
door and such a sight. From 10 to IA
miles across and down below mounds,
hills, mountains of all shapes and sizes
and all colors, but red and shades Of
red being the most common although
there are all colors from black to
white. We did not wonder it is called
Grand" After dinner we all went
for walk and went out to long
point that goes out into it a little and
could see 40 miles southwest and 80
miles northeast up and down this great
canyon and mile down to the river.
We had a lovely time. On the way
back we saw two, large coyotes about
as large as big dog, weight from rs
to 100 pounds. These were not very
frightened. After supper we were
glad to watch a sunset and see all the
changing colors of the Canyon and
then to bed, where we slept soundly,
except waking up once and hearing
the coyotes bowling very near the hotel.
In the morning after breakfast
a while / decided to walk down the
trail to the bottom. While only a mile
down the way the trail goes it is seven
miles, it just zigzags back and forth
around boulders and precipices and is
a hard one either way you go. Be-
fore went down ! thought | had
good idea Of it but whenI got down
there and out on rock and looked up
and saw the rim of the canyon mile
high and straight down 1909 feet below
the Colorado river, it was an awe-ll-
spring sight, one never to be forgot
ten nor the trip back up that trail.
was hungry some when [ reached the
top. 1t took me five hours and I was
glad to rest when got to our room.
That night got some souvenir cards
and sent you and we went toa Hoppe
Indian dance and ever since Ralph
starts to dance and yell as they did
once-in while. 1t was very interest
ing and when we left the next morning
it was with regret, as one hates to
d leaye such beautiful place.
ii VALET about 8 a. m. for Los An.
q geles and during the day crossed miles
F.aaof grazing lands where cattle were in
small herds. We saw many remains
!. of cattle that had been struck by the
trains and killed, hundreds of them
There are no fences alongside the
track 1t was also interesting tt
watch the jack rabbits running away
from the track. That night we crossed
the Colorado river at Needles, 81
called on account of the several SHARP
peaks that. run up to nearly needle
points. Here also were crowds of APP
ache Indians selling their bead work
very 'HlSISSGiHS SiSutpdo IHcSt VIZ
Indians dress so differently from ou
southern Indians and those. at tn,
school. The next morning we woke III
at San Bernadino, Cal. and from Their,
on passed through miles of orange
lemon and grape fruit groves. Il
seemed that there must be orange
enough there to supply tn
umt,a States for a while at least
WefWere pleased with Los Angeles a
it was the most like an Eastern cit
of any we had seen since leaving Chi
cago last December. We got a fin
room at Hotel Brownstone and after
lunchAwent out and got our ticket
that ] had ordered ahead for tn
steamship Roanoke to go to San Fran
cisco and then we went out to Pasa
dena to see Mr.. Jacobs people an