The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-04-10
LETTER FROM ARIZONA
We give below short extract from

daughter in AriZJna which may be
OF interest to some 0f cur readers.
We left Mesa at one o'clock Sunday
and returned just before dark Satur
day EVENING" akipg this trip OF
some hundred and thirty miles In the
week Tut of course We took our time
all along, stopping at each camping
place to rest, take pictures, etc. VIII
send some when they are finished.
We had light covered wagon with
heavy team. In the back or tbe
wagon we had mattress on which w
had one bed and bedding for anothe
to be made under the wagon. We tooh
turns at the bed in the wagon but
preferred the one underneath for W
have been sleeping out of doors for
sometime, In the front Of the wagon
" re stored our PROVISIONS, cooking
utensils, etc, so you see we were vel
fixed for the trip.
La the first place, Roosevelt, the
o5ject of our Journey. is llttle tow
QUILT in the valley at the juncture OF
the Salt and Tonto rivers. ITS loca
tion is picturesque and when orc
knows he history of the place, its
founding, etc, and Views the wondar'
rul scenery surrouadinR and leadiI
up to 1t, 1t at once becomes very in-
terasting.
Ia recent issue Of the "La6ios
Home Journal" this question was
answered "Is it true that in too
United States there is city which is
soon to be destroyed" OF course 1T
was rnswered in the affirmative for
Roosevelt is the city and by July first
every building must be removed. Fol
three years it has been the busiest,
most thriving little village in Arr
2ona will soon be 10 the very heart Of
the largest artificial body of water 10
the world.
You see the government has on foot
and is about TO complete a mighty
project tor irrigatlng this waste and
desert land [ nave marveled so much
at, BY connecting Two mounta us,
by mea"s eta huge dam, the second
largest in the world, natural basin
extsHding twenty-t five miles back into
the mountains, is formed which will
reserve and control the water OF these
two rivers mentioned. From beneath
this powerfully and scientifically con-
structed dam the water will be con-
Quoted at will through the former
riyer bed, for distance OF some forty
seven mills TO point known as Gran
lte Reef where the diversion dam has
been constructed au1 from there BY
means Of canals, three hundred thou
sand acres OF rich but ard soil will
be furnished with an inexhaustible
supply of water. Needless % say the
scheme and mechanism for such u
undertaking are almost too vast for
comprehension and the amount CT
time and work and money expended
in its execution is hard to estimate.
La the first place a road had to te
constructed, from Mesa to this point
In the valley, say constructed fer
every feot Of 1t had to be built by the
government at a cost OF million dol
ars, over which materials and supplies
could be carried for the work and |
workmep.
The scenery along this road is varied
and indescribable. From the time 1t
enters the desert until it winds i,s
way up Fish Greek Hill
and then down into that beautiful
valley and on to the very top OF
Roosevelt Hill, on which some of the
power houses are built, such a panurs
ma OF beauty meet the eye as to al
most bewilder the traveller.
Then too there is just enough ex
element to make it interesting as
)ne looks down from the seemingly
narrow road, into a craggy canyon
1undreds Of feet below and contemp-
ates for a whlls the result of a fall
iown its sides. The old-fashIoped
Concord stage driving four horstr,
which are changed three differen If
lines on the way, makes the entire
lrive OF sixty miles In day. Up hill
md down, scarcely stopping to turn
'ut for another vehicle. the horses &C
70 a.brisk run and the ride Indeed
GEMS little perileus, though few
erious accidents have occurred. r
Roosevelt sitself consists of the
government camp, mostly tents,
hough several OF the officials have
ice little cottages, the tents and
constructed homes Of the
Torkmen and its little row OF busi-
ess houses all OF which as l said r
1ust 60. In appearance 1t is a typi-
al western town except that the
sual row Of saloons is oonspicuously
bsent as the 60 Sernment will toler-
to no liquor or gambling OF any |