Arizona republican., 1908-02-17

crowd you have" was heard on every hand Then the Pioneer band played and while the people chatted another coach was added to the train, leaving few spare seats for the hundred people later picked up at Wenden and another hundred at way stations All aboard," and the wheeled procession moved on into Grace valley and short ly after ran over a skunk which added a sense Cor scent) of material things and brought the jolly eXcursiOnists down from the clouds.
 The train was well supplied with butchers and plenty of reading mat ter was supplied. The first distribu- ton was a New York Store circular. then came C. w. Mckee with Board of Trade post cards advertising Arfzona's mineral resources. Next was Dr. Richmond with a circular telling the story of Wenden, Queen of the Des- ert and Parker, Arizona's coming city. J. P Rhodes with a big camera was on hand to perpetuate the striking scenes of the day and a score of ko- dakers were in almost constant ac- tiOn.
 Grace Valley the beautiful, But most beautiful in it's wealth of re- sources for the prosperity of coming years Stretching away from ten to twenty miles wide, from the A. & c. junction to a point few miles west of Salome were the mountains close in on either side of the gorge that forms an outlet for flood waters. there is spread before the observer the broadest and flattest plain. not of sand. but of virgin sOil to be found in Arizona. \ million acres Of as fine land as ever lav out of doors and at least half of it as level as though smoothed with a roller. And all wait ing for the glad day when human genuius will provide for it an ample water supply that will coax from the pregnant desert it's now forbidden wealth. Skirting this narrow defile and passing through a tunnel the railroad opens into another valley all most as large but with a smaller area of level land that looks susceptible of cultivation This reaches from Vicks- burg almost to Bouse and from there the plain is rough and rocky until one reaches the escarpment that marks the border line of the Colorado val ley near Parker.
 Wenden and the barbecue while the clock had barely recorded IL Wenden is the desert metropolis and though vet but a cluster of perhaps fifty or sixty buildings there is notable freshness to the appearance of every thing and an air of enterprise that impresses. It was hard to realize that so many people as crowded the platform to greet the tourists. could come out of so few houses. But they did and a royal welcome they gave to the exuberant travellers. then led them to the barbecue. Never did Arizona beeves better fulfill their mission than when they were led to- the Wenden slaughter and never did a hospitable people better impress an appreciative multitude than Wenden did her guests. Beef. bread and coffee and what more could he desired?
 M-eral Storehouses.
 Beyond Wenden about nine miles is the town of Salome. where a ten min GAE sup W eS llldAf DUH lldNtS dL the present time are strictly railroad ccnters for mining interests and the entertainment of travellers. And both are to be praised for doing their best to let their lights shine. Every resi- dent of both places is apparently a member of the local Commercial club and Board of Trade and their chief show places are the depots. where the greatest number of strangers are to be encountered. At both stations are piles of ore in evidence for the enlight-. enment of travellers properly placard- ed and the invitation to break and take is in contrast to displays else where and shows that the mines are not all in the samples. There is plen- ty of ore still to be had where the samples came from. Another short stop was made at Vicksburg. still smaller place. These three towns are the gateways to the mineral store houses in the well known Harqua Hala range to the south and the liar cuvar and Bill Williams ranges to the north. It is this wonderful country that beckons to men of energy and foresight and patiently awaits the quickening impulse of capital. The call of the wild and the desert sigh has been answered by the Santa Fe in the building of the A. & C. railroad and now the Commercial club of Mar icopa county passes through the open gate, and greets the wonderland of treasure.
 At Bodse, the last station before en- tering the Indian reservation and
 Continued on page 5)