Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-02-20
BIG COLONY
In ARIZONA
FROM illinois
Advantage of Spreading News
of Good Location Shown In
Experience of Farmers In.
Maricopa County.

A Phoenix correspondent to the
Charlestown ,Qlls.) Daily Courier has
a word Of praise for Arizona couched
in the story of recent Coles county
picnic. This suggests that it wouId
be an excellent idea for any one who
can do so, to neglect no opportunity
to have published in their home pa
pers articles of this nature, and along
similar lines. 1t will be a great il
luence to draw colonists to this val
ley. AS Mr.. Ssagrayes recently said
while in the city, there is noIhing so
convincing and OF so great influence
as word of testimony from an old
neighbor and friend, to clinch the ar
gument in favor of Arizona for home
seekers. Coles county, Illinois, is
notable instance.
A few years ago it was scarcely
man came here and located. He
wrote to his friends of the country,
he wrote to mis- home papers, and one
after another the families began the
migration to this valley, each one
leading others to follow till today it
is said there are 100 former residents
of that county located here, doing
well, many owning property and all
delighted VITA the new home. The
personal letter, or the general letter
in the paper back home" reach ~ tn=
spot by the fireside that the general
tiles of advertising literature can not
quite touch. A number of Illinois
ians, thinking along this line with
the same end in view, Wednesday sig-
nified their intention of contributing
something on the Illinois picnic with
the suggestions on the valleys prog
ress and its possibilities, to the pa
per back home" It is a not too ar
duous task, well worth the time and
effort
Under the caption Coles County
Colony in Sun Kissed Arizona aas
Pleasant Reunion" the correspond
ent writes as follows in the Courier
| above mentioned:
On January % the Coles county
| people who are in the valley, met al
! the beautiful orange grove where Mr.
] and Mrs. H. p Ritchey reside and en-
joyed a January picnic in sunny Ari
zo1a. State picnics in Phoenix are
/ quite common occurrences, but this
was the first county picnic ever held
/ in the valley, as there are more resi-
| dents here from Coles county than
from any other county In the Unitec
| States.
The day of the picnic was perfec
tion-just like an Illinois May day
| Everyone went with well filled bas
kets, such as Illinois women knew
how to prepare. Mrs. Ritchey mad
| roasted three large turkeys and pre-
pared many other dainties, among
| which her orange marmalade re
ceived special favor. A large screen
ed porch was converted into dining
! room, table long enough to seat
/, the entire company had been previ
ously prepared The centerpiece was
a large cake with Coles County
frosted on it. The dining room was
beautifully decorated with sprays,
blossoms and berries from the pep
+, per trees, and the general effect re
! minded us cS our fern decorations al
| home.
| When all were seated. thanks wers
returned in an impressive manner by
] Mrs. Charles Olmstead, and all our
\ Coles county friends we're remember
4 ed, and could our wishes have beer
I realized, our friends from home
would all have been with us on rnfs
occasion. The music also had moi
been forgotten and while the crowd
Toasted, America Illinois" aud