Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1909-03-29
| SUMMER RESORT IN
THE NEAR FUTURE
SOMETHING OF THE HISTORY OF
REAvIS RANCH.
The Building of Road Is the First
Consideration.

| pan OF securing a tract of land near
the Reavis ranch. of the road from
Fish Creek station. for summer re-
sort, was given in The Republican. but
1t is now desired to go into the matter
| somewhat more fully and describe. If
| possible, some of the natural adyan-
| tages of the selected spot. along with
a rev ideas to be Incorporated in the
| plan of making the proposition a sue
| cess. II might be said that the prin-
cipal reasons for describing the place
under discussion, as well as the plans
and bit Of history, at some length. at
this time. is because il is the intention
of those having charge of the matter
to try and arrange for a camp for the
coming summer. even though the ap-
pointments are not as elaborate as may
be expected, after the plans have ma
tured. Then, again, a committee con-
sisting of J. C. Spangler and F. T
Pomeroy, has been appointed by the
chamber of commerce to solicit the
business men and citizens generally
and obtain 5000, at the rate of 81 per
capita per man canvassed. giving the
man making the contribution the first
plan, which will be mentioned later on.
The MONEY which il is desired 10 raise
now is for the purpose OF securing the
services OF an engineer to make a COM
prehensive estimate of the cost Of
building the road from a point on the
Mesa Roosevelt thoroughfare to the
Reavis ranch. In this connection. it
might be stated that Mr.. Parish. who
has been in charge of a considerable
amount Of the government road work.
may be secured for a short time dur
ing his vacation, and it is highly es-
sential that the matter be placed in
his hands at once, so that he may
commence the surve:- at his earliest
convenience
But, TO go back a little. say about
forty years. when old man Reavis rode
over the mountains from Prescott and
the country to the north on an animal
resembling a gray mule and settled
in the pleasant little valley which now
bears his name, and probably will for
many generations to come; Reavis was
a hermit and a recluse He fought
Apaches for pastime and raised gar
den truck. and on several occasions
brought a pack train Of fifty burros
loaded down with cabbages to Mesa.
He was firmly established in his noun
tain haunts even before the discovery
of the Old Silver King. which is eight
cen miles TO the south and across the
mountains. Twelve years ago the prop
erty came into the possession Of Jack
Frazier, who owned il up until a few
months ago. when he sold it to 4. J.
Clements, Of Colorado, along With his
cattle and holdings in the mountains.
The tract which it is proposed shall
he secured lies right in the heart Of
a little valley, very narrow. through
which runs a stream Of seventy-five
inches OF water the year around The
stream flows To the north and finally
finds its way into Pine creek. and
then to the river The valley lies about
fourteen miles south of Roosevelt,
eighteen miles north Of Old Silver King
ard about fourteen miles east Of Fish
Creek. The exact location of the tract
is about a mile to the south OF the
Reavis ranch and includes a hundred
and sixty acres, lying along the stream
running back on either side to the foot
hills, and thence into rugged noun
tains Here and there steep. pictur-
esque canyons break in on the land
sCape as the eve scans the horizon from
a point near the stream. The hills are
covered with trees, trees that are black
with foliage and throw impenetrable
shadows on the thick and matted grass
at their fc I. On the mountain sides
huge oak. juniper, sycamore. pine and
cypress trees grow in abundance, while
here and there "A wild grape vine is
y7iinly struggling to subdue an ash by
sending its tendrils around every
branch and twfg. Every foot Of the
little five-mile valley is beautiful. but
more important is the fact that the
thermometer throughout the summer
Is said never to go above IS in the |
shade.
There are three ways in which to
secure a tract that would be suitable |
FOR resort purposes: by permit, by the |
own site method. and by scripting. The |
first named plan is recommended from /
-he fact that Il is believed that a clear !,
title will be secured the sooner. The |
script method will mean an outlay Of |
Ten or fifteen dollars per acre. while J
The town-site method would take the /
usual long run of petitions and the |
rctual end would not be accomplished |
'or a long time.
The plan is to first learn the cost Of |
he road building. then organize a COM
)any which will have charge OF the /
Of the road as well as erect
ng the buildings at the selected spot. |
The tract will be cut W into between |
wo hundred and fifty and three hun
ired lots of fifty or seventy-five feet |
'rontS and these will be disposed of |
II some figure which will insure the
building OF the road.
The tract desired is in the forest re-
erve. and the permit, will, of course,
ONE from The forestry service, but It
$ understood that the forest rangers
re heartily in favor of the plan and
will do all in their power to not only
ret a deed Cor the land to the com
ANY in charge Of the matter. but to
-lso get an appropriation for the road
No one who has ever spent a sum-
ner in the VALLEY but that viii recog-
liZe the necessity of a mountain re
reat where families can go for a va
alton and break the monotony of the
he summer season. II has never been
question of the need of such a resort,
cached in an easy manner, but rather