The copper era., 1909-09-16
Colonel Pickett's Boost for Arizona.

According to the Los Angeles papers great doings were had at the Hassayampa club meet in Los Ange- les recently. At Venice on Hassay- ampa day number of speeches and toasts were offered and among the number who addressed the jolly gathering was Col. H. L. Pickett of Tombstone. The following is the re- marks of the colonel as printed:
 ''If there is one thing that gives me exquisite pleasure above all others, it is to be accorded the privilege of talking upon the resources of that sunkissed land, the gem of the Rockies known now as the Territory of Ari- zona, but next year Q91O) will be the new state of Arizona. When that time comes, if there is place on earth around which angels love to hover and birds to sing their sweetest songs, it will be the new state of Ari- zona.
 When the forty-seventh star is added to the flag of the nation, which will be next year, it will be one of the most brilliant in the galaxy of stars that constitute the flag of our country. The subject assigned to me is "Ari- zona when it becomes a State," and the time given me is so limited that can only touch the high places in describing its wonderful resources. It will then, as now lead all the states in the Union in the production of copper, to say nothing ot its pro- duction of the precious metals. Much is being said now in the northwest, particularly in Portland and Seattle, in regard to the production of gold in Alaska, claiming that it was $22,- 900, 900 for the last year. I said to my friends in Seattle and Portland that while it is a fine showing for Alaska, yet away down in the terri tory of Arizona, in the extreme south east corner, there is county called Cochise, and that it's county seat is named Tombstone, that produces more dollars and cents in copper annually than the whole territory of Alaska.
 "Arizona when it becomes a state will not only lead in the production of mineral, but it will lead in the raising of ostriches. Then, as now, it will have the largest ostrich farm with more birds, with more beautiful plumage and more beautiful women to use that plumage than any state in the union. When that time comes Arizona will lead in the production of the orange-that is, in the quality of the orange, for now when the or ange from the state of the Golden Gate and the orange from the Penin- sula State of Florida are selling in the New York markets at S4 box, the Arizona orange brings S8 a box. It is a high compliment to California to say that itis able to produce oranges that will bring on the market even one half the value of the Arizona orange.
 "As it has been announced that dance is to succeed this meeting, I will not not keep my bald headed friends, who are so anxious to dance, in suspense any longer; but will say to them that when we have our next annual meeting the bill for the admis- sion of Arizona to statehood will have already passed the congress of the United States and have been signed by the president and that the prin- cipal discussion before us then will be the ratification of the bill for our admission and then my bald headed friends who are so anxious for the dance this afternoon can dance all night, and, if it will add anything to their pleasure, I will join them in that dance."