The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-12-09
TRAVEL LETTER FROM
THE CONNELLYS
Interesting Description of Sights
on Journey from Emmett
to Phoenix.

had the time for the many Individual
letters which we would like to WRITE
SO hope that you have space In Inc
Index for an open letter.
After spending few days IN Boise
we left for Portland. Enjoyed the
trip as much as the first time we took
II. for we think the scenery especially
interesting along the Columbia river.
AS we stepped from the train at
Portland, we heard. voice say
~Here are the Connellys!" Whom
should we see but the Packard family
who had just left another sleeper,
We boarded the next train and founo
DIR. Barnes and family on their way
to San Francisco. :,
A trip over the Shasta Route is well
worth taking, for the scenery down
the Sacramento canyon is beautlful.
1t is said the grade drops 1000 feet IN
II miles. Through the mountains the
gorgeous autumn tints Of the foliage
of many trees and shrubs added 10
the beauty of the scenery. AT SHASTA
Soda Springs the long train stopped
for a few minutes to allow the pas
sengers to go to the spring and drink
soda water. 1t was amusing to see
the "faces" made by many of the
passengers upon tasting the water
Int some like it. Fine views were
had of Mt. Hood, Mt. Shasta and sew
eral other high peaks, but Mt. Lassen
was so obscured by smoke (although
not active them that the mountain
was only dimly seen. Down IN the
Sacramento valley, where the large
ranches comprise thousands OF acres
of grain. it is dry-different from the
Idaho valleys with their small ranches
and thickly settled communities.
AS we had but a short time to stay
in San Francisco, we improved every
minute possible taking in the expo.
sition. The magnitude and beauty OF
the various buildings and the arrange
mont of them enables the Panama-Pa-
cifc exposition to surpass all those
nreceding it. At night the illumlna-
ton is wonderfully beautiful, and tne
Tower of Jewels, with the searchhghts
PLAYING upon it is sight never to be
forgotten.
Our routing took US over the Santa
Fe road, passing through the San
Joaquin valley, where are some I'M
mense wheat ranches. The valley
looked very dry. Nothing OF interest
after leaving Fresno until Needles Is
~o.cbed Here the Mohave Indian
souaws presented a picturesque ap-
nearance in their gaudy apparel. Ihey
came to the train to sell bead neck
laces and watch fobs. Floating from
the shoulders of each squaw, and COW
frinq the entire back of her dress, was
a shawl composed of four large hand,
kerchiefs sewed together-blg req
bandanas in most cases, although
few were of silk handkerchlefs' tne
most brilliant to be found.
Not far from Kingman there mas
been a rich strike made lately he
ports say the ore is the richest ever
found, and people are focking there
hut don't leave Emmett fields or Or
cbards to "get rich quick" Tor tne
ground is now staked in every dlrec-
ton.
At Phoenix we were met by rela-
tiyes. and a week later moved to our
new location, where we will be AT
home" to any Emmett friends VINO
drop in.
There has been greater improvement
both in CITY and country since we were
bere Because of the fine winter ell
mate many people come here ana II
Is said that during the winter months
Phoenix has population OF nearly
forty thousand. The season has
seemed like spring to US, with lts
warm sunny days, the crickets ana
birds singing, roses IN bloom ana
trees in leaf; but now the leaves are
changing to autumn colors. This part
of the valley was settled many years
ago and evidently by people VINO re-
allied the identifying effect OF shade
trees as well as the pleasure OF rldlng
over shaded roads. All along the road
sides are large shade trees, frequently
forming archways overhead. Trees
are seen in many of the tlelds also.
Most of the irrigation laterals are at
one side of the roads and are kept
free of weeds. Under this system OF
irrigation you have so many acre
feet for what time you wish. For IN,
stance. last week, when irrigating, mad
a run of 800 inches for II hours. Mex
leans are hired to do most of the irrl-
eating here. Some of them are good
irrigators. This is no place for a
white man to come for work, as he
has to compete with the Mexicans. !.
This country raises good crops OF
milo maize, corn, cotton, grain, al
falfa, feterita and forage crop look
ing something like broom corn. The
latter is also raised and manufactured
into brooms by local factories. A good
deal of sugar cane is raised for the
Glendale sugar factory. In some Sec
tions of the valley there are orange.
groves and orchards but in this neigh
borhood the dairy business takes the
lead. 1t must be the profitable busi-
ness that every one says 1t is, for
all the ranchers have cows. Cattle
are on pasture the year around. of