The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-04-28
An Arizona Letter.
Dear Editor and Friends.

1859 ~Fr@F@ - 1850 = ~-rn~-~-F
Perhaps a few words from
this far away southwestern country
BY an old Tennessean might be of a
little interest to some Of the readers
Of the PRocREss.
It was a great grief to me ohave
to give UP my work as Superinten-
dent of the McLemoresville District
and leave my brethren and friends
and some very dear loved ones, but
itseemed the only thing | could do
to save my health. | can not ex-
press the deep gratitude ofmy heart
for the many. many acts Of kind
ness shown me in various ways by
my brethren and friends Of Hender-
son county and throughout the en-
tire district. Had 1t not been for
the sympathy and prayer and finan-
cial help OF these friends, could
not have been here and perhaps
would not now be living. | shall
never forget the blessed fellowship
we have had together and the good
times | have enjoyed in many of
your Christian homes. Weleft Lex
ington at noon on Tuesday, Jan. Is
and made the long journey Of near
ly two thousand miles without any
accident or mishap, arriving in Tue
son at 10 a. m, on Friday Jan. 81.
We had to change cars only twice
at Jackson, Tennessee and New Or
leans. From New Orleans we came
over the Southern Pacific to Tucson
without change, a distance Of over
fifteen hundred miles. 1t has been
hard for me to realize how far away
we are from our old home and
friends, but we have for our neigh
boring state California on the West,
Nevada and Utah on the North,
New Mexico on the East and Mexi-
co on the South.
Arizona. | believe is our newest
state, having been admitted only a
few years ago. 1t came in as a Pro-
hibition State and so far as know
there are no open saloons OF
course there are those who drink IL
quor and we have trouble with the
boot Logger here as in most every
place. One woman since we came
was arrested as she came into Tue
son with twenty-five gallons Of Ii
quor in an automobile. Arizona is
large in area, having $4,000 square
miles. The population is small,
there being in 1910 only 204354 or
less than two people to every square
mile, so you see there IS lots Of room
out here yet.
When we arrived in Tucson we
we're met at the train by Mr.. Sam
Davis, formerly Of Crockett county,
Tenn, whom | had known on my
first circuit, and the Rev. Henry |
Van Valkenbure, pastor Of the
Methodist Episcopal church here. 1t
seemed rather good to me that the
first man to shake hands with me
should be Methodist preacher (be-
ing Of that persuasion myself) This
preacher and Mr.. Davis and his fam
lily and Mrs. DR.. Frank Taylor, of
Crockett Mills, Tenn, gave us such
a hearty welcome and have shown
us 50 many acts Of kindness, and
we have met so many other Tennes-
scans and have found so many
friends that we have not felt very
much like we were among strang-
ers.
Tucson is located on the Santa
Cruz River but the river is practi-
cally dry most Of the time. We are
in vast desert almost completely
surrounded by mountains in the dis
lance. Look any way you will and
you can see the mountains. It
hardly ever SHOWS here in Tucson
but on the tops Of many Of these
mountains you can see snow much
o. the time, especially in winter.
Phoenix is the capitol but Tucson is
the largest city in the state, having
a population Of fifteen thousand or
more.
There is more public and private