The copper era and Morenci leader., 1916-09-01
RICH AND POOR IN
FIGHT FOR
BABY
Set Afloat on an Arizona Irrigation
Ditch, Little "Moses Chandler"
Came Out of Nowhere in Ribbon
Bedecked Packing Case Barge.


PHOENIX, Aug. 30.-A poverty
stricken Mexican and wealthy Arizona !
ranchers are fighting for the poses
sion of an unknown baby boy.
The baby is Moses Chandler" who
came out of nowhere, floating down an
irrigation ditch in a tiny, ribbon-be.
chubby and pretty.
No one knows where he came from
or who sent him on his strange voy-
age.
A trench of water flowing through
a redeemed section of the Great Am
erican desert scorching hot day.
A few Mexican laborers at work. Sud-
denly a little box floats into ken And
in the box a beautiful live, white baby
boy, as sound as the cottonwood tree
beneath which his ark found anchor
age. That's all anyone knows.
i Mexican workmen had been order
ed to clean out a lateral of a big irri-
cation main. AS the water receded,
Manuel Mendez was attracted by
pretty box which floated past him and
lodged at the base of a tree. He toss
ed it on the bank. A faint cry came
from the box. Manuel tore off the
covering and nestled inside was the
cutest. darlingest baby that ever rang
ed raging irrigation ditch.
''Jesu!" whispered Manuel to him
self. He hurried his find to Mrs
Manuel, who was making her obla-
lions to the family washtub in the
company camp half a mile away.
Mrs. Manuel knows more about ba-
bies than Manuel, for her maternal du-
ties have not been shirked. Little
Baby Moses" was soothed at the end
of his mysterious journey by the kind
, but lowly Mexican mother.
Expensive Clothing
When found the baby rested on a
dainty pillow. The sides Of the box
were carefully draped with cotton and
filled with robbon ana lace. A costly
slip, white kid bootees, lace cap and
i, things of filmy beauty were in the
baby's outfit. Some woman's hand
had placed them there. No man could
. have arranged them.
? The child is obviously of good pa.
= rentage. Its features are fine and
o regular. Its clothing is costly.
What crime or tragedy shrouds his
life? Nobody knows
The county birth records give nc
hint. The good people of the country
know nothing of the babys mother
Even the tongue of scandal is curious
ly still. There has been no unseemlJ
wagging of heads and tongues.
The news Of the baby SPREAD ant
ranchers came to Mexican Manuel's
shack to look upon Little Moses"
facetious officer christened the
baby Moses" because he was draw
from the WATER and Chandler" be
e cause the spire of the village c'lurci
n was visible from the pool where tbs
II little ark floated.
Chandler is a farming cente: nea.
" Phoenix. In the winter time it is ;
E. resort for E shionables.
IF One of Il e ranchers, S. D. Canton
- offered to adopt the infant for his owl
" AID raise him in luxury.
Many Homes Offered
i A half dozen other wealthy blu
- childless, lonely ranchers wanted t.
" take the child. They looked on hin
le longingly and cuddled him as he la
lie in his box at the Mendez cabin
N But Manuel Mendez, who makes
~ dollar and half day, on the day
* he works, shook his head. He say
at the baby is his, for he found it H
Sc offers to raise it with his brood an
"a ! see to it that the fear of God, tn
beauty of labor and black beans ar
of instilled in appropriate proportions
lie Mrs. Mendez agrees with him.
y Now the lonely, child1ess rancher
:. are wondering if legal process coul
DR. give them the mystery baby.
#, What's the answer to it all? Wi
ID the baby be raised in dire poverty O
~ liberal luxury?
Will the mother who started he
es child on that peri1ous voyage eve
I'd speak?
ne What would the baby tell if it coul
ID talk?
The newspapers say the "authoritie
are investigating" but the authorize
I'd know no more than is here set down
A DOlitician'S idea of arbitrat ion NJ