The Arizona copper camp., 1920-05-22

Soufferein, who still lives at Ray near
the Ray depot.
Just about this time Mr.. Philip
Wiseman, now of Los Angeles, start :
ed work for the original owners of
the present Ray Consolidated Copper
company. simultaneously, burro
trains bearing their burdens of sup
plies for the prospectors and the new
ly operating company began to arrive,
and from that time on Ray has been
growing and has kept itself before the
eyes of the world until now it ranks
second as the largest copper produc-
ing mine in the world
The first store, Johnston's, erected
about 1897, at point just below town
and in close proximity to the old as
say office, was typical as it stood a
silent monument to the early history
of the Ray camp. The building had
been made collapsible, and, at a sig
nal, it appeared as if by magic, and
later, after it had served it's purpose,
disappeared in the same manner. This
building was only razed some six
months ago, and until its demolition
was one of the landmarks of later
years.
About 1897 the first postoffice was
established, and our present justice
of the peace, Hon. E. w. French, had
the distinction of being the first post
master in Ray. The old-style "lock"
box, an Arbuclle Brothers coffee box,
was typified in real existence and
helps to revive the judges recollec-
tions of happy days and, for the time
being he forgot he was in the grand
stand surrounded by about a thousand
people, six hundred of whom were
school children depicting what he had
been through twenty-three years be-
fore.
This was followed by dance at
Kelvin, which is some six miles, in
reality. from Ray, where the social
center seemed to be at that time The
town of Kelvin was exemplified as
having been burned, Which partially
accounts for the increased growth of
Ray at that time. The old company
retained it's headquarters at Kelvin
and rebuilt the town later, but it never
regained it's former prestige, being too
far away for modern civilization to
work the mines at Ray and play golf
at Kelvin, especially as in those days
there were not the good roads we
now have.
CoIumbia's Newest Gem
Darkness came upon us. When the
flood-lights were turned on they re-
vealed Miss Nettie Penny, most excel
lently representing Columbia, on
stand, at her left being the staff upon
which waved Old Glory, and to which
Miss Penny added the Valentine or
Baby State of the Union. This star,
representing Arizona, was borne upon
the shoulders of the four character
istic types to which the state and
local history owes, it's development,
namely the priest, the prospector, the
cowboy, and the Indian. They present
this star to Miss Columbia, who places
the forty-eighth star upon the flag.
This represented the year 1912. One
hundred school children, accompanied
by the piano and slide trombone then
sang Arizona and rendered the
"Star- Spangled Banner" at the be-
ginning of which the entire audience
in reverence removed their hats, stood
in the presence of the dear Old Flag,
and heard brought to a close one of
the grandest pageants that was ever
presented to the people of Ray and
which will go down in the history of
the schools as monument to the
energy and efficiency of the entire
staff and students.
Professor L. j. Oakes conceived the
idea of having this display, and, as
sisted by the teachers of the several
grades, succeeded in offering to the
public one of the most remarkable en-
tertainments ever seen in Ray.
Five hundred school children took
part in this great drama of life as re-
enacted hundreds of years subsequent
to the original events. The partici- S
pants were so we'll trained that from '
start to finish not directing hand +
was discerned The last analysis
proves that the Ray schools are some
thing to be proud of, and the enter
tainment was a monument to the eff
cheney and untiring efforts of the
school management and teachers.
Enough praise cannot be extended T
to Mr.. Oakes, who, with the, diligent
assistance of the teachers, made the
pageant mean something more than
an evenings entertainment. Every