Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-25
FAIRBANKS WRITES Of
GRANDEUR OF THE WEST
He Says Zane Cray's Efforts at
Description Are PitifuI in
Comparison.
Special Correspondence Every Evenin,

special Correspondence Every Evening.
Newark. Aug. 25.-Dean d. Laurence
Smith of the University OF Delaware
has received an interesting letter from
Joseph II. Fairbanks. graduate of
the university. dated Flagstaff Arizona,
giving his impressions OF that wonderful
country. Mr.. Fairbanks who gradu-
ated from the university last year Is
also a graduate OF the Wilmington
High School. He now has a position
teaching Science and English in the
high school at Florence. Arizona. In
the letter Mr.. Fairbanks says:
To an easterner this country is
very wonderful. To put 1t frankly the
scenery out here Is enough to knock
your eye out l used TO think that
Zane Gray and other writer's were
eXtravagant IN their descriptions but
find on the contrary that their ef-
forts are rather pititul. In fact after
seeing the sunset on the Painted Des-
ert from the top OF San Francisco
Peak QS,ooo fee) I am almost tempt
ed TO say that ones widest flight OF
fancy would hardly exaggerate the
truly wonderful beauty and ooloring
that one sees every once in awhile.
II have been fortunate in having
seen most OF the state since 1 have
been here; its deserts, mountains and
forests. Can you imagine a grea,
park, grassy and sprinkled with wild
flowers, spreading itself over a couple
OF thousand square miles or so with
large pines growing everywhere. each
hI al a.
sun floods all, but occa sionally grouped
in shady groves and the whole pano-
rama freed OF monotony by hills
| mountains and red stone canyons
with an occasional lake and still more
| occasional mountain brook (where the
rainbow trout played havoc with my
/ isherman's pride). AL this TO give
/ you an Idea OF the country around
1 Flagstaff elevation 1000 feet) wher,
l have been since the middle of June.
But 1 think that the desert in III,
southern part OF the state is the mos
interesting. The desert plant and AMI
NAL life is fascinating. 1t is sal,
that anyone who has spent a weel
in the desert becomes an amateur
botanist. The country is so expensive
the atmosphere is SO clear, and tn
colors are 80 wonderful In the evenings
that il is all rather awe inspiring. an
the expanses have such a merciles
aspect that they are fascinating.
Strange as IL may seem there
more grandeur and poetry in tn
desert than any other place.
Il am planning TO go to the Gran
Canyon of the Colorado this week -en
and to the petrified forests and tn
HOpi Indian snake dance next week
You have probably heard of this dane
in which the Hopi's wave thorough
live and poisonous rattle snakes q
though they were merely the seve
veils of Salome. or what ever sire
IL was who wore seven wells.
II am enjoying wonderful health.
couple of weeks ago l tramped be
tween 20 and rs miles, during tn
course of which I climbed two OF Sa
Francisco's Peaks, each over 1900
feet. was on foot for IA hours wit
light pack and rifle. ate four squar
meals and woke up the next mornin
feeling fit and hungry"
Mr.. Fairbanks concluded his lette
by stating that trout in Oak Cree
Canyon and bass In Mormon LAX
, are growing fat and lazy waiting for
real fisherman to come along an
/ take them"