1918 Flu pandemic

Another view of a pandemic The original Armistice Day arrived at 11 a. m. on November 11th, 1918. It was a 30 day temporary cessation of the horrors of World War I. Every 30 days, the Armistice was renewed until the signing of the Versailles Treaty. The news of the signing of the Armistice reached Phoenix at 12:45 a.m., three minutes after word had reached Washington, D.C. The news was quickly relayed to the City of Phoenix and “the big whistle at the gas plant took up the joy scream and passed the word on to the cotton gin and to the Arizona Eastern shops and the Santa Fe round house. Every locomotive…joined in and helped the peace celebration with all the steam in their boilers. Church bells rang, guns and revolvers were fired and the people who quickly filled the down town streets cheered and yelled and cheered again for the good news that ended the war…and the boys are coming home.” After the raucous celebration, it was reported “there was no pest of blackbirds in the vicinity of Phoenix yesterday…the supposition is that these allies of the Huns were frightened by the racket in this vicinity…wherever the noise of the great whistles reached in the country it brought out responses in the discharge of revolvers, shotguns, sticks of dynamite and whatever else would make a reverberation.” The war had lasted 1,587 days. More than 12,000 men from Arizona went into the military. At that time, Arizona had a population of around 250,000. 9,025 were drafted. The rest enlisted in the National Guard and the Marine Corps. In March of 1918 at Fort Riley, Kansas, a soldier reported to the camp hospital complaining of a fever, sore throat, and a headache. By noon, more than 100 soldiers were sick. What became known as the Spanish Flu had begun. The virus had moved from birds, to pigs, to humans and became a world wide pandemic that ultimately killed somewhere between 10 and 100 million people. The Spanish Flu began arriving in Arizona by September of 1918. It rapidly spread to all areas of the state. “In Seligman, where a moving picture theater was turned into an emergency hospital one afternoon, and by nightfall was filled with railroad men, cowboys and others who had been lying sick in rooming houses and even in box cars.” Influenza hit the Indian communities hard. Reports indicated that the death toll among the Indians who contracted the flu was higher than other communities. There was no medicine to combat the flu. It was estimated that about six percent of those that developed the flu died. Most succumbed to pneumonia that was contracted as a result of a severe case of the flu. The Department of Health of the City of Phoenix issued rules to stem the spread of the Spanish Flu. These included “1. Do not assemble in crowds or groups…2. Remain three feet away from the person with whom you are conversing. 3. Do not spit on the sidewalk, street or floor. Use water-flushed gutters or spittoons. 4. Hold a handkerchief before your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. 5. Stay at home if you have a cough…6. Wear a gauze mask…” Violation of the rules “…may mean a fine of $300 or 90 days imprisonment or both.” John Minter, a porter on the Southern Pacific Railroad, was arrested for selling a pint of whiskey to a passenger who said it was a cure for the flu. Minter admitted he made a small profit on the whiskey. Minter was convicted of violating Arizona’s prohibition law. He was fined $200 or he had to serve one day for every dollar of the unpaid fine. The Sheriff put together a special group of deputies that were placed on all the major roads that came into Phoenix. Their job was “…to stop all travelers and to ascertain (their) business…if the person…is merely coming to this city for a visit or on pleasure, he is to be turned back.” Schools were closed. Events were cancelled. It was even difficult to deliver the newspaper since many of the carriers were sick. Yet, even as the flu was creating a pandemic, the State Fair was entertaining the public. A Captain Bennitt did a parachute drop from 3,000 feet. He also exploded a bomb as he descended. Edward Dooley drove an Oldsmobile around the 1 mile State Fair Racetrack at 45 miles per hour with his hands handcuffed behind his head. The State Hospital for the Insane had a display of the handiwork done by their patients. The newspapers had many obituaries of people that expired from the flu. Sometimes, most of the members of a single family were killed by the epidemic From September to November of 1918, it was estimated 82,306 died in the Untied States from the Spanish Flu. In the nearly 1,600 days of war, only 40,000 to 45,000 Americans were killed in combat. Before the pandemic disappeared in 1919, it was estimated that some 500,000 Americans died from the Spanish Flu

Let's try the fair again....and again....and again

In early 1905, the Arizona Legislature created the Arizona Territorial Fair Commission. The purpose of the Commission was to find a city that would establish a fair site and rent it to the Commission for one week per year. The Legislature also appropriated $15,000 for fair buildings and $7,500 a year for maintenance of the fair. The fair Commission was composed of 3 members appointed by the Governor. No one volunteered for the fair for several months. Finally, J. C. Adams gathered a group of prominent citizens at the Hotel Adams and put up $1,000 to organize a company to start the Territorial Fair. People from Phoenix and around the Territory quickly contributed $40,000 ($865,000 when it is converted to the present day) to capitalize the company. An 80 acre tract was purchased at what would become 19th Avenue and McDowell which was a very rural area northwest of Phoenix. The site was surrounded by a high board fence. A grandstand with seating for 3,500 was built overlooking race tracks of 1 mile and ½ mile. Looking east from the grandstand, the view was described as “…here and there the trees surround a thousand happy farm homes that dot the plain for a dozen miles. Next rises gray old Camelback…to the right of Camelback are the red sand hills made famous by the Hole in the Rock, while between the two rock ranges in the back ground a hundred miles to the east, rise the snow capped summits of the Four Peaks.” Before the fair began, a special trolley line was built along Grand Avenue from downtown Phoenix to the gates of the fairground. The trolley ran every few minutes and cost a nickel ($1.08 in current dollars). Special trains with special rates were scheduled to bring passengers from all parts of the Territory. The daily running of the fair was divided into three divisions. The mining division highlighted the mining industry. This included the construction of a mining building on the fairground site so tourists in Phoenix and visitors to the Capitol could see how mining affects Arizona. It was noted that highlighting mining “…will give the industry confidence in itself and promote co-operation rather than selfishness, boosting rather than knocking…” The second division was the racing division which promoted daily horse races at the fair. For the first fair, more than $12,000 was guaranteed for purses. The races were successful, but it was noted “we are displeased to learn that an outburst of profanity greeted the termination of each race much to the disgust of the ladies who had seats in the grandstand.” The final division was the general exhibits that included all the wonders of the fair that people still flock to see such as paintings, homemaking practices, bee keeping, furniture building and curios. Among the curios was an autographed letter from George Washington at Mount Vernon in 1797. There was also an Eskimo rain coat made of walrus gut. Also included in the curios was a set of toy chairs made in France during the time of Louis XVI. Of course, there was a dairy, creamery department and livestock. A livestock parade was held during the fair and it was more than ½ mile long. One dairy cow produced 9 gallons of milk a day. Another cow at the fair produced 21 pounds of butter in 7 days. What is now called the midway was know as the Hassayamp. The name was considered suggestive and distinctly Arizonan. The Hassayamp included confections, refreshments, tobaccos, games of chance with cash prizes, parachute jumping, captive balloon rides, side shows, gymnasts, freak features, vaudeville, panoramas, and exhibits of skill. One skill that was showcased was rifle shooting demonstrations which occurred several times a day on the midway. Several special days were reserved throughout the fair for groups. One day included a military tournament with competitive drills and trophies. A Gatling gun demonstration was popular with fair goers. There was a mining day that included drilling contests. The person with the best prospectors outfit got a special prize. Hassayampa Day gave recognition to Arizona pioneers. Prizes were given to couples married the longest, oldest native born son and daughter, the prettiest baby boy and girl under 2 years of age, and the ugliest man. Finally, one day gave free admission to “Aborigines” or Native Americans that came to the fair. More than 3,000 Indians attended the fair. There were several Indian foot races including one mile and two mile relay races, a quarter mile foot race, and an Indian wagon race. Upon its completion, the first Territorial Fair was declared a grand success. Its traditions, food and exhibits carry on today at the Arizona State Fair.

Arizona State Fair

By the 1880’s the Territory of Arizona was the Wild West. With a total population of around 60,000, the Territory was just starting to get organized through the 13th Legislature which became known as the “Bloody Thirteenth” or “Thieving Thirteenth” because of its spending habits. At one point, acting Governor H. M. Van Arman stated “…the territory is quite poor in purse although rich in mineral wealth. All the citizens have a holy horror of being assessed, or paying taxes…” The “Bloody Thirteenth” gave out many of the institutions that still thrive in Arizona today. They kept the capital in Prescott for the time being. The Legislature left the prison in Yuma. Even though it only cost $6 per week to send patients to California, the Legislature authorized $100,000 ($2.1 million in current dollars) to built an insane asylum near Phoenix. Tempe received $5,000 to start a teacher’s college. Tucson was granted $25,000 to start the University of Arizona. One reason for the smaller allocation for the University was “…who ever heard of a professor buying a drink?” Yet, Territorial Governor Frederick Tritle was concerned about several other issues. Cowboy lawlessness was a big concern for the Governor. One editorial writer indicated “…a lot of loose, marauding thieves are scouring the country killing good, industrious citizens for plunder. The officials are out in every direction, but nothing is accomplished.” Governor Tritle was also worried about the Indian situation. He felt that the San Carlos Reservation was being used as a terrorist training ground. Indians there were clothed, fed, and drilled on tactics. They used their knowledge to leave the reservation and murder citizens before the military could restrain them. At the 1885 Arizona Industrial Exposition in Phoenix, Governor Tritle stated, “I have urged repeatedly that these Indians should be removed from our Territory and their lands opened to occupation…the life of one industrious white settler…is of infinitely more value than the lives of all the non-producing Apache vagabonds in our Territory.” The Industrial Exposition of 1884 and 1885 was the precursor to the modern Arizona State Fair which sprang to life in 1905. It was hoped that the Exposition would showcase the products of the Territory. However, early editorials pointed out “…the total lack of an agricultural exhibit…will convey the idea that the valley has nothing in this line worthy of exhibit.” The Territory was experiencing a business depression during these years. Getting to the fair was a daunting commitment of time and resources for everyone that lived outside the confines of the City of Phoenix with a population of less than 3,000. Plus, there was that question of the Cowboys and Indians. Governor Tritle spoke at the Exposition. He praised the fair as a way to “…promote knowledge, stimulate industry, develop resources and increase commerce.” The Governor also looked into the future of Arizona. He could see “…a major proportion of our Territorial area can be only used for grazing purposes…” and “…mining will for many years remain one of the chief industries of Arizona…” Governor Tritle tried to encourage the expansion of the railroads in Arizona. He felt that easier access to and from the mines would make Arizona ore more valuable to industry. More railroads would also encourage farmers and ranchers to market their products to the mining industry. The Governor naively predicted “…the miner would work as readily for three dollars per day as for four now providing his cost of living were proportionately less.” Governor Tritle even spoke of the need for money to expand the infrastructure of the Territory. He said “…the people are often afraid of taxation, but it does not necessarily follow that because the rate of taxation is high that financial interests are depressed…or that there has been useless and reckless expenditures of either private or public moneys.” The two year run of the Territorial Fair was not considered a success. The Exposition was abandoned after 1885 with little fanfare for 20 years until the Arizona Territorial Fair was revived in 1905.

Life on the bus

Lost on the bus Lost On the bus. Belongings, Riding Alone. Unable To arrive At a Destination. Relying On the Kindness Of strangers. To return Home.

Star Daley

The death penalty by hanging for first degree murder was part of the Arizona Statutes at Statehood in 1912. In 1914, there were 19 ballot propositions including one by initiative petition to abolish the death penalty. The proposition was defeated on a vote of 18,129 for and 19,381 against. In 1916, the citizens again gathered enough signatures to place the abolishment of the death penalty on the ballot. The death penalty was abolished by a vote of 18,936 for and 18,784 against. The death penalty was officially abolished on December 8, 1916. In May of 1917, Star Daley murdered James Gibson at a campsite east of Mesa. After a road chase, he was taken from the authorities and lynched by a group of 50 vigilantes at the scene of his crimes. Daley blamed his mother for what he became. He confessed: “I was raised in or near Bartlesville, Oklahoma. My stepfather who is Red Melvin, is known all over that state as a bank robber. He and my mother, who killed my little brother by putting boiling water on him, brought me up. “They used to make me go out and get girls for my mother’s brothel. On several occasions I helped my father to rob banks, and at the robbery of the bank at Glencoe, Oklahoma, I think I killed a man. I know I emptied a box of shells at the posse chasing us and am pretty sure I got one of them. I pulled off a lot of hold-ups there and was finally sent to the reformatory.” Daley eventually came to Arizona and was working at a ranch near Florence. On a Wednesday evening he attacked the rancher’s wife, but she succeeded in defending herself. He was ordered to leave the farm and stole a horse and saddle and fled into the night. On Thursday night, he came upon the camp of the Gibson’s who were camped in the desert about 23 miles east of Mesa. The Gibson’s had been visiting relatives in Globe and were on their way home to Tucson. They set up camp for the night and were preparing supper when Daley rode into camp. The Gibson’s offered Daley food and water and he suddenly pulled out a gun and shot James Gibson 6 times in the back. Daley indicated that “When he told me his name was Gibson, I thought he was the man who had ruined my sister I shot him in the heart.” Daley indicated that his sister was working at a brothel in Juarez when his sister was ruined by a man named Gibson. It appeared that these Gibson’s only shared a name with the man that had ruined Daley’s sister. Daley then told Mrs. Gibson “…there is no capital punishment in this state, so all I would get is a prison sentence. I won’t stay there long, and then I will come and get you.” Daley then made Mrs. Gibson disrobe followed by hours of “incredible horror.” The next morning, they loaded Gibson’s body into the car and headed toward Mesa. The car ran out of gas and Daley went to get gas. A bicyclist came along and talked to Mrs. Gibson and went and informed the Town Marshall. Daley was captured and taken to the Maricopa County Jail in downtown Phoenix. As the story of the crimes circulated, armed mobs began to gather in downtown Phoenix with the intention of lynching Daley there. The Sheriff decided to send Daley to Florence and slipped him out of the jail and into a car around midnight on Saturday night. Once the crowd realized Daley was gone, “…three cars swung out at a terrific pace started on a mission which they heartily believed would be applauded by the people of the country, and which would avenge at least one woman’s honor.” The chase went through Tempe and Mesa. The chase was going at well above 60 miles per hour and “…everything on the road gave it the right of way.” News reports indicated while the chase was on “…all the while at Florence was gathering the expectant mob – waiting, waiting.” The sheriff’s car was stopped near Florence and the deputies gave up Star Daley without a fight. Masked vigilantes took Daley to the scene of the crime. At about 6 a.m. on Sunday morning, a rope was thrown over the cross arm of a telephone pole and Daley was asked if he had any last words. “Yes, I hope this will be a lesson to all men like me. I am not to blame, it is the result of having a mother who worked in a brothel.” Press reports indicated “It was one of the most coolly handled hangings in the history of the state and there was no disorder.” Star Daley then became the last known man to be lynched in Arizona. That morning, a coroner’s jury was convened in Mesa and went to the site of the hanging to investigate. After hearing testimony from Mrs. Gibson and the lawmen involved, the coroner’s jury ruled “Justifiable homicide, by hanging, at the hands of unknown parties.” The body of Star Daley was cut down after the inquest and buried at the site of the crime. It was reported that “Governor Campbell, who had spent the entire night in an effort to find the crowd which had Daley in custody, arrived in time to witness the burial.” In the general election of 1918, a petition initiative was proposed to restore the death penalty. It was passed on a vote of 20,443 for and 10,602 against. Death by hanging in Arizona was restored on December 5, 1918.

The surveys of Arizona

On race weekends, it is the Hillside seating on turn four of Phoenix International Raceway. During the festivities, a few people climb to the top of the hill and probably wonder about the origins of the concrete cross that rests there. Fewer still appreciate that this point could have been along the border of Mexico and the United States, and signifies the point where almost all private parcels of land in Arizona are surveyed from. In late 1851, a group of surveyors climbed the hill, undoubtedly admired the view of the pristine Salt River Valley, and built a circular monument with an eight foot base made of rocks lying nearby. The monument tapered upward eight feet to a four foot diameter on top. A center wooden pole, six feet high was marked “United States and Mexico Boundary Commission, 1851.” The monument was set by Andrew B. Gray, United States surveyor and Lieutenant A. W. Whipple leading a large survey crew. The monument was set to fulfill the agreement known as the Guadalupe Hidalgo treaty of 1785. In January of 1867, William Pierce again climbed the hill with his 7 member survey crew. His crew crossed the Gila River that was over 200 feet wide and 3 to 4 feet deep to get to the point that would become the intersection of 115th Avenue and Baseline Road. His field notes indicate “I proceeded to perpetuate this corner (the center of the monument) as follows: I squared the post and marked it as a TP (township) corner.” Pierce had a contract for the first rectangular survey in what would become Arizona. His job was to set up township lines for the rectangular division of the land into 36 square mile townships so that they ultimately could be sold to settlers. His contract was “for the survey of certain lands in Arizona for the sum not to exceed seventy-five hundred dollars.” Pierce’s first order of business was to establish a line 36 miles to the east, or 6 townships. Much of this would later become Baseline Road, named after the baseline they were establishing for future surveyors. Pierce and his crew were able to establish this line in five days using rudimentary equipment including a solar compass, a chain of 33 feet made up of 50 links and a covered wagon and horses as transportation. They had to measure levelly over uneven terrain, had to cross the flowing rivers, and had to cut there way through the brush and obstacles they encountered. Their efforts took them from 115th Avenue to Power Road in five days. Pierce described the area: “Salt River, at this season of the year is a large stream…which renders it especially valuable for irrigation. I consider this valley…as containing some of the best agricultural land I have yet seen in the Territory, and would recommend that it be subdivided at an early day.” Pierce probably could never imagine the thriving metropolis that would occupy the land some 140 years later as he chained across Phoenix, established in 1870, Tempe, established in 1870, and finally Mesa, established in 1878. Pierce then returned to the initial point and began a survey of the Prime Meridian for Arizona, a line that was to run 96 miles, or 16 Townships, north of the Initial Point. For the next few weeks, Pierce worked carefully to set up the backbone of the structure that would be used to establish the greater Phoenix area. In late February of 1867, Pierce asked for and received a release from his contract due to an expected Indian uprising and fearing for the safety of his survey crew. Over the years, the Initial Point fell in disrepair through age and vandalism. Even though more than 62 million acres of Arizona had been surveyed from this point, it was largely forgotten. In 1984, a statewide group of surveyors took it onto themselves to refurbish the monument as it appears today. In trying to reflect on the history of this truly remarkable point, they placed a plaque on the monument that reads “Dedicated to all land owners in Arizona by the Arizona Professional Land Surveyors.”

Papago Saguaro National Monument - Now Papago Park

Shortly after Statehood in 1912, the Phoenix and Maricopa County Board of Trade began an effort to have what is now Papago Park declared either a National Park or a National Monument. Originally, the committee recommended the creation of a “…National Cactus Park…as Yellowstone National Park, the Yosemite National Park, and the Mount Rainer National Park.” The General Land Office (GLO) was not interested in the proposal and replied to Representative Carl Hayden that “…topographic conditions seem to offer nothing but scenery and the National Monument Act of June 8, 1906, does not provide for reservation of public land for the purpose of protecting scenery.” More information was submitted to the GLO including 7 dime store postcards showing Hole in the Rock, giant cacti, and yucca palms. After further review, President Woodrow Wilson signed proclamation No. 1262 in 1914 creating Papago Saguaro National Monument saying it contained “…splendid examples of the giant and many other species of cacti and the yucca palm…are of great scientific interest, and should, therefore, be preserved…” Almost 2,100 acres were included in the monument. In 1916, it was estimated that the National Monument had almost 5000 visitors a year. Commercial pressures were an immediate concern for the keepers of the monument. Local merchants were known to paint advertisements on the rocks within the Monument. Once the National Park Service took over the area, they received requests to develop portions of Monument into enterprises such as a golf course, construction of a community hospital for soldiers suffering from tuberculosis, building a large auto camp ground, an air field, waterfalls, tennis courts, ball fields, and a convention facility in order to make it a “world attraction.” The National Park Service rejected all these proposals. In the 1920’s, oil companies wanted to drill for oil within the monument. These requests were rejected. Meanwhile, James Reed had claimed 160 acres that included Hole in the Rock as a mining claim. More than 20 years prior, Charles Poston, the father of Arizona, had also claimed ownership of Hole in the Rock. Reed eventually wanted to trade his claim for 270 acres. He claimed “…in making this exchange I am practically giving the park to Arizona.” The GLO called Reed “…a shrewd land swindler.” The Department of Justice finally rejected Reed’s claims. By the early 1930’s, the demands of the nearby communities spelled the end of the Papago Saguaro National Monument. The employees of the National Park Service noted there were many unemployed homeless living in the monument. Also, parts of the park were being used as illegal dumping sites. The Papago Saguaro National Monument become one of only three National Monuments ever turned back to local control. The State of Arizona quickly built the Hunt Bass Hatchery which released more than 175,000 bass and perch every year into streams and lakes around Arizona. News reports indicated “Arizona’s newest industry is commercial fishing, the market being New York and even Los Angeles; fish are being hauled 3000 miles across the continent and sold on the eastern seaboard.” In 1932, Del Webb constructed the pyramid known as Hunt’s Tomb overlooking the Hunt Bass Hatchery. Along with the State of Arizona, the City of Tempe, the Salt River Project, and the War Department received lands from the Saguaro Papago National Monument for other uses.

The Superstitions

In late 1931, the Arizona Republic-Phoenix Archeological Commission sponsored an expedition into the Superstition Mountains. The guide for the 5 member team was George “Brownie” Holmes. The team also included: E. D. Newcomer and Harvey Mott from local newspapers; Richie Lewis; and Odd S Halseth, archeologist. Richie Lewis who had been a rodeo star and ran the Tempe Riding Academy provided the horses. The horses were led by Holmes and Lewis for two days to get from Tempe to the Superstition Mountains. Other members of the group drove the two hours from Phoenix to the base camp at the foot of the Superstitions that was described by Harvey Mott as “…the slag dumps of hell.” Holmes led the group into the Superstitions. At the end of 1931, Holmes was considered the leading expert of the Superstitions since he had guided trips into the wilderness for more than 22 years. Holmes led the group through rugged mountains to an area known as Garden Valley which was an abandoned Indian community. The remnants of a stone community house were obvious. The house measured 192 feet long, 97 feet wide and 20 feet tall. Since being abandoned, the house had collapsed upon itself. Pottery fragments could be found everywhere. As the group looked closer, they could easily see the remnants of other houses surrounding the community house. The group estimated there were at least 50 or 60 houses circling the community house. Scattered around the village, they observed at least a dozen metates with manos still in them. Many were worn very deeply by years of grinding grains before the village was abandoned. Throughout the area, rocks had been placed to form a series of check dams to store and divert runoff from storms that swept through the area. The dams stored some water and may have diverted water to small storage ponds. Nearby, the explorers found a garden consisting of a dense growth of cholla cacti along with many prickly pear and other cacti. Around the orchard there were mortars and pestles that must have been used to crush cactus fruit for liquid. The expedition continued on and visited and explored other abandoned ruins. Along the trail, one of the dogs with the expedition found a skull under a Palo Verde tree. Since the expedition was only a few months after the disappearance of Adolph Ruth who was searching for the Lost Dutchman Mine, team members felt they had found his skull. The skull was brought back to Phoenix and examined. Some felt the skull clearly showed signs of a gunshot wound. Several local anthropologists felt the skull resembled distinctive features that were shown in pictures of Ruth. The skull was then sent to the world’s foremost anthropologist at the National Museum in Washington D. C. He reported that the skull was “undoubtedly that of an aged white man.” He concluded that death could have been from a gunshot. Local law enforcement returned to the area. Other remains of Adolph Ruth were soon discovered near the site the skull was found. Since the National Museum experts were not forensic anthropologists, their conclusions were discounted locally. The final finding was that Adolph Ruth died of natural causes. “Brownie” Holmes continued exploring the Superstition Mountains along with mining. In the 1940’s he was injured in a mining accident. Allegedly, he wrote an account of the Lost Dutchman’s mine from information he had collected along with stories his father, Dick, had told him. The Holmes family were pioneers in Arizona and claimed to know the Lost Dutchman, Jacob Waltz.

Buffalo Bill

As modern residents of Arizona, people have a difficult time determining the truth from the fiction of the tales of the Wild West. When he came to Arizona in the early 1900’s, “…Buffalo Bill gave an exhibition of western life as it was many years ago and as it is still thought to be in far eastern states.” William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody was born near Davenport in Scott County, Iowa on February 26, 1846. In 1860, at age 14, he joined the Pony Express which advertised for “expert riders willing to risk death daily.” During the Civil War, Bill served as a scout and enlisted soldier. In 1867, Cody was hired by the Kansas Pacific Railroad as a buffalo hunter to feed construction crews. In 17 months, Cody claimed to have killed 4,280 buffalo and garnered his nick name in the process. In part, Buffalo Bill’s fame started when he was asked to guide a buffalo hunt for the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia in Nebraska in January of 1872. General Phil Sheridan arranged the hunt which also included General George Custer. Arriving at the hunt, Bill was described as being “…seated on a spanking charger, and with his long hair and spangled buckskin suit he appeared as the feared and loved by all for miles around.” In 1872, author Ned Buntline persuaded Buffalo Bill to star in a play “The Scouts of the Plains” which was based on the fictional “Buffalo Bill” in Buntline’s dime novels. Bill loved being a showman, so in 1883, he created “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.” Bill toured the world with his Wild West show which recreated events of the real west along with the fictional west that was the entertainment of the day. More than 1,500 dime novels were written which contained the adventures of Buffalo Bill. Buffalo Bill brought his show to Phoenix at least twice in the early 1900’s to entertain the people within the growing City. In 1900, Phoenix had a population of 5,544 people and by 1910 had grown to 11,134 according to the United States Census. Buffalo Bill traveled by train with more than 800 people and animals that were part of his show that ran about two hours, rain or shine. Cody used an “Immense Canvas Canopy” to cover the performers and patrons. Admission to the show which included bench seating was 50 cents. Grand Stand Chairs were $1.00. Children younger than 10 were admitted for half price. In the early years of the show, Bill would stage a parade through the town to drum up business. By the time the show arrived in Phoenix in 1908, “…Colonel Cody has found that he can give a far better performance when he does not hustle his people and stock out for a preliminary march around the town…” Reports indicated that Cody did ride through the major streets of Phoenix to “…convince the public that the old scout is still in the harness, ready to appear as he positively will at every performance.” The performers along with the animals walked from the train tracks up Fourth Street to the grounds of the performance which included a cowboy campsite and an Indian village with teepees. Shows were given at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. By 1908, the show included skills in cowboys riding horses and bucking broncos, a game of football between cowboys and Indians on horseback using a ball that was 6 feet 3 inches in diameter, an artillery drill with cannon firing, a train holdup where “…a real railroad train consisting of an engine, tender and combination baggage and passenger coach, puffed across the far end of the arena on a wobbly set of rails. In the attack on the train a safe is blown up at each performance with a huge charge of gunpowder.” Also, the show included the recreation of the Battle of Summit Springs from 1869. Newspaper articles indicated “not only is the battle scene reproduced and that of the duel, but also the mode of the Redman’s living at that period. All the Indians will be seen in their full war paint and feathers.” The show also contained a group of Indians attacking the Deadwood stage coach with the cowboys rescuing the stage in the nick of time. Another feature of the show was a recreation of a buffalo hunt with a small herd of buffalo. News reports indicated “there is plenty of gun-play in the stage holdup, train robbery, buffalo hunt and several other features. The buffaloes are very interesting to see, as they are of the hundred or so bison still surviving.” Buffalo Bill appeared six times during the course of the show. One of the spectators commented, “’Why isn’t he young looking’ said a middle aged woman…’I saw him when I was a little girl and he looked older than that then.’” Bill invested his earnings from the show in film-making, tourism, ranching, and mining in Arizona. However, these ventures did not return a profit for Cody and the Wild West show eventually failed in 1913. Cody’s debts forced him to continue touring through 1916 as an attraction in other shows. He died in Denver of kidney failure on January 10, 1917, at age 71.

A. D. German Warehouse

A new owner has bought the German Warehouse in Wisconsin. This is a building that was never finished or never really occupied in the almost 100 years it has existed. It was designed to have a restaurant on the roof. Some people believe Wright was born in a house on the west side of warehouse. The house was demolished in the late 50's by the City since it had become a hazard. A number of the older residents of Richland Center at the time, felt the house was the Wright birthplace. Wright never revealed where he thought he was born, or perhaps, he never knew where he was born in Richland Center. It was a unique warehouse, or is it just a big box store? http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/220098301.html

August 16th

Today is the anniversary of the death of Elvis in 1977. I have always wondered why this registers so heavily with people. Babe Ruth also died on this day. Was it because Elvis may have died on the toilet? All week, there have been articles on the death of the king of rock and roll. Today is also the anniversary of the crash of the airliner going from Detroit to Phoenix in 1987. Only one little girl survived. They are releasing a movie called Sole Survivor about people that survive plane crashes. May they all rest in peace.....

Owwwwww!

Really? Where else could he go but to St. Bernards! TRUMANN, Ark. (CBS Atlanta) – A paralyzed Arkansas man awoke to find blood on the muzzle of his dog and a “burning pain” in his mid-section, and according to the police report: “the dog had eaten one of his testicles.” The 39-year-old Trumann, Ark. man, who is paralyzed from the waist down, had recently adopted the “small, white, fluffy” stray dog in hopes of having a loving companion, reports KAIT8.com. The man said the newly-adopted animal bit off one of his testicles while he was sleeping naked around 7:45 a.m. on Monday. The man, who has not been identified, was taken to St. Bernard’s Regional Hospital for treatment to his injuries.

Cesar Chavez

I saw a plaque for Cesar Chavez today. It reminded me of the conversation I had with him many years ago. He came to support a Presidential candidate in the Midwest. As the candidate was talking, I was standing next to Cesar. In quiet moments we talked about farm workers, what he was doing and why he was supporting the candidate. This was pretty much before he became a national leader, so hardly anyone in the crowd knew who he was. I had been following the news on some of his activities, so I knew who he was at least. His gentle determination will be what I always remember. He accomplished a great deal against people who were more than willing to use great violence. I am sure he would be on the front line of some of the issues that are facing workers today....

Obits

A good obituary is amazing to read. It tells you something about the person and reveals little insights into their lives whether or not you know the person. Here are a couple of excerpts that I found enjoyable. Mary Blakeslee "Mary was most fond of her numerous poodles and cats, sadly leaving Sambo, Bandit and Jake to meet her later at the Rainbow Bridge." Bob Jacobson - this was actually a bit of an article from The Arizona Republic "'He enjoyed being an editor, but I think he loved writing more," said his wife Earline. "He loved sports. That was his life. Next to his kids, that was his fondest love'"

Pope

I have never met a Pope or seen one live. However, when he went to Phoenix years ago, there was a big effort to make his visit spectacular. One of my friends at the time was a musician with a group that was playing at a reception for the Pope. During a break, he went into a bathroom off the kitchen of the resort where he was playing. The Pope's security started grilling him when he emerged from the bathroom. I guess it was some sort of emergency exit way for the Pope if something would happen at the dinner. He tried explaining that he just had to pee....they were not impressed. My friend was dressed in formal wear, so he could not have looked all out of place in the area. This was in the late 80's I believe, so security was not at the level it is now. Now, he probably would have been tased....my friend, not the Pope... First, the Holy Family gets recycled, and now the Pope. What is the world coming too?

Happy New Year!

The Holy Family box is on its way to the recycling facility. I assume it will be back next year:) Places are closing early for New Years celebrations. It is suppose to be cool tonight for people out celebrating. I am hoping to stay up until NY turns midnight to see what Anderson Cooper and Kathy G. can do to make us laugh. I hope they leave their clothes on this year!

Holy Family

Day after Christmas and when I went to the dumpster, the Holy Family was sitting in the recycle dumpster. Hopefully, it was just the cardboard box....but you never know....

Olgivanna Wright

Many years ago I worked for a company near Spring Green, WI that would do work for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. They would ask that the drawings be delivered so a conversation could be had with the person working on the project just to make sure everyone understood the symbols and information on the drawing. One day I was finishing up my explanation with an architect in the grand drafting room at Taliesin when Mrs. Wright entered the room. She came over and asked who I was. I told her. She then invited me to her private quarters for cookies and tea. Her quarters had a grand view toward the east. We sat at the table near the windows and she proceeded to ask me questions about what was going on outside of Taliesin. We talked about government. We talked about the arts. The tea and cookies arrived and they were excellent. She expressed dismay that she did not get out much. I suggested that since she was the owner of the place she could do what she pleased. She was amused by that suggestion. We had a simple conversation which began several years of delivering small projects to Taliesin so that Mrs. Wright could have conversations with me. One time she suggested that she invited me into her quarters to make Wesley Peters mad since she never allowed him in there. A couple of times, I got to meet Svetlana Stalin who was married to Wesley Peters. I held their daughter for a short time during one visit while Svetlana and Mrs. Wright had a private conversation. I have read that Mrs. Wright tried to manipulate the people around her. Perhaps she was using me to make some of the staff mad. I never particularly felt that way. I did tell her of meeting her husband. After I finished the story, she laughed and laughed. She said many people had told her that they had met Frank Lloyd Wright. She said my story sounded just like the Frank she was married to. She told me she did not view her husband so much an architect, but more of an artist. That has always made sense to me. If you view his creations as art, they are very vibrant....more to follow.

Little Oscar smelled of beer and cigarettes

One of the joys of summer is seeing the wiener-mobile as they travel the country. Some people do not like wieners, but they make a tasty treat at baseball games and summer pick nicks. When I was a kid, I remember the first time the wiener-mobile came to our town. At that time, there really was a Little Oscar who was a little person. He rolled into our town. There was a crowd of kids with the parents standing in the back. The door opened and out popped Little Oscar. I was at the front of the crowd and it sort of pushed us up against him. I was kind of surprised that he smelled of cigarettes and beer. Good times were being had as he rolled down the road apparently. He got the crowd to move back and pretty soon, the parents had stepped away to talk. As soon as he realized they could not hear him, he started to say some pretty salty things to us kids. We all learned some new words that day. Of course, when we tried them out on our parents, we got to taste bars of soap. They wanted to know what hoodlum of the town was teaching us sailor language. As kids, we were pretty truthful. When we told them it was Little Oscar, we got to eat some more soap. It was not good to lie to your parents, they said. Over the years I have met a number of people who worked at Oscar Mayer who all said that Little Oscar had quite a dirty mouth on him. He was told to keep it shut, but he had learned how to teach the kids a lesson, I guess. The people who knew him also said he was very fond of his cigarettes and beer. We actually had a friend named Oscar. We used to sing a rather ribald version of the wiener song about wanting to be someones wiener so all the girls would be in love with me.....

9/11

I thought a lot about that terrible day from 11 years ago. Maybe it is because that day was also a Tuesday. In the next few days I will think about the eerie silence when the planes were grounded.