Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-09-13
ST. JOHNS.
A GLIMPSE AT A PORTION OF APA-
 CHE COUNTY.
How to Get There---Water Supply and ReservOirs---St. Johns and its Business--The AIormons
 and Their Fac
 tiOnS


 tiOns.
 St Johns, the county seat of Apache county, IS most conveniently reached from Navajo Springs, station on the Atlantic & Pacific railroad at the crossing of the Rio Puerca. The distance, fifty five miles, is covered with q two seated blackboard drawn by good stock in seasonable time and six trips are made weekly between these points The Rio Puerca at Navajo Springs is spanned by g bridge sixty feet long and from it the traveller looks down for the most of the year upon a bed of dry sand. but at the present time and for the next several weeks the stream will be large and strong. Upon crossing the bridge the road enters valley about mile in width and extending above and below for miles, with opportunities for system of reservoirs. and on the morning of August 18th parties were looking over the ground with the intention of locating such sites.
 After leaving this valley the stage road makes a gradual ascent for a distance of six miles, into the cedar hills where the trees stand as thick as the mesquite ill the southern country. It grows in many odd and fantastic shapes: round, square and oblong. This cedar forest extends over an area about sixteen by forty miles square; the soil is sandy and in the dry seasons the roads are heavy for teams. but is firm and good at this time of the year. The grass was fine, but owing to a scarcity of water little stock was ranged | thereon. When the winter snow is on | the ground large numbers of sheep are | driven to these forests that afford abun- I dant browse and good shelter. Occasion ally the piflop tree is seen among the ce- l dar
 A change of horses Is made at the edge of the timber and the road continues over good grass country to the Zuni river, crossing on the route what at first sight seems to be ledge of rock, but which Is in reality large body of petrifed wood Trunks of large trees several feet thick lie on the ground and others are party buried and petrifed to the solid1ty of stone. The character of the timber was principally oak, but further north it was evidently cedar.
 At Zuni river the soil changes to gray ely clay which extends for several miles to what is called the Meadows. At this point dozen houses overlook the valley. and corn and wheat are raised, The wa ter comes from the Little Colorado and small storage reservoir supplies water during the dry season. With better ia cilities in this direction many more fer tile acres could be brought under culti- yatiOn.
 From this point glimpse of St. Johns and its cultivated fields Is had. The crops are late this season and many far mers had not got their crops in when the rains commenced. There are but few farms without patch of alfalfa. A res eryoir of small capacity has been con structed, with banks twelve feet high and two hundred feet long, where the hills come nearly together, behind which they spread into mile in width by several miles long, with an almost level basin to hold the water The dam could be raised thirty feet, which would bring it to lev el with the hills and furnish far greater volume of water, There are many other admirable sites for reservoirs, but the people are yet too poor to utilize them. St. Johns has 25-barrel roller Touring mill, erected by the Mormons, nearly completed. It is located in two-story brick building and will be run by water power. It's projectors hope to stop the importation of flour.
 A ditch encircles the town at a suffi- cent elevation to afford the residents sup ply of water for their trees and gardens There are number of fine orchards while nearly every residence has fruit and shade trees.
 Father John, who has been in charge of the Catholic church at St. Johns for several years, has homesteaded ranch mile and half from town, and can be seen at an early hour every morning com ing in town to attend his duties at the church. The father has thus walked to and from his farm for five years and has never neglected to sleep there a single night. Many words can be spoken in be- | half of Father John.
 The public school is one of the most prominent structures, standing upon the 1 hillside and overlooking the town, re- hinder to the people of the great bless ings of popular education,
 The principal business houses are the cooperative store and that of A. Ruiz, | both of which transact good business. The cooperative store has been built up from small institution into one of the solid houses of the county. Nearly all the Mormon trade goes there and it serves to demonstrate what centralization can ! do. It is conducted by J. T. Lesueur, the present probate judge and former treas urer of Apache county, who is pot only an exceptionally intelligent gentleman, but one who enjoys the confidence and esteem of all people, even the gentiles.
 The Mormons of Apache county are chiefly Danes, the others being natives of Utah who openly express dislike for the former. charging them with gross ig norance and penurious practices, and that they always underbid the Utah Mormons upon all contracts competed for that they live on next to nothing and are thereby enabled to work for less wages. The same complaint is made by the gentiles as well as by the Mexican residents, many of whom have left the country because of their inability to compete with the cheap tabor. Harmony existed there, however, until four years ago when party lines were drawn, the Nor mons supporting the democrats. Since that time they have exercised their power and any one desiring their support must show his good will in their behalf The antagonism is growing stronger between the Mormons and Gentiles and will con tilue to retard progress and may. re- suit in serious tronble It is repug gnaut to the American's ideas to see several hundreds of people in a community hold themselves aloof and take no interest in political affairs that are 80 dear to his progressive heart The democrats as well as the republicans feel that change must come in some way if Apache county is to prosper. The Utah Mormons say they are not re sponsihle for the present state of affairs and express fears that the Danes and Gentiles may have trouble. What effect the disfranchisement act would have can not be answered. There Is much bitter feeling among the anti Mormon element that smacks of personal nature. Some who denounce the Mormons were at one time elected by them to office. There is no compaint that they are not industri- ous or law abiding, but that they are ig, norant and elannish and will not give a Gentle show. Even the young ladies refuse to associate with the Gen1les Those fighting the Mormons are making personal warfare at all times, and using the most bitter and degrading epithets to- wards them. There are some in both parties with the good sense to take the better view of the matter and believe t would be wise to use their efforts to in- duee immigration that will counteract the influence of the Mormons, instead of advertising their county as under the yoke of those people, and thereby keep ing out the very people they want. A few indiscreet citizens in county can | work A great injury to unbhink nkinp