Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-05-14
THROUGH IDAHO.
An Excursion in which Business
ard Pleasure are Happily
Combined.

NNAAhAnlls
MORMON WARD, Gentle Valley,
Bingham County, Idaho, May 0,
1890. Correspondence of the Desc
RET NEws.l-For the purpose Of
visiting the settlements in the
Oneida Stake Of Zion, I LEFT Logan,
Utah, on the 9Th inst-,a after attending
the Cache Stake quarterly confer
enee. | Travelled by train TO Pres
ton, Idaho, where / addressed the
Saints in the evening according to
previous arrangement.
Preston is the second ward in size
in the Oneida Stake. 1t contains
Jog families belonging 10 the Church,
most Of whom live in a scattered
condition on their farms and ranches
within a scope Of country, about four
miles square, extending cast TO the
mountains, south to the Whitney
Ward, west to Bear River and north
TO the Riverdale Ward. The town
site Of Preston is on the Utah North
ern Railway, seven miles northwest
Of Franklin and the same distance
north Of the boundary line between
Utah and Idaho. IL contains six
teen ten-acre blocks, and is
perhaps rs beautiful a TOWNSHIP
as can be found in Southern
Idaho. 1t is being built up quite
fast, and fine thrifty shade trees are
planted along the sidewalks of the
principal streets. \ Stake Academy
building is also in course Of erection,
which, when completed, will add
considerable importance to the town.
a new meeting house is even con.
templated in the near future, and
altogether the Saints Of Preston seem
10 be an industrious and prosperous
community. The soil within the
limits Of the wa-d is rich and pro.
ductive; the farming lands are irri-
gated from Worm Creek (which
cuts through the ward from north
east to southwestj and Cub River.
10 convey the water frCni the latter
stream a canal was constructed a
few years ago at cost Of $50. 600.
The water supply being still made
quate 10 the demands, a new canal
Is now in course Of construction 10
convey the waters Of Mink Creek To
Preston. When this 10 completed
there will be plenty OF water 10 irri-
gate all the farming land in the ward,
and new extraordinarily Saints
arc invited 10 come and cast their
lot with the people, get some Of the
land still uncultivated and help
complete tins new canal, which will
cost about 5000. There is room
and land for a large number Of
Saints yet, and | have not for a
long time seen a new settlement
in the mountains that | would
rather recommend TO my friends
who are seeking homes than Pres
ton. Elder VIM. G.. Parkinson pre-
sides as Bishop, and Brother Matthias
+. COwley, one Of the Stake Presi-
dency, also resides there.
Taking leave Of the good peopIe Of
Preston on Wednesday morning,
| Travelled with Thomas Spongberg,
a young man who had been dis
patched by Bishop Parkinson to
convey me to Mink Greek, through
well cultivated farms, nOrthward,
and soon reached the top of a ridge
which IL considered the north
boundary Of Cache Valley proper.
From the summit Of this ridge,
looking hack, most beautiful
landscape is presented. a fine, level
country stretches for miles ami
miles southwark. dOtted with farm
houses and ranches, lucern fields
and pastures, all within the limits
Of the Preston, Whitney and Fair
view wards. Travelling a little
farther northward we suddenly
found ourselves on tine edge Of the
high cliffs bordering on Bear River,
and looking downward, q fine little
valley through which the river takes
a Numbering course presented it.
self 70 our view. Descending Oyef a
long, sleep and rough dugway, we
soon reached the bottom Lands,
where a little log meeting house
stands about halfway between the
bluffs and the river. There a num-
Der Of Saints had assembled accord
ing 10 appointment, aud addressed
them for about al hour,
The nineteen families Of Saints
residing in this little valley are
organized into n ward known as the
Riverdale Ward, with Leonidas
Meecham as Bishop. They live on
ranches and farms situate on diff
ferent points Of the river COM
menciDg at the mouth Of Mink
Creek and extending west TO Battle
Creek Station, a distance Of eight
miles. The. central point Of the
ward, where the meeting house
stands, Is about four and half miles
northeast Of the Preston townsite
and three miles east Of Battle Creek
Station on the Utah < Northern
Railway. The people Of Riverdale
have suffered considerably I'm times
past for lack OF water TO irrigste
their farms, although there has al
ways been an abundance Of that ele-
ment passing by on its course to the
Great Salt Lake; but the trouble has
been to conduct il from its original
channel into the farms. In times Of
low water the river has lett the
mouths Of their canals high and dry,
and the grain has consequently
been left TO burn up for
want OF moisture. Steps, how
ever, are now being taken to
build n substantial dam across the
river, whereby permanent supply
OF water for irrigation purposes will
be secured. The listle valley has an
average width Of mile, where the
greater portion Of the settlers are To-
Gated.
From Riverdale We drove twelve
miles In an easterly direction over a
mountainous road to the centre Of
Mink Creek Ward, where / spoke to |
an appreciative audience Of Saints |
in the afternoon The ward con-
tains sixty-eight families. nearly all |
Scandinavians, who reside ON Mink |
Greek and its tributaries, the largest |
Of which are Strawberry Greek,
Birch Greek, Bear Hollow and
Station Creek. There is some ex-
cellent land along these streams, but
most Of 1t Is very billy and rolling,
which makes il extremely hard 70 |
irIigate. Thepeople, however, appear |
to be well pleased with their loca-
ton, and do not seem to appre-
ciate the unfayorable expressions |
which are often made by visit |
ors regarding their country. One