Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-12-07
ANpgEW TENSIONS LETTERS.
Travels Through aud Descriptions OF
the Prosperous and Wide
Spreading San Juan stake.

oouaIorsas, rrsurr Nrvs
HrgNuAu WARD, san Juan Co. Nov
"a. is8s. In company with Elder David
Edwards Ilcn Bluff. on the San Juan
river early in the morning OF the 2i't
inst our course lay up the river Tor a
distance OF twenty-five miles over @
very sandy road, ON which wc passed
the site OF Mouteuma q mormon
settlcmentthat went down iho river nine
wears ago. or during the floods %. 1854
We also passed the trading post known
as Outlets, and thence, after leaving
the river to The right, we passed through
the southwest corner OF the state ol
Colorado, being part Of the Ute
Indian reservation. and cnclmpld for
the night ON the Mauc3s o., tributary of
the San Juan, alter travelling during he
day d0y five miles.
The next day we travelled thirty FIVE
miles 10 Bumham Ward, also called
Fmhland. and formerly known as OHo,
In san Juan county. Sew Mexico, where
we were kindly received hy Bishop
Luther G.. Buruham and family
The Bunhlm Ward comprises about
twenty-five families. Of whom the lesser
bali reside so Fuiiland aud vicinity and
tho greater hall ON the "a Plata, an-
other tributary Of the san Juan. The
san Juan valley az the place whore the
center OF Fuitsud Us located is about
one and half miles wide and about
four or five miles long, upcf.ng on Go o.
mere canyon both above aud below.
The soil n very rich and productive aud
Is especially adapted for fruit culture.
hence the name lfuiIlud was suEsys.
ted Tor the name OF thu post office when
q change was effected 70 few years ago.
AZ the point where FWIt.aud is situated
the San Juan river runs boo q westerly
election. across % b. the Navajo Indian
reservation. above IUitlud. about
twelve miles, D. the town 0i Pennington,
Justly fcnuun u iu this pau OF New
Mexico for Dos extensive orchards and
fine quality of fruits. fm.tand is sixty
miles southwest OF Durango, in C1lom.
do. the only town OF any considerable
size in this part OF The country. Besides
The Saints who reside here there are o.
large number of non.Momous in ihc
immediate vicinity. Some OF them
a tended our meeting held here curing
OUT visit, and listened with grci.
attention 10 the preaching There s
room here for many more settlers, and
the few Saints here are very anxious
that their ward should grow. Bot a'.
though IL Is thirteen years since the hut
permanent Mormon settlers came 300
here. they arc too few In number as set !
tu make a lively and interesting branch |
of the Church Among the resident
brethren here who are known 10 a great |
number OF Saints in Utah and elsewhere /
may be mentioned Elder Ira Hatch, our |
famous Indian Interpreter and Elder !
John X. Young, who b extensively /
known in Southern Utah and other
places.
The Saints on the la Plata live 10 O |
scettercd condition Ia the narrow valley |
through which the stream mentioned |
winds rs way In a southwustcdy de- |
rcctun, until Il falls into the san Juan
nine miles above luiuand and three
miles below Pennington The latter
h a non. Mormon town. The la Plata
Saints have been unsuccessful with their
crops for the past two years; hence,
when visiting them, found most OF the |
brethren away. ircighting OF working IN |
different places Ia order 10 earn the |
means WhcrcWith 90 support their
families. Franklin Archie Young, q |
grandson OF the pioneer Lorenzo u. |
Young, Of Salt Lake City, presides over
the branch on the La Plata, the other |
name los a.hfHk % IHHN.Rm HIHmH.. d. ]
no post office here yet. though one has |
consequently get their mail nom Far
center OF the mormon" settlement On |
the Ia Plata or the point where the /
meeting house stands. Is fourteen miles
east Of Fmiuand. and about eighteen
miles south OF the boundary line be-. I
tween Mexico and Colorado Above
that part OF the valley occupied by our
people, there arc "a number OF non.
Mormon settlers. in fact there Is % string
Of ranches, extending clear up 10 the |
Indian reservation line, which is also |
the southern boundary of Colorado, 10 |
more Latter.day saints could be in.
duccd TO locate ON the la Plata, the
branch here could become a il0utshing
settlement there Is natural reservoir
site between the rolling hills skftIug
the valley ON the west. and by the "a
pcndltutc of O little money and con,
siderable labor, the high water of the
creek could bee hu5handui and utilized
during the irrigation season. The soil
ON the Ia Plata is good, the climate
splendid, and fuel plentiful
ANDREW lENsoM