Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-12-04
SteYenson's Jonrneylngs.
sNowFLAKB, Navajo COUNTY,
Arizona. Nov. %, 1895.

Arzoua. Nov. 30, 1895.
To the Editor
Elder Lyman and mys1liarrlved o.
this place on the 2ls, inst, since my
last communication Sumo items OF
Interest have fallen under my Obsofvs-
ton which am satlefied will prove
interesting, not only TO your readers NJ
home, but to many who nro far away,
for this Mormons (so-callel) are arons'
ing attention everywhere. Before
leaving Woodruff our party, In con.
uection Win some Of the ci,lzens, paid
visit % the noted dam which ha'
been erected 10 turn the water Of the
Little Colorado river out on TO n linn
tied sureage OF very productive land.
The present dam IL the eighth effort OF
about twenty families to stem the tor
rent on a SANDY foundation, at least on
part Of IT, This stream ls subject 10 flis
and starts, that IL TO say, high, quick
Hoods and torrents, aud a. other
times nearly dry quicksn udu.
rhe consequence IL, the dam has Deen
repeatedly washed, In the main, over
into the abyss below, hut each time
leaving an Immense pile OF rock ON
which TO construct IL fellow dam,
The limited amount Of tillablo land
In this little cove, although very fruit.
iul, will allow ht the present time Of
only n small number Of hmilier. some
VINO have become di.heattcned have
lett the place, 10 DO replaced by other
home seekers, 10 spend their onergiea
for truly to eustaiu this little oasis In
Arizona has required n heavy tax. But
this time success has attended the
labor OF this little baud OF Woodruff
for II has withstOod the Hoods OF four
! yeats. The dam, ~ II now HIauun, N
% feet high ami over $50 feet loug. 1t
locke like u m ,untuin VI rock, with
tho water back OF n. The soil has
| fillud up above the dam, aud IL looks
like n young Niagara Falls. Tne esti'
mated cost o the dam 10 said 10 be, ns
u now etands, $4,000, anu including
| the waehOuib abUut SO, 900.
Tue settlement had I've origin In
1877. Nathan q. rennoy, Lo-
rsnzo Hatch, James Q. owens,
| Hans GoldDranson anu others
I
| Of the place. Only a few have held
out from the beginning. None have
been more energetic than tho iron
ncryed Lorenzo Hatch, who has tho
| reputation OF being the only man who
can stand 10 work day anu night. This
WORK, could not have been LAGOON.
plished only by assistance from outside
holp. The ChuToh has aided, aud the
governor OF AriEona, who visited tho
works commended II highly, contrib
uting territorial funds TO the lamou nj
OF 81 500. Ftuit trees, shade trees aud
smaller fruits abound, aud three crope
Of lueorn are cut, averaging two toni
per acre each cutting. Lucern brings
at tho market sl2 per ton loose. Their
main market Is ~ Hoibfo0k, twelve
mites, At the railway depot.
We may add, through reliable in'
formation, that 81. Joseph, 25 milo'
down the Colorado river, eau also tel
much the same tale OF washing out Of
d ms, but tor tho past four yoare has
made success OF its work.
Alter our meeting anu visit at Wood
run and At Joseph, We drove over 1
desert about % miles TO another little
settle ment on branch OF the Littl,
Colorado, Silver Creek-SnOwtiako
where We have attended three meet
logs and have conference today In adj
dlti0n 10 a snow storm. At Thu
hour snow Ia sixteen indies deep
and u IL still showing batd
while At Woodruff we found 1
brother Horace b. Ovens, aged 10, Nv hJ
was bApt In March, 1881. knew
him IN Far West, Missouri. Ho nal
worked on nearly every temple ye
built. Who, now living, was baptized
before him? Father George Il. Gard
ner 10 In bis SEND year OIL his age. HI
has lod the Woodruff choir lhirtoei
Yeas and has been n choir leader sixty
two year,. Father Gardner Ia ais
postmaster at Woodruff. He was with
President Brigham Young Ia Peter
boro, New Hampshire, when he re
oeived news OF ;he death OF Thu
Prophet Joseph. After the grief wa
over he says Brother Brigham 10
marked "rhe keys arc with me 4
carry on the work. IL will not stop
but will 20 on" Brother Gardne
was ordained a Seventy In the NAuvo
Temple. He has worked at blacksmith
ing here for twelve years, He /
oounselor TO the president Of the Higl
| Pfiesls1 quorum