The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-06
Early History of Enterprise in
Which Settlers Invested
Much Labor.
AMBITION AND MUSCLE
MOST AMPLY REWARDED
Irrigation Proposition Which
Rebounds to Mutual Benefit
of Many Farmers.
Special to The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune,
TOQUERVILLE, Utah, June 8
Large oaks from small acorns grow;
this aphorism well illustrates the work
accomplished by the Hurricane Canal
company.
Levi W. Harmon. j. 7. Willis and Mr..
Slack met on the street by the Toquer-
vile Cooperative store in 1893, about
the 23d day of June. The conversation
drifted upon the development Of the
resources of our Dixie land. and 1T was
agreed TO examine the feasibility OF
building canal in which to divert the
waters of the Rio Virgin to the Hur,
upon the people of the surrounding set
Elements to get an expression of their
feelings in relation To the project
Mr.. Slack was appointed TO CORE
spond with the people and ask them to
meet with the promoters at Virgin on
Monday, June 81, According to APP
polntment about twelve delegates met,
and after consultation they started
down the river to explore and ascer-
tain if it would be possible to build a
canal. The day was spent IN climb
ing mountains and ravines, and try
ing to take in the whole situation.
Meetings were called to hear the re
port and TO vote on the question; after
canvassing the votes 1T was found that
a majority was in favor of building
the canal Committees were appointed
to take hold of the work, TO have artl-
cles of incorporation drafted, the neces-
sary surveys made and everything nee
essary to forward the work.
Work Is Inaugurated.
In December. 1898, the work com
,~,nrcal | Of nc here for n mo"
ment The necessary stock was divided
into twenty hundred shares, at the
value of $40. The members were with
out capital, having small farms, few
head Of stock, and many were common
laborers, and the task before them was
truly great Under the most favorable
circumstances eight or ten weeks each
winter was all the time they could
spare Thousands of feet of lumber
were required besides posts and great
deal Of powder. fuse and caps.
The canal is SIX and thrce-fourths
miles long, eight feet wide at the bot
tom and four feet deep; il has fall
of one-fourth of an inch to the. rod,
AS to. the formation of the Hurricane
Mountain. being mostly sand rock, that
is an expression made by a class that
would prefer to see every enterprise
fail rather than roll up their sleeves
and 90 10 work Instead OF SAND stone
formation, why the rock is so hard that
there is nothing this side of hades IKE
It Talk of his satanic majesty S fore
head, it is not in it for hardness as
compared with that rock. AS to The
report that large proportion OF the
water seeps away and does not reach
the outlet for use on the land. TO meet
that living statement ii is only neces-
sary to say that should there be. any
failure in the crops on the hurricane
this year it will be in consequence oil
too much water being used. While the
work was in progress some gentlemen
visited the canal and after viewing the
work said: ''We admire your grit, but
your Judgment is greatly at fault -
Capacity of Canal,
The amount of water has not, as yet,
been measured Under an ordinary
flow Of water the canal would carry the
whole Virgin River. As to the guam.
titv of land, should the windows OF
Heaven be opened we would extend oul
bitches and make farms for thousands
Under the ditch there are some fiji
teen hundred acres and plenty more as
the water increases.