Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-11-13

doing as well, proportionately, or better
than any man on the job. The winter Of
6S found him at ogden and from there he
went down to Salt Lake City, thence to
Utah valley and on into Payson, then a
thriving Mormon settlement seven miles
from Utah lake, a crystal jewel set be-
tween the emerald hills of the Oquirrh and
Wasatok ranges Of mountains. 1t was a
good place to winter the stock, for it was
mild and feed was plentiful
OF his days at Payson, Virginia City and
Deer Lodge, OF his Nevada trips little need
be said, He bought and sold cattle, settled
his own disputes, left decisions to the flip
Of coin, the drawing of lot and abided
by the cast; neither complaining when It
went against him, nor Rloaung wien he
got the best of It. He won and married
Diana Elmer, a Mormon girl no small
triumph for a Gentle In those days, and,
finally, In '76, bought the beginnings Of his
Payson farm and settled down. the farm
and family growing as the procession Of
the years swept past
Eight years ago, one morning, John H.
Dixon, the mayor Of Payson, drove out to
McBeth's and asked him to be one of the
party to go over into Strawberry valley a
cup In the hills, beyond Diamond mountain
fifty miles away and Investigate the pos
sibilities Of an irrigation project TO have it's
headwaters there and to irrigate, through
a system OF canals the $4,000 acres OF land
In Utah valley. His judgment was needed
and was asked for Mr.. MoBeth now, is
frank enough to say that he did not believe
In IT. that he did not think It feasible;
that he said so, but that he also said that
II enough Of the people about him, his
neighbors, did believe in it, he would be
one Of them 10 see what could be done
This was characteristic OF the man. He
bowed to the will OF the majority and went
With him went Heber Jex, the mayor OF
spanish Fork; and state Senator Henry NJ
Gardner. They took with them Engineer
Sewer and once on the ground this en-
gineer told them Of how the thing might
be done great reservoir site was to be
found; Strawberry river was 10 be i'm
pounded; tunnel was TO be driven through
the Wasatoh hills and a diversion dam
was 10 be built far upon the west slopes
/ II those mountains. 1t was all easy enough
Il the money could be had but the diff
ficulties were almost insuperable and a
mass meeting Of the people of the valley
was called to meet at the town Of Spanish
| Fork That meeting appointed q committee
Of which Mr.. McBeth was one and IL set
to work. first 20 measure the run-off OF
the strawberry river and Horse creek.
The general land office gave permission
to so on the Ulntah Indian reservation to
make reservoir and water locations The
committee did this with MIR McBeth by
this time an enthusiastic and tireless
worker The Utah state Land Board
granted some financial assistance and the
state engineer surveyed the reservoir for
the purpose OF making the water filings.
These were 80 made that they covered
the two rivers by this time IL was as.
covered that no private enterprise; no
capital which the farmers OF the valley
could control could finance aud prosecute
20 successful completion so gigantic am en-
terpriEe as this was proving 20 be.
| Discouraged? Not bit OF H. J. S.
McBeth Is not one Of the "disoouragRble'
kind. The whole project was then called ia
the attention OF the reclamation service OF
the United States government. United
states Senators Reed smoot and suther-
land took 40 the matter 80 that the gov
eminent siEnified tie willingness 70 take uI
and finish the project. Here, however, a
proVfBo was made that all water rights
should bs equal and this was thought Inn
possible. Applied socialism was too new
for the minds OF the Utah valley farmers
TO grasp az once. Il was thought and
many OF those who had been fun OF hope
toek - their heels IA despair Not 90 j.