Arizona republican., 1919-09-19

ever, that there was not sufficient land under the Lehi canalsfor all of them, so this company tried to get water out on to the mesa. They got an engineer for this purpose, but after an examina- uon of the conditions he pronounced it an impossibility. These people, how ever, were brave and determined, and were not to be thwarted in their pur- pose. So they went out and located an. ancient abandoned canal. With spirit level they began here and ran a level out to the river and located the head of the canal where the power- house now stands near Granite Reef dam. This continued to be the head for great many years. Thus they accomplished their purpose and the water came out on the mesa. The city Of Mesa was then laid out and each man was allotted a certain portion of land within the section.
 The canal at first was only about s feet wide, but it has been enlarged and developed until today it is 50 feet wide at the bottom tc the division gates.
 These settlements have continued to grow and develop until there are now in and about Mesa $500 prosperous people.
 About 1879 four families were sent out from here under the leadership of P. c. Merrill, Sr They settled in the San Pedro valley where they estab- lished a settlement later known as St. David
 About the same time Joseph K. Rog- CTS was ordained by President Lot Smith, of the northern settlement, as leader of a group of five families. | These people crossed the three ranges of mountains to the south and entered the Gila valley. They established the | first town in the valley, then called Smithville, but later known as Pima. Several other settlements, including Central, Graham, Thatcher and Cur ts were made.
 f The people here were rather scat tered and unorganized when Christo pher C. Layton, of Kaysville, Utah, a very successful leader and colonizer, was called by President Brigham Young to come to southern Arizona and preside over these people. He first set tied at St. David, where the St Joseph Stake, of which he became president, was organized. However, possibilities for future development of settlement were found to be very limited, so Presi-
 
 Gila valley. Hero he found great pos abilities for the future, and everything to his liking, so he settled here, mak- ing this part of the country the center of the St Joseph Stake.
 He and other men gained a title to a great deal of this land and built ditches, thus retaining a large mum Der of acres of very valuable agricul- turai land. This land they held for future development by their people.
 Early Difficulties
 During these early days, these set tiers, like all pioneers, had many diff ficulties to overcome. In the north where the first settlements were made a great deal of alkai was found in the soil. Owing to this and to early and late frosts their crops were in a very large measure unsuccessful. Many of their crops and homes were also de- stroyed by floods. Some became dis couraged and returned to Utah, and others pushed their way on down tc the south, where they found better con
 ditions. But there were there more persevering and brave who fought the
 battle to a finish. It is these people tc whom we owe the splendid develop ment of the northeastern part of the state
 The people of the southern settle ments were, however, not exempt from trials and hardships. In Maricopa county they had a great deal of diffi- culty in building ditches, and getting
 sufficient water for irrigation. The
 heat, too, was very oppressive, due tc
 the absence of trees and vegetation
 The chief characteristics of these earlS
 settlers, however, was constant perse. verance, and so they struggled on iI
 spite of the heat, planting trees anc
 cultivating the soil, until they soor
 had a typical oasis in the desert. Indian Trouble The settlements along the Gila an5
 San Pedro rivers were constantly dis
 turbed by the Apache Indians. wht plundered, stole and murdered as out.
 laws. These Indians never came oui
 in open warfare, but murdered smal
 bands of people who might be freight.
 ing or travelling by team from plact to place.
 Thus converts from all parts of tn, world have been and are being at
 tracted by the beautiful stories of tn,
 sun kissed fields of Arizona, and ar, coming here to make their homes
 These new settlers are taking advan
 tage of the splendid opportunities fol getting homes, and are continuing t, reclaim desert lands according to tn land laws of the state.
 Also few years ago, when revolu tionary troubles broke out in Mexic, large number of the church mem. bers, who were driven from their home there, took refuge among our settle
 ments here. They have also formet several new settlements in our mids and are considered among the bes citizens of the state.
 And so the Mormon communitie
 have continued to. grow and prospe until there are now in the state abou 15,000.
 The Mormon people have alway been considered among the leading az riculturists of the state. They bull their canals by cooperative plan, i { which every man works on the ditto or ditches and pays his share of none for the cash expenses. The land z usually equitably divided when the frs settlement is made.
 Organization Each town constitutes a ward, whic ' is presided over by a bishop and ty