We Locate on Salt River--Letter from President Young--We Commence Work
on our Ditch--Hire Indians to help us--My Associations with the Red Men.
We passed down the Virgin river, crossed the Colorado at Stone's Ferry,
then through Mineral Park, Walapai Valley, Cottonwood, Anvil Rock,
Oaks and Willows and Walnut Creek, leaving Prescott to the left. We
continued on the most direct route into Salt River valley.
The trip was made without losing an animal or suffering in any way
worth mentioning; in fact, to this day many of the company speak of the
trip as one of pleasure rather than suffering. Everything was under
strict discipline. No one can travel safely through a wild, dangerous
country and be neglectful, no matter what those may say who are too
lazy to stand guard without grumbling.
One incident of the trip I will relate that might be profitable in
putting others on their guard.
One day, while traveling through a hilly, broken country, my son Wiley
and Chas. Rogers, both young lads, took their guns for a hunt. It was
cloudy; I warned them not to go far from the road. This they intended
to obey, but soon after they left the train the road turned off to the
right and changed the direction. It soon commenced to storm very hard,
and we went into camp. We were now uneasy about the boys. The storm was
the first of the season--cold and wet, and the boys were without their
coats. I tried to keep from showing anxiety for their mothers' sake;
but I felt about as much concerned as I ever did, for I knew there was
great danger. About night I went on to a high hill, piled up several
cords of dried cedars and set fire to them. About 9 o'clock we heard
a loud hello. We knew they were coming. They were almost dead with
fatigue.
After finding they were lost they had traveled round and round to keep
from freezing to death. Their strength had almost failed when they saw
the light. They had no matches, but were trying to strike fire with
their guns, when the light was visible from where they were. There was
quite a mountain ridge between them and the fire. It was in a different
direction from where they expected; it had barely shown a dim light in
the mountain top.
Wiley said, "That's pa!" and started for the fire. This saved them.
On arriving at Salt river it became plain to see that we were not in a
condition to go further, and, as everything seemed inviting to us to
stop here, we took a vote on the question of continuing. All voted to
locate on Salt river, except one man.
We made camp where Mr. Miller had directed me to the ditch site. Next
morning we commenced work on the head of the ditch. Ross R. Rogers
began surveying the ditch with a straight-edge and spirit-level.
We had been to work but a few hours, when a party came and claimed that
we were on a ditch site already staked and owned. Mr. Miller had posted
me on this.
The survey had been made and stakes set, but sufficient work had not
been done to hold the right of way. So I told the gentleman in charge
of the party that we would not interfere with his survey; that we had
noticed his stakes and would not disturb them. He finally offered to
sell us the right of way.
I told him we were not prepared to buy, but would try and be careful
not to interfere with his rights. The party left and we heard no more
from them.
We arranged affairs to the best advantage possible, according to the
wisdom we had, and went to work on what was registered and is known as
the Utah ditch.
On reporting to President Young, the following letter was received:
"Salt Lake City, U. T.
"_Elder D, W, Jones, Camp Utah, Arizona_,
"Dear Brother:--On my return from Ogden, last evening, I found your
note awaiting me. The brethren who have been called to go to Arizona
reside in various parts of this territory. They will start as they
get ready and come dropping in upon you from time to time, without
any special instructions from the Presidency of the Church, only to
commence their labors at as early a date as they reasonably can. For
this reason we cannot say anything about making arrangements beforehand
for their flour; but they will have to do as we have done before--get
it as best they may after their arrival.
"We should be pleased to learn from you how far you consider it from
your camp to the settlements on the Little Colorado river, and which
road you deem the best thereto. We should also like to know what
your intentions are with regard to settling the region for which you
originally started. We do not deem it prudent for you to break up your
present location, but possibly next fall you will find it consistent
to continue your journey with a portion of those who are now with you,
while others will come and occupy the places vacated by you.
"We do not, however, wish you to get the idea from the above remarks
that we desire to hurry you away from where you now are, or to force a
settlement in the district to which you refer, until it is safe to do
so and free from the dangers of Indian difficulties; but we regard it
as one of the spots where the Saints will, sooner or later, gather to
build up Zion, and we feel the sooner the better.
"Last evening I returned from Cache valley, where I had been resting a
few days. Tomorrow myself and party start for Juab and Sanpete counties
to organize a Stake of Zion there, while Brothers Lorenzo Snow and
Franklin D. Richards will go to Morgan and Summit counties and organize
there.
"We have thus to divide or we should not get through with the
organization of the Stakes in time to commence the quarterly
conferences in those that were first organized.
"We have no special counsel to give you or your company at present,
only to live so as to retain within you the Spirit of the Lord, that it
may be to you a present helper in every time of need, and a guide that
can be called upon on all occasions. Be prudent in all the measures
you enter into; economical with your time and supplies; be just one
towards another, and kind and friendly with all men; do your utmost
by precept and example to win the hearts of the Lamanites, and ever
use the influence you acquire over them for good, for their salvation
and education in the arts of peace and industry. In this course the
blessing of the Lord will be with you, and you shall be established
in peace, and prosperity shall attend your efforts to build up God's
kingdom. That this may be so is the prayer of
"Your brother in the Gospel,
"Brigham Young."
We commenced on the ditch March 7th, 1877. All hands worked with
a will. Part of the company moved down on to lands located for
settlements. Most of the able-bodied men formed a working camp near the
head of the ditch, where a deep cut had to be made.
We hired considerable help when we could procure it for such pay as
we could command, as scrub ponies, "Hayden scrip," etc. Among those
employed were a number of Indians, Pimas, Maricopas, Papagoes, Yumas.
Yaquis and one or two Apaches Mojaves. The most of them were good
workers.
Some of these Indians expressed a desire to come and settle with us;
this was the most interesting part of the mission to me and I naturally
supposed that all the company felt the same spirit, but I soon found my
mistake, for on making this desire of the Indians known to the company
many objected, some saying that they did not want their families
brought into association with these dirty Indians. So little interest
was manifested by the company that I made the mistake of jumping at the
conclusion that I would have to go ahead whether I was backed up or
not; I learned afterwards that if I had been more patient and faithful
that I would have had more help, but at the time I acted according to
the best light I had and determined to stick to the Indians.
This spirit manifested to the company showing a preference to the
natives, naturally created a prejudice against me. Soon dissatisfaction
commenced to show. The result was that most of the company left and
went onto the San Pedro in southern Arizona, led by P. C. Merrill.
After this move, there being but four families left, and one of these
soon leaving, our little colony was quite weak.
The three families remaining with me professed to sustain my management
for a little season. Then they turned more bitter against me than
those who went away; no doubt but they felt justified in their own
feelings, and, as I am writing my own history and not theirs, I will
allow them the same privilege.
It was not long until it became manifest that I would have to either
give up the Indians or lose my standing with the white brethren. I
chose the natives, and will now give as truthful a history of my labors
among them as my memory will serve.
In about six weeks from the time we commenced we had sufficient water
out to plant some garden stuff and a few acres of com. When this was
done Brother Turley took a number of teams and went to freighting
for Mr. Hayden to pay the debt we had now made--some fifteen hundred
dollars. This debt could soon have been paid if all hands had stayed
together, but as the most left, the debt finally fell upon me to finish
paying up.
This tied me up on Salt river for some time.