Every settlement along the Little Colorado River has known repeated
troubles in maintaining its water supply. It would be vain recapitulation
to tell just how many times each of the poor struggling communities had
to rally back on the sands of the river bed to built up anew the
structure of gravel and brush that must be depended upon, if bread were
to be secured from the land. The Little Colorado is a treacherous stream
at best, with a broad channel that wanders at will through the alluvial
country that melts like sugar or salt at the touch of water.
There are instances that stand out in this struggle for water. The first
joint dam of Allen's Camp and Obed cost the settlers $5000. It is told
that 960 day's work was done on the dam and 500 days more work on the
Allen ditch. This dam went down at the first flood, for it raised the
water about twelve feet. Then, in the spring of 1877, another dam was
built, a mile and a half upstream, and this again washed away. In 1879
the St. Joseph settlers sought the third damsite at LeRoux Wash, about
two and a half miles west of the present Holbrook. In 1881 they spent
much money and effort on a plan to make a high dam at the site of the
first construction, but this again was taken downstream by the river. In
1882, a pile dam was built across the river, and it again was spoiled by
the floods. This dam generally was in use until 1891, but had to be
repaired almost every year. In the year named, work was started upon what
was hoped to be a permanent dam, at an estimated cost of $60,000. In
1894, Andrew Jenson wrote that at least $50,000 had been lost by the
community upon its dams. Noting the fact that only fifteen families
constituted the population, he called St. Joseph "the leading community
in pain, determination and unflinching courage in dealing with the
elements around them."
St. Joseph, as early as 1894, had completed its eighth dam across the
river. Jos. W. Smith wrote of the dedication of the dam, in March of that
year. He remarked especially upon the showing of rosy-cheeked, well-clad
children, of whom the greater part of the assemblage was composed,
"showing that the people were by no means destitute, even if they had
been laboring on ditches and dams so much for the last eighteen years."
The main prayer of the exercise was brief, but characteristic: "O Lord,
we pray that this dam may stand, if it be Thy will--if not, let Thy will
be done." The invocation was effective. The dam stood, as is illustrated
within this book.