The reports from the south gave ample encouragement to expansion ideas
within the First Presidency. So, after due deliberation, was organized
another Jones expedition for the settlement of the land.
As letters of the time are read and instructions found, it becomes the
more evident that President Brigham Young and his counselors had in view
a great plan of occupation of the intermountain valleys, reaching down
into Mexico, or beyond. It was a time when the Church was growing
very rapidly and when new lands were needed for converts who were
streaming in from Europe or from the eastern States. Logically, the
expansion would be southward, though there was disadvantage of very
serious sort in the breaking of continuity of settlement by the Grand
Canyon of the Colorado River and by the deserts that had to be passed to
reach the fertile valleys of the southland.
When the second Jones party started, according to an official account,
"President Young sat with a large map of America before him, while saying
that the company of missionaries called were to push ahead as far as
possible toward the Yaqui country in Mexico, which would finally be the
objective point; but if they could not reach that country they might
locate on the San Pedro or Salt River in southern Arizona."
[Illustration: GROUND PLAN OF LEHI]
In either case there would be a station on the road, or a stepping stone
to those who later would go on to the far south. President Young also
said to the brethren on that occasion that if they would do what was
right and be guided by the spirit of inspiration, they would know the
country as they passed through, and would know where to locate, the same
as did the Pioneers when they first reached the valley of the Great Salt
Lake.
The pioneering expedition was organized in St. George, in southwestern
Utah. In the party were 83 individuals, the family heads being Jones,
Philemon C. Merrill, Dudley J. Merrill, Thomas Merrill, Adelbert Merrill,
Henry C. Rogers, George Steele, Thomas Biggs, Ross R. Rogers, John D.
Brady, Joseph McRae, Isaac Turley and Austin O. Williams.
Start was made January 17, 1877. The way was through Beaver Dams to the
mouth of the Virgin. That profiteering was not unknown in those early
days is shown by the fact that the expedition, at Stone's Ferry on the
Colorado, had to pay ferriage of $10 per wagon. Much of this cost was
borne by Joseph McRae, who turned over one wagon, some horses and a
little money to the ferryman.
To the southward was found a road, well-traveled in those days, that led
from the Fort Mohave ferry to Prescott. But Prescott, then the capital,
was left to one side and a direct route was taken from Chino Valley,
through Peeples Valley and Wickenburg, to Phoenix. At the latter point
there was agreement that the travelers had about reached the limit of
their resources and of the strength of their horses. There was
remembrance of the valley section of which Winchester Miller had told. So
determination to stop was reached in a council of the leaders. There was
fear, apparently well grounded, that claim jumpers would cause trouble if
the destination of the party became known. On this account, departure
from Phoenix was not by way of Hayden's Ferry, but by the McDowell road,
as far as Maryville, an abandoned military subpost and station on Salt
River, at the Maricopa Wells-McDowell road ford. Here the river was
crossed, and the weary immigrants were at their journey's end. The day
was March 6, 1877. The camp was at the site of the canal head, the
settlement later placed a few miles below.
Henry C. Rogers took charge of the construction of the ditch, started the
day after arrival. Ross R. Rogers was the engineer. His only instruments
were a straight edge and a spirit level. This still is known as the Utah
ditch. Its first cost was $4500. There was the planting of a nursery by
George Steele, the trees kept alive by hauling water to them. Jones wrote
to Salt Lake that Salt River was at least four times as big as the Provo
and had to be tapped through deep cuts, as the channel was "too expensive
to dam."
Sunday, May 20, 1877, Jones baptized his first Indians in Salt River,
four of the "Lamanites" being immersed. In July, 1877, Fort Utah was
located as a place of protection. It was built upon the cross line of
four quarter-sections of land, enclosed with an adobe wall, and with a
well, on the inside, 25 feet deep. The families lived there while the men
went out to work.
President Young soon wrote Jones in a vein indicating that the stop on
Salt River was considered merely a camp on the way still farther
southward, saying:
"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 are
now, or to enforce 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."
[Illustration: ON THE DESOLATE SANDY ROAD TO THE COLORADO CROSSING]
[Illustration: LEADERS OF UNSUCCESSFUL EXPEDITIONS
1--Horton D. Haight 2--Jacob Miller
3--Daniel H. Wells 4--Lorenzo W. Roundy]
[Illustration: THE FIRST EXPEDITION INTO MEXICO
Wiley C. Jones, A. W. Ivins
Heleman Pratt, D. W. Jones, Jas. Z. Stewart]
[Illustration: THE SECOND PARTY SENT TO MEXICO
1--Jas. Z. Stewart 2--Meliton O. Trejo
3--George Terry 4--Isaac J. Stewart 5--Heleman Pratt]