The summer of 1879 was one of the dryest ever recorded. Though less than
20,000 acres were cultivated in the entire valley, the crops around
Phoenix suffered for lack of water. Salt River was a dry sand expanse for
five miles below the Mesa, Utah and Tempe canal headings. The Mormon
water appropriation was blamed for this. So in Phoenix was organized an
armed expedition of at least twenty farmers, who rode eastward, prepared
to fight for their irrigation priority rights. But there was no battle.
Instead, they were met in all mildness by Jones and others, who agreed
that priority rights should prevail. There was inspection of the two
Mormon ditches, in which less than 1000 miners' inches were flowing and
then was agreement that the two canal headgates should be closed for
three days, to see what effect this action would have on the lower water
supply. But the added water merely was wasted. The sand expanse drank it
up and the lower ditches were not benefited. There was no more trouble
over water rights. Indeed, this is the only recorded approach to a clash
known between the Mormon settlers and their neighbors.