Part 28 (1/2)
Troublesome River Conditions
In the memory of Americans still living, the Gila River through the Safford region, was a relatively narrow stream, over which in places a stone could be tossed. There were occasional lagoons, some of them created by beaver dams--picturesque, but breeding places for mosquitoes and sources of malaria. Camp Goodwin was abandoned because of malarial conditions in 1869-70, troops being transferred to the new post of Camp Ord (Apache).
The river situation of later years has been very different indeed from that known to the pioneers. The lagoons drained and the underbrush, gra.s.s and trees cut away, the river floods have had full sweep and, as a result, there has been tremendous loss in the was.h.i.+ng away of the lower lying land. The farms have been pushed back toward the mesas. Now under consideration is a comprehensive irrigation system that will cost several millions of dollars, with a great concrete diversion dam above Solomonville and with two head ca.n.a.ls that economically will serve both sides of the river.
But in the early days the colonists did what they could, not what economically was advisable. They did not have such trouble as was known along the Little Colorado and their water supply was much larger and somewhat more regular. They took out little ca.n.a.ls at different points, with headworks that were easily replaced when washed away.
For a few years around 1910, there appeared a prospect that the Gila Valley farms would have to be abandoned unless something could be done to stop the flow of tailings from the concentrating mills of the Clifton-Morenci country, on the San Francisco River, a tributary of the Gila. The finely pulverized rock was brought down in the irrigation water and spread out upon the fields in a thick layer, almost impervious to the growth of vegetation. Mit Simms, then a farmer near Safford, tells that the dried tailings upon his farm spread out in a smooth sheet, that could be broken like gla.s.s, with a blow from a hammer. The mining companies refused to heed demand to impound their tailings flow, and so the matter was taken into the courts. Decisions uniformly were with the settlers, the matter finally being disposed of in their favor in the United States Supreme Court. Then the companies, using the tailings material for the making of dams, created great tailings reservoirs in the hills near their plants, and filled up valley after valley with the rejected material.
Incidentally, they spent in this work enormous sums, believed to have been sufficient to have bought all the farms of the Gila Valley, at the price put upon them ten years ago. This expended money, however, may yet be returned, for plans have been set afoot for leaching copper treasure out of the tailings banks.
Artesian water was struck in the Gila Valley in 1887, according to John A. Lee, understood to have been the first well borer in the artesian district, within which are the present towns of AlG.o.don (otherwise Lebanon) and Artesia. The first water was struck at a depth of 330 feet and better flows were secured with deeper borings down to 1000 feet.
The first few years of the Gila Valley settlement, every alternate section was a.s.sumed to be the property of the Texas Pacific Railroad Company, a land grant claimed by the Southern Pacific. This claim was decided against by the United States authorities early in 1885, and the lands thus were thrown open to entry by the settlers. Pima was on railroad land and filing of its townsite formally was accomplished by Mayor W.W. Crockett.
Basic Law in a Mormon Community
Interest attaches to the Church commission, dated February 20, 1883, received by Christopher Layton on his appointment as head of the San Pedro and Gila Valley settlers. It was signed by John Taylor and Jos. F.
Smith of the First Presidency and contains instructions and admonitions that might well have served as a basic law of any G.o.d-fearing community.
President Layton was instructed to see that the settlers did not scatter themselves promiscuously throughout the land, that surveys be made for townsites, that the people settle in these localities, with facilities for public schools and meeting houses, and that due provision be made to protect the settlers against depredations of the lawless and unprincipled combinations of brigands and other hostile marauders.
A notably interesting paragraph recites, ”You will understand that our object in the organization of the Stake of St. Joseph is to introduce the Gospel into the Mexican nation, or that part of it which lies contiguous to your present settlement, and also, when prudence shall dictate and proper arrangements are entered into, that a settlement may commence to be made in that country.”
It was recommended, in forming cities either in Arizona or Mexico, ”care should be had to place them in proper localities, convenient to land and water, with careful examination of the sanitary conditions. It is the general opinion that it is more healthy and salubrious on the plateaus or mesas than on the low land, the latter of which in your district of country are more or less subject to malarial diseases, which ought, always, when practicable, to be avoided.”
The streets should be wide and commodious, with public squares for church, county, school and ornamental purposes.
[Ill.u.s.tration: GILA VALLEY PIONEERS 1--Wm. R. Teeples 2--John M. Moody 3--Jos. K. Rogers 4--Ebenezer Pryce 5--Hyrum Brinkerhoff 6--Samuel H. Claridge 7--Frank N. Tyler]
[Ill.u.s.tration: PIONEER WOMEN OF THE GILA VALLEY 1--Elizabeth Hanks Curtis 2--Mrs. W.R. Teeples 3--Elizabeth Moody 4--Margaret Brinkerhoff 5--Elizabeth Layton 6--Josephine Wall Rogers 7--Rebecca Claridge]
School and church affairs should be kept separate. There was warning against favoritism in the allotment of town lands and a recommendation that the principles of the United Order be approached, without the placing of the communities under rigid rules.
Another interesting paragraph recites, ”The order of Zion when carried out, will be that all men should act in the interest of and for the welfare of Zion, and individualism, private speculation and covetousness will be avoided, and that all act in the interest of all and for the welfare of the whole community. We may not, at present, be able to carry out these ideas in full, but without any special formality or rule, we may be approaching these principles as fast as circ.u.mstances will admit of it. We profess to be acting and operating for G.o.d, and for His Kingdom, and we are desirous that our acts should be in consonance with our professions.”
In the selection of elders, care was enjoined that all such persons should be honorable, free from any pernicious or degrading habits, ”for if men cannot control themselves, they are not fit to be rulers or leaders in the Kingdom of G.o.d.”
There was special injunction that the Lamanites, the Indians, be treated with all consideration and shown that the Mormons do not teach one thing and practice another. The Indians should be taught to be ”friendly with the government of the United States or Mexico and to live at peace with one another, to be chaste, sober and honest and subject to the law of G.o.d.”
t.i.thing of one-tenth was stipulated as in the interest of the people. The new leader was advised that, ”G.o.d has placed you as a watchman on the walls of Zion and He will hold you accountable for your acts,” and he was directed to see that the laws of G.o.d were carried out in his community, irrespective of persons or families.
Layton Soldier and Pioneer
Christopher Layton was a rough diamond, almost illiterate, yet possessed of much energy and a keen, practical judgment that served him and his people well through the course of a long life. He was an Englishman, born in Bedfords.h.i.+re, March 8, 1821. His first practical experience was at 7 years of age, when he kept crows from the wheatfields for the large salary of 56 cents a week, boarding himself. In 1843 he crossed the ocean. Elsewhere is noted his experience with the Mormon Battalion.
Following discharge, for a few years he lived in California, finally taking s.h.i.+p from San Francis...o...b..ck to Liverpool, where he arrived in March, 1850. On the same s.h.i.+p's return, James Pennell led 250 converts to America, landing at New Orleans proceeding by river to St. Louis, and then Utah.