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Show Era Writer Gives History of Bringing Water To Hurricane (Continued from first page) ticipation in a project that a community com-munity of men and women had given nearly nine years of their lives to, and had more than three-fifths three-fifths completed. "To President Smith James Jep-son Jep-son said. "We're going to finish the job whether you help us or not; but if you don't help us, when it s done it won't belong to the people it should belong to. Our present lands cannot support more people. Our young settlers can't wait, and our interest will go to the money lenders unless we get help. That was reason enough for church aid and tt was not withheld". Mr. Evans explains how the company was given $5,000 which was secured by stock and how Mr. Jepson re-turned with the news that there was now the money available to finish the project. pro-ject. Water was brought onto the sunbaked lands of Hurricane Bench in August, 1904 while the residents of Washington county celebrated and offered prayers of thanksgiving." "But the battle was not yet won There was greasewood, chaparral, cockle burr and slippery elm to clear off the land. There were flood gates and ditches to build. There were head gates and a dam to construct where the canal met the Virgin River, and three times the erratic Virgin tore out the logs and rock of the dam. There were leaks and breaks in the canal, and need for constant vigilance. There were plowing and planting to do, bridges to construct; homes to make, schools to build, and a community life and government to establish." This story of Mr. Evans carries the work from the beginning up to the present time. Those who know its history say that it is well written and well worth the reading. In closing Mr. Evans Evans writes the following: " Bright of countenance, sure of memory, steady of stature, today stands Hurricane Canal company's first president, James Jepson, in his eighty-third year. "And how did your people do this thing? a bystander asked him. "The answer was memorable: 'You remember how Brigham Young called a group of people to settle Utah's Dixie country and only half of them responded. 'Yes! 'You remember how, of the half who came only about half of them stayed.' 'Well the men and women who built this canal were the descendants descend-ants of those who stayed!' 'And what do you do it the canal breaks ?' 'We fix it.' 'And what if you couldn't fix it?' "And we were led to think with respect and gratitude in our hearts: 'Thank God for a genera- |