Show THE sai SAN JUAN COUNTRY blufe bluee CITY san juan county february 19 1883 editor deseret news this place la Is situated in the southeast corner of utah territory about 20 miles north of the arizona line and 35 miles west of the colorado line on the north side of the ban san juan river biver in what is commonly common jy known as the lower san juan val ley luy it has been settled tiree years and during that time the people have met with more or less reverses reve raes but have succeeded so ao far that the they y hive the water out and last season raf ral raised ged zed good crops this winter a great deal of work Is ia being done in enlarging the ditch and carrying it higher and further in order to cover m re land and an encouraging increase of crops la Is anticipated next season there are over fifty men here permanent settlers most of them having families and well batis nned nied with wih the country the altitude of this thia valley is feet and the climate is remarkably pleasant being usually warm and almost invariably dry very little rain or snow falls and tha the ground is diry dry all through the winter making that the beat beason season of the year tor all kinds of work during the extreme cold coid weather of december add aud january the the dometer recorded 23 below zero but bat such a thing was never heard of be fore in tinee thebe parts the valleys on this river are usually from one mile to two miles in width and in some places bro bre enclosed by tall handsome hand ome forne bluff and in others by smooth rolling hills which are more agreeable to the eye the land la Is rich river bottom covered with cottonwood cotton wood gre grease ase sagebrush Equaw bush and ironwood which in some bome places is rather expensive to clear but is us ua bally vory very productive there are several current wheels wheela in operation for throwing out water for irrigation which are measurably successful pud and others are ara being built as there ia ia much valuable land which it la Is not practicable to water from a ditch cottonwood for fencing and fuel Is abundant in our fields and the various washes leading to the river from the mountains on our cur north saw timber of superior quality is easy of access 40 miles milea from here on the blue and elk mountains lying to the north and northwest of us stock do very well keeping fat summer and winter and we have a good market for them at montezuma 15 miles milea further up the river there are 10 families who have ample room for quite a number of neighbours and would be pleased to see bee them comb come and angelat to build up and redeem the country from there to burnham another mormon settlement 70 miles further up the river and in new mexico there are several good chance for active industrious people to make good comfortable homes in a climate that cannot be surpassed at burnham 10 miles below farmin which is located at the confluence of the san ban juan and animas rivers there are six families of our pe people ople opie located in a good country and anxious to have their numbers increased by those whose faith and practice are in abord accord with their own most of the land in that neighborhood 13 I 1 claimed and much of it heid held and improved laa faa proved by not tf cf our faith many of whom would sell for what their improvements have cost which if the new now sf settle settie ra means will permit is an excellent opportunity of getting a home as in many cases the water is out and on some crops have been raised at burnham and for 50 miles this ide ide ido of it coal is abundant there being hundreds of places where it cr crops p a out plainly on the surface tte thi the Nava joes on the south of us and the utes on tho the north are very friendly and as aa a rule conduct themselves abiell as well weli at leat lea t as the average white citizen extensive mines of gold silver bliver copper iron and coal have been recently discovered 60 miles to the southwest of bluff city causing a ripple of excitement and a slight rush of miners from the snowbound snow bound mining camps of southwestern col orado acdal A coal oil spring has also been di discovered covered in the vicinity of the mines its quality and quantity be ing such as to render IE ft valuable in case cheap transportation should ever be established here on abe and of last month apostles B young and H J grant met with the saints in thir thi place and held five meetings at which much valuable instruction was given and many good things said tending to encourage the saints in the performance of their duties after leaving here the apostles visited the saints at montezuma Monte zama zuma and burnham and held meetings and then proceeded on their journey to visit the settlements in arizona the tho saints here are united in spirit and action have good sabbath meetings and sabbath schools bools ec also a good day school and young mells melis association belief beliet society and primary in good working order it is a time of general good health and prosperity there Is room for a good many more people in this country than are here at present but those who want to succeed here must expect hard work and be mals datis fled with emall small farm farms at least for the present yours truly reatie FLATTE PI ATIE atle A LYMAN |