| Show interesting LETTER FROM THE SOUTH wow kow THE MMA llma SETTLERS STOOD THEIR GROUND description OF pleasant VALLEY VAHEY missionary AND OTHER TO THE isama IiAMA sites COST LYDON CONDUITS A GOOD word VORD dor FOB THE era EBA dec ad 1883 E editor deseret news leaving alpine the place from which our last epistle wag written on the morning of the uit nit we traveled first up then down the mountains to pleasant valley so eo named while we were there but heretofore called luima llma valley it is in the country of socorra Bo corra terri tory of new mexico and adjoining apache county arizona on the west brother jacob hamblin and some few fa mailes malies settled here about jannary january 1882 but only remained a short time we did not learn jeam just why they abandoned the valley but it is supposed that it waa wab on account of the claims of one mr lima llma a mexican after whom valley vailey was or the named the valie vaile vailey valloy y wag was again settled in february 1883 and in march the isett iene ienn six families in all were ordered to leave by mr lima llma he claiming the entire val ley jey stating that he bad a govern ment title for it the settlers refused to go unless mr lima produced proofs of his ownership this he could not d do as the land had never so much as been surveyed lima laima said he did not wish to use force but must and would have his rights he afterwards came with a lot of armad mexicans claimed that there were 60 with him and that he had 40 as a reinforcement near at hand band tte tle settlers prepared to maintain their ground by fighting if necessary and the six families succeeded in scaring away the 60 mexicans not with standing their reinforcement A few when they know they are in the right generally prove more than a match for the many pleasant valley is surrounded by high hills hilla or low mountains well cover covered edwith with timber mostly pine it Is estimated that there are acres of land jand in the valley that can be profitably cultivated there is not sufficient water to irrigate all of the land but the brethren are confident that by building reservoirs an abundance of water can be obtained many are in favor of dry farming we found quite a number that claimed tho sall sail produced small grains and corn better by trusting to the natural moisture and rain than by irrigating good crops have been raised by watering but once the average crop this year of small grain mostly dry farm ingham ing has been 10 bushels per acre this was thought to be a satisfactory yield considering the fact that the ground had just been broken up the average after a year or two of cultivation was estimated at 25 bushels pleasant valley although it does not compare with our large valleys in utah is lees leas a nice spot and will no doubt in the near future have a I 1 large arge and prosperous settlement of our people established in it Ther there oare eare are at the present between 20 and 80 30 families located in the valley the day of arrival meetings at 2 and pm at the evening meeting brother george C williams vyva sustained abd opt apart M 1 bishop lorenzo watson and john david lee were sustained as aa his first and second counselors tha tho mOmin morning of the was spent by some of our party hanting with the bame game good od luek laek mentioned in our last letter have been all through the wild turkey country but return fully as ignorant as before starting as 68 to how delicious is its flavor at omer we were treated fir for the second time to water melon have for forgotten whether I 1 mention mentioned noid Rd the fact that our first feast of melon was st at woodruff among other good things found at omer were it a number of your valuable pa paper sand band their contents were devoured with as a much if not mora pleasure and satisfaction is than the melon and certainly with less fear of night visions of an un plesant character either my reading apo appetite etite has jm improved of late or your paper we arrived at st johns on the evening ot of the slat and were pleased to ctet slater sister young and others from the lower settlements and the following day held three meetings mee all well attended our evening was devoted to giving instructions to the priesthood and to co hearing the reports of theLam thelamae sn ite missionaries called when we were here last april the great majority of the reports were wore very satisfactory and plainly showed that the brethren were earnestly working so BO far as aa their circumstances cea would admit to spread a knowledge of the gospel among those among whom they labor st bt johns has 11 improved V e greatly since we were here indro in april p r n many nice dwellings have been erected the orion era Is located in a new now office the coop co op have nearly completed a fine stone structure new now fences barns etc sta all ali speak of prosperity as well as industry d and ability upon our arrival at snowflake we were pleased to meet president lot smith and bishop joseph H richards richardg rie ric hards hardg of the little colorado stake our oan meetings sunday there were well attended and if anything the best we have held in the stake on monday the we said good byo to president jesse N smith and other friends frienda and started for st sac joseph in company with brothers lot smith and jos job richards Bic hards to attend the quarterly conference of the little colorado stake daring the conference and we devoted one meeting to talking to the nama Lama nitea as quite a number came to meet us they seemed much interested in our remarks saint Josep joseph ward hWard has 24 members some of whom have been baptized since we were here last oar conference was an enjoyable one we found the dam in ia the little colorado of the saint joseph people again washed away the people of this little place have spent in labor at 2 per day without or with board on dams and canals in the seven y years yearb e ar 8 fust fast p past a at something like or about per acre for all the land now under cultivation and yet they are not discouraged but express their determination to keep trying surely nothing but faith in our heavenly father and a desire to do his work by carrying the gospel to the Lama could stimulate men to cheerfully undertake such gigan tic labors the orion era is a weekly journal edited and published by miles P romney it is a cr credit editto to the editor as well weli as the town of st johns it is no small undertaking to successfully aily conduct and publish a paper especially a I 1 I 1 MOr mormon mons ones one as large as the wras era in a place with such a mixed population and the of st johns enclosed you will find the announcement of the apache chief a fearless gentile newspapers newspaper 32 to be commenced tron on or about dec 14 A AD D 1883 qt it will be an anti mordon corwon morn mord on journal to the hearts core 11 I 1 dont think friend ro bo cnney or any one else has lost much sleep on account of the earning apache chie cafe chiea chief barking dogs dont bite those of your youn readers having friends in arizona can not do better than subscribe for the era and learn loarn how they are progressing this trip among the saints of the eastern arizona and little colo coio rado stakes has been the most enjoyable missionary experience I 1 have ever had the good feeling and unbounded hospitality of the people in connection with excellent beaith health and spirits have no doubt combined to make the trip one of real pleasure brother and sister young as well wel I 1 aa myself are in excellent health and spirita spirits wo start for st BE david in 9 morning HEUM J ganv |
