Show ST JOHNS STAKE on the night of january ath the district schoolhouse at this place was burned down it was a irame frame building and contained an organ maps blackboards etc the loss lofa was about no insurance many of the children lost their schoolbooks school was kept in the house the day before and the fire was wal R caused by putting ashes into a wooden box this delayed school a few days but it is now in running order again in the meeting house the holidays passed off nicely at this place no drunkenness or disturbance tur bance of any kind one of the most pleasing events in the history of our stake was the opening of the st johns stake academy on monday january 14 at st johns this makes the hearts of the saints rejoice as we see in this system of education a blessing and salvation to the sons and daughters of zion remarks bernards were n made by presidents david K udall E M freeman and wm win H gibbons and by bishops willard parr farr and G H crosby all rejoiced for the privileges 1 es we enjoy nhe the saints who live liv in this land have mostly been called as missionaries sion aries to make the desert blossom as the rose and most of our people are not over blessed with this worlds goods as this land is not naturally the most desirable spot on earth we have to labor under many disadvantages such as scarcity of water etc but the saints who have stayed at their posts feel well and we can see that god is blessing us we have to learn the soll soil and we find that we have plenty of water if we could only save it until we need it this is a land of nearly natural reservoirs much more so than most parts arte rte of utah as the country is IF more ca level vel and the mountains not so abrupt and in a few yem years many thousands of the saints can find good homes in these lands the people called to assist in this labor who have returned to utah have delayed the development of the country and caused those who remained a great deal of labor and inconvenience I 1 think the day w will III come when all who were called to assist in this mission to say the least will regret that they did not fill that that call at st johns some peaches were raised last year and they were as large and as well flavored as I 1 ever saw in any part of utah this valley is 1 5 miles further u up the little colorado river biver than S st johns in fact we are the highest up or the first settlement on the stream we have from 7 to acres of arable land lana good mountain water and plenty of it but it must be held back in desei doirs we have a healthy climate we can raise good small grain with one or two as we seldom have to water after july when we have most of the seasons rain in abundance to mature all kinds of crops crons we ado do not sow wheat till may or at least it does best when sown late as we cannot harvest in the wet season so most of our harvest comes comee in the last of september we have ample room for good saints and they can get land at reasonable prices we have a good grist and saw mill in the valley owned by president D K udall and brother we have plenty of good saw timber close by also firewood in great abundance corn beans squashes p pumpkins gnp kins sorghum cane and all kinds of or vegetables do well and we have no more to discourage us than the early settlers in salt lake valley or other parts of utah I 1 write thus as many who return to utah give this part of arizona a black eye I 1 was reared in salt lake city tm till 16 15 years of age and have lived for 25 years in washington county utah and I 1 say this is naturally as good a place as can be found in those lands we do not find canals made or brick houses built but we have plenty of good places to build canals and plenty of good building material handy the kind of people we want are those who know how to labor and are not afraid to do it our valley was once densely po populated rans u as the old canals and ruins still remaining testify I 1 think I 1 do not overestimate over estimate our resources when I 1 say families can be supported in this valley and we need help ej we e have had more snow fell fail this winter in the mountains and rain in the valleys than ever known since the saints located here we are all pleased with the WEEKLY as also the semiweekly in its enlarged and new form ever praying for the welfare of zion I 1 remain your brother in the gospel of peace GEO H apache co arizona january 1889 |