Show I By LETS LET'S W. W Earl GUARD Rhinehart Ert WHAT District Conservationist IS nse LEFT L 1 Soil Soli Conservation Service I CHAPTER V Short Creek Canaan Pipe Springs Moccasin Cane Beds The strip of land between the Vermilion Cliffs and the Colorado Colorado Colorado Colo Colo- rado River known as the Arizona ArIzona Arizona Ari zona Strip was explored by organized scowling scouting parties between between between be be- tween 1852 They reported a largo large grazing area with very few areas suitable for irrigation I Most streams were dry except during flood season and cost of maintaining ditches In the sandy sand country would be almost prohibitive S Spring areas emerging from tributaries of Little Creek and Short Creek are the principal values of the area From these sources water Is la piped to Canaan Short Creek Pipe Springs Cane Beds and Moccasin where cattie cattle cattle cat cat- tle tie are aro raised and vegetables and andfield andfield andfield field crops are arc grown on a small scale These settlements were founded rounded by Utah Immigrants oven even though they now lie He within I tho the boundaries of Arizona William Hyde Hydo was granted the canyon and adjoining flats lats now called Short Creek back In 1859 for tor a herd berd ground W. W B B. B Maxwell Marvell built a 3 house at the spring which rises near the mouth of the canyon during the winter of 1866 67 Ranch headquarter sites were were chosen at Canaan and Cane Beds In 1868 In 18 6 men and a woman were killed by Navajos and PI utes and safety was sought In towns of the Virgin River Valley Since 1866 these sites have been continuously occupied by farmers farmers farm farm- ers and stockmen who developed them in Into o profitable ranches Ten to twenty thousand cattle were rounded up in the falland fall falland falland and spring of each year between the great cattle days of 1900 and 1914 Reports show that more moro than cattle wore run on the Arizona Strip by bytho bytho bytho tho Maxwell and Grand Grand Grand' Canyon Cattle Companies After Arter the decline decline decline de de- cline of or the tho cattle industry in 1908 most old ranch rauch sites have been converted into small farms watered by irrigation ditches and wells The surrounding range land i supports cattle and sheep which supplements the Irrigation fa farm fann n- n ing Today these natural resources es support one family at Canaan Canaan two at Pipe Wash and about seven at Cane Beds An Irrigation system stem suitable of supporting about acres of land was Installed at Short Creek in 1914 to supply the needs for six to eight families There were five families there therein in fn 1930 Between 1931 to 1935 ten families moved Into the Short Creek area thus taxing over-taxing its resources Poverty and hardship caused cause about half of the new immigrants to move out CHAPTER VI Pipe Springs Lees l Ferry err One of the most historic spots in Northern Arizona is Pipe Springs The Indians called it Matong meaning the end of a arock arock arock rock ridge It was a junction of or orthe the trails leading from the Virgin Virgin Virgin Vir Vir- gin Valley the Kaibab Plateau the Paria River and Long Valley It was also a council ground for forthe tho the It was first explored In 1856 by scouts working the country in and around Colorado River and r received Its name In praise of Gunlock Bill who was William Hamblin He at 30 paces maces shot the bottom bollom out of a pipe without breaking its bowl James M. M Whitmore selected the site for a ranch because of Its abundance of pure water and plenty of good grassland in 1863 Ho He lived In a dugout with the J roo roof made of bark and juniper I poles In January 1866 he and his companion Robert McIntyre re were killed by Indians in an attempt attempt attempt at at- tempt to r recover over some stolen livestock live After Whitmore's death the the of property became property the tho Church who saw its importance as a a center a-center center for a large cattle industry and a point of strategic value in the colonization colonization colonization coloni coloni- of lands In Arizona About 1875 brought five families families fam fam- to live at Pipe Springs who cultivated about 50 acres of land To safeguard tho the water supply and develop the adjacent ranges for cattle Bishop Anson P P. P Winsor Winsor Winsor Win- Win sor was instructed to build a fort in 1868 The fort was completed completed completed com com- in 1871 and connected by telegraph wires with Toquerville and St. St George This enabled the colonists to to give prompt warning warning warning warn warn- ing of Indian raids and thus IhuS summon help In addition to Pipe Springs being a stronghold and ranch It H t also produced butter and cheese products cheese products of cows Soon after Bishop Winsor left Pipe Springs in 1875 the ownership ownership ownership owner owner- ship passed from the Church to private individuals It continued to boo bo maintained d as a ranch until 1923 when the spring and a afew afew few Cew surrounding acres were designated designated des des- by the Fe- Fe Federal Government Government Govern Govern- ment as the Pipe Springs National National National Na Na- Monument The Tho springs coming from the sandy floors of Short Canyon Canon caused the settlement of Moccasin Moccasin Moccasin Mocca Mocca- sin five miles north of Pipe Springs This site and water w rights claimed by William B B. B Maxwell were purchased b by Kale Rhodes and Woodruff Al Alexander xander In 1864 Through transfers this property finally went to the United Order When the Order disbanded in 1885 the tho holdings at Moccasin went to tho the ownership ownership ownership owner owner- ship of oC five Heaton brothers In Ina a later purchase the land went to Jonathan Heaton in 1893 Indians were encouraged to establish establish lish homes and raise livestock I during the time the i property t ne- ne e- e longed to the United Order This experiment led to the establishment establishment establishment establish establish- ment of the Reservation square miles on which about 80 farm and care for livestock Ranking high among historic settlements of Arizona and Utah Is Lees Lee's Ferry on the Colorado River John D. D Lee In 1869 chose this as a homesite constructed constructed constructed con- con ditches planted corn alfalfa and fruit trees An abundance abundance abundance ance of water was available from the Paria This was the only feasible feasible feasible feas feas- ible crossing of the Colorado between between be be- tw tween en Needles California and Grce ri er Utah The river was was was' crossed at this point by Major Powell In 1870 In 1873 a boat capable of transporting horses wagons and equipment was vas constructed constructed constructed con con- by Iby Joseph W. W Young to enable m missionaries appointed for tho the Colorado Mission to pass without difficulty Once called Lonely Dell Lees Lee's Ferry after atter 59 years of service has been abandoned In 1929 Navajo Bridge was constructed near the head of Marble Canyon and now carries the traffic of U. U S. S Highway Highway Highway High High- way 89 between Utah and Ari Ari- zona |