"Yet, looking at things naturally, what varying changes and circumstances God may call us to pass through, to give us necessary experience, is more than I am prepared to say. We have been blessed in having a good yield of wool this clip—about twenty-five hundred pounds more than we expected. Our prospects for good crops this year are a great deal better than at this time last year. Our tannery and furniture shops are beginning to bring us an income. We intend launching out in these businesses, the tannery especially, and the manufacture of leather articles.
"We have purchased the Glendale grist mill: price, three thousand dollars. We pay stock in Kanab mill, twelve hundred dollars; land in Kanab field, six hundred dollars; your city lot in Kanab, five hundred dollars; we are to pay four hundred fifty in trade, and two hundred fifty dollars in cash.
"During the past two years the mill has brought in over a thousand bushels of grain, for toll. It is in good repair. We take possession the first of August. I should like you to write to me if you can spare the time. With kind regards, I am your Brother, E. M. Webb."
This letter interested me, as it awakened sweet recollections of past labors. In 1874, acting under a written appointment from President Brigham Young and George A. Smith, I visited the Mt. Carmel Ward, and organized the Orderville United Order. Israel Hoyt was sustained as president, and William Heaten, secretary. The organizing of that society brought division into the ward. Bishop Bryant Jolly, and his strong, numerous family and relations, formed a wall of opposition against cooperative labor that made life in the community unpleasant. To avoid strife and contention the members of the Order sold their homes, and moved in a body onto a new, unimproved piece of land, two miles above Mt. Carmel. Here they commenced the town of Orderville, securing the title of the land to the Order. From that start onward, no man could say "this is mine." All members were required to deed their property, both real and personal, to the society, thus all wealth became common, there were no rich, and no poor, for all were equal. The first building erected was a hotel, where all who were in health could eat at one table. William M. Black was placed in charge of the hotel, with seven sisters as a working force. When the Order was in the zenith of its prosperity, those eight persons placed the food upon the table for eight families, the meals were served at 7, 12, and 6 o'clock, and were as regular as clock work.
If the organization had been perpetuated, that one change would have brought wealth to the community. For instance, instead of eighty women getting breakfast, eight persons prepared it, thus saving seventy-two days labor daily. Again, by the hotel system, all laborers could start their work at the same minute, thus saving many hours of valuable time. A president with two counselors were the presiding authority. Six directors chosen by the people formed the executive board, men and women were organized into working companies. The men were classified into three grades, boys, juniors and men—the men were credited $1.50 per day, all men were credited the same wage, there being no difference between common and skilled labor.
They engaged, in farming, sheep and cattle raising, saw mills, grist mills, furniture, tanning, manufacturing boots, shoes and harness, blacksmithing; and established a woolen factory. They were the most independent self-sustaining community in the state of Utah. Each branch of industry had a foreman selected from the community, and nominated by the directors, but we were governed by common consent, hence nominations were not in force, until voted upon. Each family had their separate home, which was sacred to the family, subject strictly to the parents' government and discipline.
Honesty, virtue and temperance were necessary to secure fellowship in the society; the policy of the Order was to select the wisest men and women to be our leaders.
Soon after organizing, Howard O. Spencer was sustained as president. He was a fearless, good man, but by nature not a financial business man. Later, Thomas Chamberlain, a young, progressive man, developed in the community, presided, and Edward M. Webb, became secretary. Under this capable guidance the association was prospering.
But President Brigham Young was the pilot, the guiding star. When he died the master mind was gone.
The visible leader, who said, "Unless you are one in temporal things, how can you be one in spiritual things?" and "The way the world does business is a sin, the strong build themselves up by putting the weak ones down." That was the voice of the Good Shepherd to that people, and when that voice was hushed in death, the light was gone—and the community dissolved. It needs the Leadership of the Priesthood to establish the United Order.