I left Moan Copy on the 14th instant to visit Sunset. On my arrival at the Little Colorado River, I found a great change had taken place; the drouth had almost entirely dried up the river for 50 miles; no water running at Black or Grand Falls, only a little found in pockets sufficient to water our horses, some herders having removed their stock from the Black Falls, not getting water for them to drink. Brother August Wilcken accompanied me to Grand Falls, at which place he turned west to the San Francisco mountains. I continued on south until I arrived at Sunset on the evening of the 17th instant, where I was welcomed by Brother Lot Smith and many Saints. I here found plenty of water in the Little Colorado River to irrigate all the cultivated lands and to run to the grist mill. I was agreeably disappointed in the general appearance of the country surrounding Sunset and Brigham City. I could not have formed a correct idea of the country from any description I had ever heard of it. I found these two settlements standing on the borders of the Little Colorado River, surrounded by a large open country, which was covered with the very best of grass for many miles upon every hand. Ten thousand head of horses and cattle could keep fat without going many miles from the settlements, and there is a belt of good thrifty forest of cottonwood timber, a mile wide, for 50 miles up and down the Little Colorado River, and sufficient dry wood strewn along the bottom to supply the settlements with fuel for many years, without cutting any green timber. The cottonwood groves are sufficiently dense to give herds of deer hiding grounds all the year round. On Sunday the 18th, I met the Saints of both settlements, in the dining hall of Sunset, (some 55 feet in length) which was completely filled. I spoke to them during the forenoon and afternoon some two hours and a half; a good spirit prevailed.
The people of these settlements all live in the United Order, and eat at one family table. I stopped with Brother Lot Smith who is president of the Stake. I took my meals with him at the family table, the center table being 45 feet in length and the side table 50 feet, making three rows of persons. Each man has his place at the table with his family with him, the same as though he were with his family in his own house. Prayer is always offered at the table morning and evening before eating, and blessing is then asked. And this is practiced in all places connected with these settlements, at the sheep herd, saw mill and dairies. There seemed to be universal satisfaction among both male and female with this order of things. I conversed with several of the sisters. They preferred it to cooking at home. All fared alike, the president, priest, and people. If any were sick they were nourished. If any man was called on a mission he had no anxiety about his family, knowing they would fare as well as the rest. If any man died his family would have a support as long as they lived with the people, and I must say that I felt in spirit that these settlements, in connection with Orderville, were living in the United Order as near as any people could in mortality, until a better way shall be revealed. I could see many advantages they had above those who were living, each man for himself. They were out of the reach of temptation to quarrel with their neighbors over water ditches, or over their neighbor's stock getting into their crops. They were all interested alike in the use of the water, or the preservation of their crops. All is theirs, stock and crop, as though one man owned the whole, and instead of eating up or wasting their substance, they are daily getting rich and are enabled to assist other settlements to bread and means. The presidents and leaders are as hard laboring men as any in the settlements, and, until I can learn a better way, I feel to say with every sentiment of my heart to Orderville, Sunset, Brigham City, Pleasant Valley, and every other settlement living in the Order, go ahead and God bless you; and, as President Young instructed the Saints who came to form these settlements, to get as near the United Order as they could; and as President Taylor and the Apostles advocate the same principle, I hope that all the priesthood will sustain, by their prayers, faith and influence, those who are striving to live in this United Order, until something more perfect shall be revealed unto us. It appears to me that the further we withdraw from this union into individuality of gardens, lots, orchards, cows, pigs, and chickens, the further we withdraw from the United Order, and the more we open the door for selfishness, temptation, and fault-finding with each other, the same as before we attempted to unite, and would open a door to give each man an excuse to spend his time in attending to his individual affairs, instead of laboring for the general good of all.
The Sunset settlement consists of 25 families, 24 men, 30 women, 66 children; total 120 souls. They have 13 men at work on the farm; they have put in 200 acres of wheat, 100 of corn, 15 of cane, 15 acres of lucern, and 5 of other vegetables, besides 25 acres of wheat for the Lamanites. They have 65 brood mares, 30 yearlings, 21 young colts, and 15 horses; also 30 oxen, 160 milk cows, 257 dry stock, not including this year's calves; also 1,200 sheep, and 500 lambs.
Brigham City consists of 40 families, 38 men, 40 women, 122 children; total souls, 200. They have ten men on the farm, who have put in 155 acres of wheat, 50 of corn, 20 of cane, 10 of lucern, 5 of oats, 5 of potatoes, 18 of orchard, and 15 of other vegetables. They have 25 brood mares, 7 colts, 15 horses; also 200 cows, 150 calves, 70 oxen, 280 young stock; also 700 sheep, and 500 lambs. They have 40 wagons, a blacksmith and wagon maker. These settlements have a good water grist mill, carding machine, steam sawmill, and a good pottery, all in successful operation.
On the 22nd, I visited the sheep herd at McNeil Springs, in the pine and oak forests, 32 miles from Sunset. The house stands upon the bench, but the spring is in a deep gorge, so steep it is difficult for men to bring water up to the house. The water is guided into several large pine troughs, where 1,000 sheep drink daily. The wild cats are so numerous that it is difficult to guard the lambs by night from cats. We visited Pleasant Valley on the 23rd. This is the location of the dairy of the various settlements in the United Order, and is one of the finest valleys in Arizona. It is five miles in length, and three miles in breadth, covered with the best of grass, except a lake of fresh water which covers many acres, where the horses, cows, oxen, deer, antelope, and turkeys come down to drink. I was informed the deer and antelope came into the valley daily to drink, at times as many as a hundred antelope in a drove, and that this lake, both fall and spring, was covered with thousands of ducks and geese, the ducks remaining throughout the year. Orvil E. Bates presides over this settlement and is directing the cheese and butter making department. I took a horse-back ride in the evening with Brother Bates to take a view of the country. We saw 15 deer, 17 antelopes, and 5 gobbler turkeys during the day.
On the 24th, we held a meeting at Pleasant Valley with the Saints. Brother Lot Smith, George Lake, and myself addressed the people. A good spirit prevailed. At the close of the meeting we drove 10 miles to the United Order sawmill. We saw a dozen turkeys on the road. This steam sawmill is one used at Trumbull, and has a capacity of sawing 10,000 feet of lumber daily; stands in the midst of that vast pine and oak forest, some 45 miles south of San Francisco Mountain. I saw groves of white oak from the size of hoop poles to three feet in diameter and 50 feet in height.
On Sunday, 25th, we held a meeting forenoon and afternoon, with the people at the mill. I spoke about one hour and a half, followed by Brothers Lot Smith, L. H. Savage, O. E. Bates, and W. C. McLellan; a good spirit prevailed.
On the 26th, after killing and dressing a large antelope, and taking a portion of the meat with us, we left our friends at the mill and returned to Sunset on the eve of the 27th.
I have had an interview with Brother Lewellyn Harris concerning his administrations among the Lamanites sick with the small-pox. He confirms as truth all that was published in the Deseret News concerning it.
WILFORD WOODRUFF.