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Show 4 DIXIE PROJECT, UTAH sang to Brigham Young when he visited from Salt Lake City. The song included the following verses: Oh, what a desert place was this When first the Mormons found it; They said no white man here could live And Indians prowled around it. They said the land it was no good, ; And the water was no gooder, And the bare idea of living here Was enough to make one shudder. Chorus: Mesquite, soaproot, prickly- pears and briars, St. George ere long will be a place that every one admires. Now green lucerne in verdant spots Bedecks our thriving city, And vines and fruit trees grace our lots With flowers sweet and pretty, Where once the grass in single blades Grew a mile apart in distance, And it kept the crickets on the go, To pick up their subsistence. The sun it is scorching hot, It makes the water siz, Sir, And the reason why it is so hot, Is just because it is, Sir. The wind like fury here does blow, < That when we plant or sow, Sir. We place one foot upon the seed, And hold it till it grows, Sir. Dixie had great potential, and these settlers knew it, but there were some real problems involved. They knew these problems well. They worked and sacrificed and adapted themselves, and they gradually tamed the elements to a point where they could survive and provide for themselves and their families. In more recent times it has been asked, " What do you grow in Dixie?" The answer is " Men and women." Gentlemen, here we are, 100 years later, and some of the most basic problems of this area have not been resolved. There is still a shortage of water; there is still a threat of floods and drought; there is a shortage of electrical energy, and hence a shortage of employment opportunities. This is truly unfortunate, because Dixie is not an ordinary area. It is a delightful garden spot, with beautiful scenery, fertile soil, and a most desirable climate. Brigham Young often left the cold, wet winter climate of Salt Lake City to spend the winter months in Dixie. Those Avho live in Dixie claim that this is where the summer sun spends the winter. With the benefits that will be derived from the Dixie project, this area will become one of the most desirable and sought after places in the Nation. A wonderful opportunity is before us, and those acquainted with the area can realize this fully. I appear here this morning to tell you these things and to request your support and authorization for the Dixie project. The Bureau of Reclamation will testify, I am sure, that the project has engineering feasibility, that it is economically justified, and that a large percentage of the cost of the project will be repaid by those who reap the direct benefits, such as water and electric power. The citizens of this area are not asking for a Government handout; they fought this problem alone for several generations. They are asking for Gov- |
