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Show held in March 1831 Lyman Mecham, Sr. stated that he wasn't praying for hard times but hoped that the difficult period they were passing through would turn the members of the Church to the Lord. A week later the First Presidency instructed all stake presidents to talk on tithing at every meeting during the month of May. The Saints were also encouraged to plant gardens.41 Elder George Albert Smith, the visiting authority at stake conference on 18 March 1933 asked the Saints if they had been honest in their needs for assistance during these trying times. He told of the trying times of the pioneers and how they still rejoiced and "praised God for his blessings toward them." He further encouraged the Saints to be self sustaining and not dependent on others.42 In 1933, the farmers in Morgan Valley experienced a severe loss when the beet web worm nearly destroyed the sugar beet crop. On the front page of the Morgan County News, the publishers wrote, "If it is impossible to pay cash, perhaps you have vegetables or other eatables to spare. . . .If so, will accommodate you and allow you the same price as we must pay Morgan merchants for such articles." The hog farmers of the Morgan Valley were being paid five dollars per head for reducing their sale of hogs by 25 percent.43 Floods and drought seemed to alternate during the 1930 decade. In August 1930, Governor George H. Dern launched a drive to obtain $35,000 to aid the residents of "devastated" counties in Utah. A terrible rainstorm had just the month before hit Devil's Gate where it "poured a torrent on the mountains which rushed down the steep canyons sending down hugh masses of earth and filled the bottom of the main canyon in two places and covered the railroad over for 600 feet and 40 feet in depth."44 By 1934, the situation seemed reversed, and more than $450,000 was raised for the Utah drought relief. Morgan City received $2,000 from this fund,45 During the spring and early summer months of 1934 the members of the Church were asked by the First Presidency of the Church to fast and pray that the Lord would send the rains that their crops would be saved. At a priesthood and auxiliary meeting held in the Tabernacle on 22 July 1934 W. George Brough in the opening prayer expressed the heartfelt appreciation of all present for the rain the Lord had sent to the valley.46 Times were not so hard, however, that life did not go on. In fact, people continued to enjoy themselves in spite of their poverty. The Morgan County A^ews reported in its 29 May 1930 edition that Lake Como was soon to open. "The formal opening of Morgan's wonderful pleasure resort—Como Springs, occurs tomorrow, Decoration Day." As a whole, people in Morgan passed through the depression years fairly well. Several factors contributed to this. The united effort of the people, avoiding debt, a farming community which was able to raise much of what it needed, and the Union Portland Cement Plant at Devils Slide which commenced operation on 1 June 1932 after being closed for eleven months were all contributing factors to the welfare of the people.47 129 |