7012

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7012
• Author: Cross, J. N.
• Title: Ecological Distribution of the Fishes of the Virgin River ‎(Utah, Arizona, Nevada)‎.
• USFW Year: 1975.
• USFW - Doc Type: University of Nevada,
• Copyright Material: NO

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ci~:~hing than the Indians had ever seen opening new niches for beggars
and thieves. While the Indians outnumbered the whites they were fed, _
but as whites become more populous, they began to dominate the Indians.
The white man introduced such diseases as measles, smallpox and
venereal diseases that, combined with a lack of food, reduced the
Indian population (Crampton 1972, Fowler 1.971, Woodbury 1950).
In 1851 Congress had carved the West into territories, one of
which was Utah, ignoring the Mormon-created "State~of Deseret."
Between-1857 and 1858 the Utah war broke out between the Mormons and
territorial officials. The war ended when the Mormon Church recognized
the authority of Congress. During this time Mormon settlers poured
into the Virgin River valley and many new settlements were initiated.
In 1861 Brigham Young sent 300 families to the Virgin River to increase
cotton production as the Civil War had cut off cotton supplies from the
South. After the Civil War and the arrival of the railroad (1869),
cotton began to flow into southern Utah and production in St. George
gradually came to an end, the land being converted to the production
of fruits, vegetable, forage .crops and livestock (Crampton~l972,
Leigh 1961, Woodbury i950).
After the Civil War interest in the West was created by four
separate surveys that mapped, explored, scientifically studied and
described the area beyond the 100th meridian. Major John 4Jesley
Powell (explorer), Clarence Dutton (geologist) and F. S. Dellenbaugh
(historian) were among those to visit the Virgin River basin and
describe and publicize what they observed.