The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-06-15
SANFETE VALLEY RAILWAY
Near Completion of the Road
Facts and Figures About Coke,
Coal and the Prospects of
Success.
SALT LAKE CRY, June II, so.

Editor Herald:
For the lat five years the reading
public has seen items concerning the
production of coke from the coal beds
OF Wales, in SanDete Valley. The
company that inGugurated the move
ment had to succumb, owing to the
great expense attending its produc-
ton; enough, however, was accom-
plished to demonstrate the feasibility
OF producing an article as good as the
imported, and now that a new COM
pay has been formed, wish ample
capital, the prospects are that the
supply i'll be ample for the wants Of
this and surrounding territories Tor
smelling purposes. When re con-
slider that coke brought from Penn
sylvsnie costs in the DeighborhoOd of
$50 per ton. and that the homemade
article can be furnished at about $40,
1t will essily be seen tina. efforts should
be made to supply the different enter
prises which need such sn article.
The public will no doubt be glad to
learn that the grade for the railway
from Nephi to Wales is nearly COM
pletec, the total distance 10 the coal
beds being thirty miles from the
station OF the U. S. r. K. at Nephi;
II is contracted to be finished by the
Atm of July, and there is every pros
pect that the residents of Sanpete
Valley can ride to the October con
ference. all rail. Five hundred tons
OF forty pound rail are on
the way from the east, the
balance to follow. The engines
and cars are all ordered; the tee are
being hauled on TO the line, and
every effort to put the road to a
speedy completion is being made.
What is still more encouraging ia the
fact that ample capital to meet all |
contracted for is ready
when the work is completed. The
company is disbursing some 900, 000I
and although the price
paid for labor Is email. the pay is !
sure, and proves great advantage
to many who have suffered losses by
the unfsyoTsble season Of 1879.
Mr. NJ. I. Burgess, the well-known |
is charged with the con.
of the road. He is assisted |
by Mr. Carlos Young and Mr.. VIM.
SnOw, two Utah engineers who will
make their mark IN the world. All
OF the grading ia being done by real
dents of the valley; there are no dead
falls on the whole length of the
road, and no demand for them. The
road from Nephi through Salt |
Greek Canon is picturesque, and the
view of SsDpete Valley from near
Fountain Green charming. The |
line runs close to the base Of the
mountains On the west side of the
valley, overlooking the towns of
Moroni, Mt. Pleasant, Ephraim,
Springtown, and Manti. The ter
raced walls OF the Temple there can
be seen from Wales, distant about
sixteen miles.
The vein of coal ia five feet thick,
two miles wide and eleven miles long, /
as far as developed; it is very strong
coal, not the best for stoves. but for
steaming, blacksmithing and coking
the best yet discovered in the terri |
tory. Openings have been made in
the vein ct three places, and the
is ready to supply the ar
ticie in any quantity whenever the
railway is completed.
Ali the fire clay for making fire
bricG is found in abundance close to
The coal. The company will make |
It's own fire brick for building coke
ovens. and they have secured the
necessary help for tae purpose, aud
also ter burning and making coke.
They also propose TO take the product
Of the country for coal, freight or pas
sage, at Wales, when the road shall
be completed.
Should the road be continued as
far IS Manti, there is an abundance
Of the finest white sandstone for build
ing purposes. The temple now being
erected there will be an object of in
terest to the travelling public, and an
easy grade is obtained up the Sewer
Valley, thence down Rabbit Valley to
the Colorado River, if the necessities
of commerce demand an outlet 10 the
states by way of Colorado.
Sanpets Valley is one of the finest
in the territory; the towns are large
and Furnishing. Ephraim i8 the
finest and most compact, the streets
are clean and look of ueatness and
comfort prevails tia. does credit to
the inhabitants. The grasshOppers
were very active in tue bottoms, and
in spite of the proclamation against
armed bodies OF men, the inhabitants
were about 10 wage war against their
enemies who were preparing 10 de-
stroy their crops.
Wherever diphtheEia prevails the
yellow flag Is hoisted, and In this par
ocular the 5anpeters are ahead OF
their northern neighbors; they have a
decent dread of the contsgion snd act
accordingly. Might not the citizens
OF Salt Lake take a hint therefrom?
Tie season is backward and cold.
There is an abundance OF water just
now and a fair supply OF SNOW
in the mountains The grain
looks well and grass abundant.
Let US hope that this enterprise that
brings nearer to market the products
of the farm, the advantages OF cheap
coal, the manufacture of coke, and
that gives employment to a large
number of men may be success
ful. The men who stand at the head
are solid, and for the Information OF
the public l give the name OF Sir
Henry W. Tyler, as president, Lon
don; Sydney l. Smithers, as secrt tary,
London; Simon Bamberger. manag-
ing director of the Ssnpete Valley
Railway ana the Central Pacific Ccai
AMI G. ke Company.
Q r SAVAGE.