The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-04-18
IRON COUNTY.
Bad Weather and Worse
Roads.
The Iron Industry, and It's
Prospects.
BEAVER, UTAH, April Is, 1884.
Editors Herald:

BEAVER, UTAH, April Is, 1884.
Editors Herald:
If we had bad weather while
going south, we had 1t also coming
north. I went north to find weather
in February and March and 1 got it
Then I went south to find it In
March and April and I got it bad.
On Thursday, the day we left
ToqueTville, the creeks were so
swollen with rains the night before
that crossing was dangerous. At
South Ash Creek, half q mile from
Bel evue, the torrent came down
with such impetuo Ity that We stood
on the banks for two hours and a
half before we dared attempt a cross
ing. To caps:ze, beyond quest OF,
was certain death. No being, in
that roaring stream, could with
stand its force, to fall in or be cap
sized az the only point at which a
crossing was possible With a buggy,
was to be dashed against boulders
and to find speedy termination to
all the cares Of tbs mundane sphere.
l do not dill tie on this with view
to exciting any admiration at the
subsequent crossing. No. We
waited, in a drilling rain, two and
half hours, till the mail man,
with blackboard had succeeded in
getting over in safety, and then g
plunged in after a wagon. knew
If We had load enough the buggy
would not be washed down. but it
was only when recollected the ex.
tent of my friends drug sore,
previously referred to,-as we'll
as the fact of an auction
Of dry goods in ST. George the
day we LETT, and which he had
aJtended-that | was sufficiently
treasured to rest my precious neck.
[ gave my blessing and a few valu-
ables to the man in the wagon,
where TO send them, and then trust
ing to the drug store for ballast, we
entered and crossed. Then want
ed to kick my friend the rest Of the
way to Cedar City, about 33 miles,
because he such an Internal idiot as
to keep me waiting on the brink Of
that raging stream for two and a
half hours, while got soaking wet.
You see how the cowardice of one
will make the brave suffer.
The temperance Of rains in the
south caused pretty general satis-
faction, though when it turned to
snow in Beaver and Iron counties
the people did not look so cheerful.
Rockville, Grafton. Duncsn's Re.
treat and Virgin City are sll de.
lightful localities, and for scenery I
think they are ahead Of any places
have visited in Washington county;
but they are a desperate distance
from convenient markets. Think
of hauling your planks thirty miles
over roads-beastiy, well / should
remark - and having to traverse
about the same distance to reach q
market, and very uncertain one at
that. ToqHerYille is a lovely settles
ment and has excellent advantages
and fine bishop, W. III. Bringhurst.
Your correspondent carries with
him many rscollections of kind
nesses for which he would be only
too glad to End opportunity for tang
ible expression.
II one can take the expressions of
opinion as evidence, the people of
portions of Iron county-outslde of
Cedar City-ars in a bad way, IN
less the proposed iron works
are established there. On
the basis Of the iron mines rests
their existing hopes for immedi-
ate relief. There is no question
whatever in my mind but Iron Go.
will yet be one Of the richest and
most populous counties in the Ter
ritory, but whether existing condi-
tons will Justify the establishment
snd operation of Iron works is a
matter for grave consideration. I
do not suppose there is q doubt en-
tertained that ths best quality of
iron and steel can ba made here;
but the next question is, can it be
made sufficiently cheap, and then, is
there market, and can that mar
kst be had when the iron is pros
ouCCO l. oO uOt 1OI q 0Ou0ns uOp6
that we can ship a pound out of
Utah. The policy of the Union
Pacific from first to date has been to
oppose home industries, as is evil
dencsd in our inability to ship salt
out OF this Territory, where il can
be secured for song; as in the at
tempt to break up the manufacture
of soap; as in our ability to ship, to
any extent. fuXing material, as seen
in the advantages given Nebraska
and Colorado and the east generally,
at the expense of Utah farmers In
competition for the Idaho and Mon
tanR market; and as in all things,
the better rate that is given into
Utah than out, and as in the build
ing of the Utah Eastern, when outs
rageous prices had to be given 20
ship iron brief distance from Og-
den to Coalville. Railroad policy
ia the west is to secure long pull,
and home manufactures, when sue
cessful, prevent that; and unless
the policy has been changed, L do
not believe that one ounce of Utah
made iron can ever he shinned ont