The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-25


IN the affair which resulted in tn
death of the New York broker Hatch
J and after whom the town of Scofeld il
named) l went to Pleasant Valley tt
examine the coal mines at that point
At that time these mines were OWED
by a Mr.. DeGraaf, President of the
Bowery Bank, New York. Ny opinion
then expressed was to the effect that
these were the most extensive and val
liable coal mines in the Territory, and
that time would so prove them. A
year later, at the solicitation of Hon.
john Sharp, Mr.. j. T. Clark, then SUI
perintendent of the Union Pacific road,
and Mr. Abe Gould, again examined
them. My. opinion of the previous
date was confirmed by the later inspec-
ton. Mr.. DeGraaf was very anxious
to sell. and contract was entered into
by which he was bought out. l felt
then that these valleys would one day
be supplied with coal from these mines,
though there was then no reason to
believe that snch road as the Denver
q Rio Grande would ever be in Utah
and much less pass through the valley
of these coal measures. NY father,
David Williams, and l made arrange
ments in 1880 to work the mines. They
were already in operation, and 1t was
thought to be big days work to take
out 30 to 40 tons of coal in day. In ten
days after we took hold of the mines
the daily output had increased to fully
100 tons day, and in three months tt @
output was made 500 tons q day.
To-day the mines at Winter Q1ar-
tiers have daily output of about
300 tons, while those operated by the
Utah Central Railroad, and which are
near Scofield, must also have daily
product of between 500 and 600 tons,
making a daily combined output of
close on 900 tons of coal, as against 80
to 40 eight years ago. The mines are
situated about two miles from SEQ
field, and transit between them and the
main line is very easy, which reduces
the cost of mining and handling.
There are engeagd in the mines fully
400 men, who, with their families,
make quite an extensive colony, and
are the earners of a great deal of money
annually. The.pay-rolls will chow a
monthly expenditure for wages of not
less than $25. 900, as against $1,000 eight
years previous. while the other ex-
penses incurred, such as for timbers
and other incidental or consequential
labor, will increase the number of men
to $50, and the aggregate cost for wages
and expenses to fully S35 900 per month
This should tell its own story of de-
velopment.
Two years after the time my father
and I began working the mines
secured the agency for the Pleasant
Valley coal in this city. Mr.. George
Goss is vice president and ge neral
manager of the mines; Mr.. William1G.
Sharp, superintendent, and Mr.. w. f.
Cotton, secretary and treasurer.
1t may be said with truth that the
success that has attended the working
of these mines is due to the general
good management that has directed
their operations from the beginning
down to the present time, and the
trifling loss of life that has followed the
taking out of such large guam titles of
coal is almost phenomenal There is
no reason why the product of these
mines should not be increased until the !
output equals 900 tons daily from the
two mines-1he Utah Central and |
Winter Quarter. As the mires are
practically free from water and can be
worked without machinery, there is no
danger whatever of any competition |
from any quarter driving them out of
the market, or forcing their working at
a loss. What water the mine contains
runs out of it's own force, and the vein
dipping toward the mouth of the mine,
no machinery is necessary and the ex-
penses are kept to the minimum, and
only manual labor and the use of care
and powder and a f. W horses is neces-
sary. Should these, however, fail there
are still enough of the other coal meas
ures of the same general characters
tics as the Pleasant Valley to supply
this country and such others as may
want coal, practically for all time to
come.
In 1886 the Pleasant Valley mines
produced Y 500 tons of coal. In 1887
that amount was increased to sc BAL
tons Up to the beginning of Decem-
Der of this year the mines Of Pleasant
Valley had produced 147 294 tons, or at
q rate of increase over the preceding
year OF about 100 per cent.
The total coal output of 1886 was:
Home Coal Company. PISA tons
Pleasant Valley .................. 72,500
Utah Central ......- .........-.. $4,000
1887.
Pleas INT Valley Company .... S6341
1888.
Pleasant Valley Company .147 ,294
When the time shall have come that
the productive capacity of the Winter !
Quarters and Utah Central mines las
been reached, it will only be necessary
to go farther up The canyon and open
new mines at any point-and these can
be operated as easily and after the same |
manner as the others. There remain |
also the coal measures in Price Canyon |
and Castle Valley, as well as those in
iron County, to say nothing of the +
Weber coal fields, The surface groupings
of which are seen all through Summit |
Coul ty. While these lat er mines |
are more difficult to operate, because |
the dip is under the mountains, they |
are nevertheless on an immense meas
ure whose limit has yet to be ascer-
tanned, and it can be tapped in great |
variety of places. However great,
therefore, the demand may be-and it
will be great when this section is more
densely populated and railroads honey
com bling it, make direct communication
between Salt Lake City and California, |
Nevada. Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho
and Montana-the coal measures of |