The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-29
AROAD TO THECOAST
The Rich and UndevelOped COun-
try it Would Traverse.
TREASURES AWAITING IT'S ADVENT
some Facts and Figures From One Who Has
Been Over the Route-It Should
Be Built.

Be Built
Mr. Thomas Taylor who is probably one
OF the bestpos5ed men in the southern part
OF the territory, and who has for many
years past made study e the resources in
and near his location, writes as follows:
After reading your excellent remarks
entitled Utah Central Extension in last
Thursdays ISSUE l was tempted to write
the following, asking publicity in your val
liable columns. Having been questioned by
one of the largest railroad companies as to
the practicability of building across this
desert, QUILTED myself and made trip
70 southern California, going what ! con
slider the shortest route, coming back
the other. 1 now believe that could dl-
rect line be built it would be one OF the
best paving lines of railroad in the coun-
try l had the privilege of stating my
views TO the members of the chamber OF
commerce when some two hundred of the
most enterpriSing capitalists, bankers aud
business men of Los Angeles were present
was invited 20 San Bernardino for the
same purpose, and | know the people OF
Southern California would be only too
willing to
COMBINE WITH THE PEOPLE OF UTAH
10 build an independent line from Salt Lake
city to San PEDRO, the nearest point on the
sea coast to Los Angeles and San Bernar-
dino cities.
Ibid succeed beyond my expectations in
getting the enterprise started as Will be
seen by the Los Angeles Sunday Times,
March L. 1889, but certain obstructionists
went TO Los Angeles and by making promi-
ses that they would build this line, they
made the people there believe that the road
you'd be built at once without their aid,
and so upset at once the efforts made.
An association could be formed, and by
raising sufficient capital TO oulld twenty
miles, the rest could be built as the most
Of the railroads have been built
| would suggest that for commence
ment road from Milford, Utah, TO Bars
Tow. California, be built, about three hun
dred and fifty miles; Milford to Cedar, %
miles to Iron City, 20 miles; down the
NLaoodsal creek to jackson springs, 30
miles: TO Beaver Dams Wash, 10 miles; to
Muddy River 30 miles; to Los Vegas, 90
niles: to Bird Springs. % miles; to Good
Springs 80 miles; to Ivanpah, 10 miles;
TO sinks of MOjave river, p mile: to Bitter
springs. - miles; to Barstow, 40 miles; these
distances are guessed in travelling by team
There would not be one very heavy grade
The average grade from Milford TO the
coast would be about ten feet to the mile;
the work would be very light. The only
bridge of any consequence would be at the
Nuddy. | crossed on bridge made of
cedar posts about twelve feet long, making
the span. This road would
OPEN UP A MARKET
For the northern productions and manufac-
lures of Utah to PanaCca, Phoebe and other
places in Nevada, TO where there should be
branch lines: also to southern Utah and
10 the mining camps OF southern Nevada
and California. For such things as grain,
-four. potatoes. apples, butter, cheese, eggs,
beef mutton, fowls, pork and hay, for
light wooden fabrics, boots and shoes
bottles. and Salt Lake city could be made
the great centre for the supplying OF east
e-n merchandise for at least half the dis
lance. and other articles too numerous to
mention This road would enable Southern
California to send its products, such as
grapes, oranges, lemons, raisins and other
fruits, wines and liquors of every kind, on
a shorter line by hundreds of miles all along
its route to Salt Lake city, Utah, Idaho,
Montana Washington, Eastern Oregon,
and all the eastern states.
This would enable Southern Utah to
furnish coal to Salt Lake city at 81 per ton,
and southern California at from three to
i've dollars per ton less than they are pay
ing at retail prices to-day.
This road would make it possible to es-
tablish iron and steel works IN Iron county
where pig iron, merchant iron and steel
could be made at as low prices as in any
part Of the United States, thus enabling
southern California cities to
BUILD UP INDUSTRIES
for the manufacture of machinery, steam
engines stoves, castings OF every name
and kind. not only for their own use but
Shipping via San Pedro to the Sandwich
islands, the Pscifc islands, to Australia,
South America, China and Japan and to all
the oriental stations.
Cheaper iron and steel would make it
possible for Nephi, Provo, Salt Lake city,
Ogden, Brigham city and Logan to build
I'D fOundres, machine shops and factories
20 far greater extent than are now en-
oloyed for the making of castings, machin-
cry. implements of husbandry, etc, etc.
This road, by carrying cheaper supplies
and fuel into the mining camps OF southern
Utah, Nevada and California, would open
NJ many new mining camps and many old
ones would be revived that are now Ian
..llishiug for the want of a railroad.
In Utah, there is the Bull valley district,
where there is gold, silver, lead and copper
the Copper gulch and the Santa Clara lead
silver mines with smelter lying idle
Southern Nevada has its mountain of salt
and thousands of acres of farming land on
the Muddy. The surplus hay and grain
finds a market ninety miles away, hauled
with teams. There has been
MINERAL DISCOVERED IN THE MOUNTAINS
all along to Los Vegas, and at the ranch
kept here by very hospitable, intelligent
lady. Mrs Stewart. She has farm,
mostly lucern; grain is not success.
They grow aprcots, peaches, grapes, figs
and some apples, but not as good as Utah.
We resupplied ourselves with eggs and but
Ter here. The land is irrigated by fine
spring Of good water flowing on the level
NJ the valley This is on the east side of
Timber mountain, where Mr. Clark has a
saw mill. On the west side of Timber
mountain is the Pahrimp valley, where
there is a similar spring to the
one at the Vegas. The farm kept
By Mr. Yuut grows lucern and
Dsachcs, grapes, etc Here We met with
anumber of miners owning fine prospects
all over, anxously aWaitluga railroad to
make them all rich.
They showed US scores of specimens Of
IRE rich in gold, silver, lead, copper, etc.
.Tu,cntv-ive miles from here there Is
a tcn stamp mill, owned by Mr.. Osborne, of
Dacgett. Cal | called upon this gentle
man He has built three steam wagons 70
bII5I ore all the way from Resting Springs
IN Dagoett. at cost Of over one hundred
thousand dollars He is very anxious for
!, railroad from Salt Lake to California.
A short distance from here is the Coleman
T2orav works idle for want OF railroad.
There il the re Copa smelter and
-, Uo,, starnn mill the owners of which