The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-03-24
WHAT THE RAILROAD CAN DO.

In discussing the various movements that
should be taken to advance the material
prosperity of Salt Lake city, we seem to
have forgotten the power Of the Union
Pacific railway company to contribute to
this end. Outside of the general and i'm
mediate development Of the manufactures
which our resources make possible, there is
no factor more potent for the good of the
city-materially of course-than the Union
Pacific. 1t were idle here to talk about
what this railroad company might have
done, not only for Salt Lake city, but for
the territory of Utah at large, and how
little it has accomplished That is a sore
subject. But in the future all the evils of
the past may be redeemed by the pursuance
of a liberal policy. One thing alone that
this road might do-and which clearly
would be a benefit to itself-is to build a
a hotel somewhere on the shore Of
the lake. This should be a hotel
with accommodations for hundreds
and of character first-class in every par
ticular. Naturally people are inclined to
laugh at the mention of climate in connec-
ton with any locality, so vastly used and
so thoroughly abused, has been this express
sion in the hope of inducing people to visit
particular spots. Despite this, however,
there can be no contention as to the truth
of the assertion that our climate is without
a rival in equality and in the possession of
those characteristics which are health-giy-
ing and vigor- promoting. That little lake,
called Palmer's, near Denver, is being sur
rounded with elegant residences. The
advantages of the climate of Denver to
those affected with lung complaints has
been extolled without measure. Colorado
Springs are becoming known the world
over for the possession of health giving
conditions, and yet all their advantages
combined are as nothing compared with any
one of the twenty that we might name for
Salt Lake city. 1t is no vain assertion
that the Union Pacific, if it willed to do so,
could bring into this city every summer
5000 persons in search of health and recre-
alton, who would leave not only reiuVen-
ated in health, but filed with praises and
admiration for this city and its surround
ings, and whose talk would induce increas-
ing numbers to test the efficacy of our eli
mate and varied conditions for health,
every recurring summer. The Great Salt
Lake, with Salt Lake city as the leading
city upon its shores, would become the
great resort for the whole of1the country
west of the Missouri river and this side of
the Sierra Nevada mountains, and it is a
certainty that there is no other city which
may be named in this region that
has anything like the advantages
TO recommend it that are possessed
by Salt Lake. The carrying of
this travelling publicity making Salt Lake
city a popular resort-wouId be one of the
best movements that the Union Pacific
could make for its own benefit, and no one
can cver-estimate the advantage it would
prove to this city, in a pecuniary sense,
with our light air, our sulphur and hot
springs, our unsurpassed bathing, our
pleasant fields, our abundance Of food, our
mountains and rivers, and canon streams,
and the many pleasure resorts Of lake and
dells and romantic places in the mountain
recesses and upon their tops, are unrivaled
anywhere in the world.
We need but the friendly assistance Of a
road like the Union Pacific, and we do not
think that it is asking anything unreasona-
bic, so far as this railroad is concerned, to
take cognizance of these facts and to give
to Salt Lake city the benefit of them.
Neither do we think that it would be
am1ss for our citizens, knowing W nat they
do, to look with a favorable eye upon the
subject in question, and to insist that they
be recognized, AMI that something be done.
Surely there is combined influence enough
in this community to make this railroad
the Union Paciic-give grave attention to
the demands that come from body of peo-
pie that has sustained its road for so many
years, aud without Wbose aid it would have
been bankrupt.