The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-07-25
IN ASHLEY VALLEY.
Gloomy Prospects for Grain and
Fruit Crops.
THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT THERE.
The Dutchman and His Mash-Court Room
Episodes-Some Very Interesting Rem
iniscences of the Valley.

ASHLEY VALLEY, July 90, lS90-TCorres-
pondence to THE HERALD. Ashley Valley
like every other place in Utah of which
word comes to US, is very backward this
season
An old and experienced farmer expresses
1t as his opinion that the grain and potato
crop will be almost an entire failure this
year and many agree with him in that be-
lief
Certain it is, if the crop of any season
fails of success along the Ashley, it is be-
cause the elements are positively adverse
TO the growth of young sprouts, for the soil
Itself is Incompatible. Like the good, old
English plum pudding, it is black with rich
hess. Most of the farms and ranches are
that willow and brush land which, while
difficult to clear, pays three fold for every
dollar put into it. No one with pair OF
Stroug hands and any knowledge whatever
of farming, need be poor in this place, and
the farmers who are doing well have no pa
thence with those who are not AS a we'll
TODD tiller of the soil said to the writer in
reply to the question as to why there are sc
many poor people in the valley, farming
is so easy that it makes them INDECENT
Certainly there are many who are content
to set1le down to a diet of bread and pota
toes, without sufficient ambition to add ba
ron to the bill Of fare. There are steadily
growing up, however, a class of thrifty fan
mers who will some day find the mselvC
real wealthy landowners, especially if the
railroad comes through, of which there
now seems every indication.
Ever since its settlement the valley has
been much hurt BY
TIE INFLUX OF CRIMINAL REFUGEES
from the surrounding states and terri
tories.
Being well off the railroad and and tele
graph line, and with no court and few
officers of the law, it is a city of refuge for
vicious and vagabond element who have
found other parts of the country too hot
Tor them.
A well-organized band of desperadoes
were driven from here last spring by the
Efforts of few of tue citizens. 1t was i'm
mediately after the robbery of the coop
erative store at Vernal, where two men had
entered at dusk, and, while there were
several men and boys in the store, and de
manded with airy nonchalence the KEYS
of the safe The clerk, thinking it all d
Joke, smilingly refused them, and without
further parlying, one of the men fired al
him, Just grazing his face. Being man
susceptible TO moral suasion, he then com
piled with the request. They had doubt
less expected a big find, for it is sometimes
difficult for merchants to get their money
OFF TO deposit; but in this instance theil
booty amounted to little over one hundred
dollars. The was the utmost excitemen
through the valley, for the mail had beef
la,.T,
and the same parties We're believed, OF
good evidence, to be implicated in boil
affairs.
Some suggested petitioning the governor
for aid in Kidding the country of the gang
but the majority felt there was no time Il
spare and a convocation of citizens met to
gether in the court house for the purpose
of considering measures for the public
safety. They selected a few brave men tt
go out in search of them. and if they haC
hot already departed, to run them down
They found great difficulty in ascertainin!
anything in regard to them, their inquire!
I'm most instances being met with evasion
The people declared that if they did know
anything of their whereabouts they woul,
be afraid to tell it, for it would in all prob
ability result in their cattle being driver
OFF or killed and their homes demolished
One of the men, on whose bravery the.
had relied said to them: ''If | knew the
could be put in the penitentiary and KEEP
there awhile, I'd help you out, boys, but i
will be hard to get them and harder still
TO keep them, and if they knew I'd don
anything to aid in their capture, neithe
my life nor my property would be worth
"copper""
One more look then with great caution t
place where the crew had lodged them
selves month or two before. They foun
there every indication of a long camp. blu
nothing which threw any light on the roat
they had taken when they pulled up stakes
So they picked up the remnants of tw
packs of cords which they found scattere
through the brush and those with whisk
flask they kept as souvenirs of their chase
Although they saw nothingof their pre-
they had secured the country pretty thol
pughly and the gang doubtless scented tn
hunt for there have been no indications {
their awe-some presence since the pursui
THE TINE OF HIGH WATER
Is now over for this season
but it will long. be remembers
as the one which brought
tragic death to two young men who gave u
their lives to save that of another man.
new embankment had been erected nea
Reynolds mill site, where the wash of tn
panal had worn away the old one. 1t wa
lust finished and man attempted to eros
side warned him off, but he either did nc
hear them or did not heed, for he still cam
On. and when about in the centre the en-
bankment caved in. Two boys sprang
the rescue, when the part on which the
stood gave way and the great body of watt
swept over them, bringing down with i
turbulent force the whole twelve feet {
mud and stone and brush. Other me
rushed forward in the hope of saving then
and several of them barely escaped vii
their lives. The man on horseback came OF
safe, but the two boys were found undo
the broken debris, crushed to death.
A ROMANCE OF THE VALLEY.
This tragedy recalled to the inhabitan
another, which occurred at the ford. mi
DR. two lower down. in the time of hie
water five years ago.
There had come from Green River OF
morning comely looking woman with
baby in her arms, and accompanying b,
was a ssalwart Dutchman.
The oject of her errand was the procur,
ment of a divorce, after which she and Il
Dutchman were 10 join hands in mat,
mony. The divorce was obtained vii
fewer formalities than might ha,
been exacted in New England, al
IN two or three hours afterwart
the divorced husband departed f,
his ranch on Green river and the Hutc
man started with the woman and her bal
for Vernai where the marriage ceremor
was to be performed. They found, {
reaching the river, that the water w;
very hign The driver knew nothing
the ford, and the horses finally floundert
into a deep hole where they reared ~
plunged until they tipped over the vehicl
When the portly son of t'aderanG il
The water eddying round his cans he stru,