The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-06-15
DEEP CREEK HILLS
Explorations ofSnake Valley and
About Rhodes Ranch.
Rugged Country Where the Water Supply
Question is One OF Interest
aud Importance.
Corresnondence Of TnE HRRA1p.

Utah, June 4, 1892.
From Antelope Springs to the west the
road winds down rocky defile about eight
miles in length, called Death CANON. 80
named from three men having been frozen
to death within its grim confines at some
remote date. The traveller to the west
energies from the House range into mar
row valley and distant some six miles. A
low range of mountains, which form the
eastern boundary of Snake valley. Occu-
plying the middle Of the valley is Mineral
fiat; white and as destitute of vegetation
as salt and alkali can well make it, and
when wet is terror to travellers. The
freighters have given this fat another and
very appropriate name, but it will have to
be Withheld.
Three miles. across this white, glistening
flat and Tooley springs ure reached. The
Indian name is Quetchappah. The water
is simply horrible, and it must be thirsty
horse that will more than smell of it. This
spring is fifteen miles from Antelope and
about hfty-tve miles from Oasis on the
Union Pacific railway.
From Tooley springs it is fifteen miles
over good road and easy ascent to the
summit from which q line view IS OBJ
tdlHSu. 10 bu6 WSSJ II oudho toioJ3 q
long narrow valley, some six to ten miles
wide, with here and there ranch and
where water is more abundant. A cluster
OF several farms rising abruptly from the
west side of Snake valley is the Snake
range with Mount MCriah Immediately to
the West, at the northern base OF which Is
situated the White Cloud camp, and COM
ing rapidly ITO notice as being good pro-
Queer of high grade ores. South westerly
rx,I = TofF Tlorri 81
(re-christened Wheeler's) rises abruptly
and grandly above the adjacent peaks.
His hoary, snow-capped summit rent in
twain by some mighty CONFUSION Of nature,
in reality forms two peaks instead OF one,
thereby furnishing an easy solution of the
contest between the admirers of JEFF Davis
and Lieutenant Wheeler. Within the
shadow of JEFF Davis Peak and on the
eastern slope of the mountain, the Osceola
Gravel mining company have taken the
water from some springs and are carrying
it around the north side of the mountain in
g ditch a distance of twelve or sixteen
miles, TO their hydraulic works, and are
now tearing down the mountain Yin search
OF shining gold" To the north east of
this gap. some twenty miles, is the Fish
Springs range. famous as the home OF
the Utah mine. To the north about
thirty miles is the eastern end OF the
wei Known DCbp OESCE MOuubaAuoi dAh.
stretching westward thirty or forty miles
terminates near the northern extremity of
Spring valley; and if, as is noticeable
fact, the high altitude Of the mountains. as
exemplified by the Wasatch ut Park City
and the Cottonwoods, Marysvale, near Mt.
Badly, White Cloud, under Mt. MOriah,
the gold bearing quartz of jeff Davis at
Osceola and the camps situsted IN the lofty
Taylor range on the west Of Spring valley,
be any indication OF auer1ferous wealth,
then should the future OF Deep Creek be
assured, as its high lime SUBMITS and
granite peaks and crsgs loom malestically
from the adjacent plain.
a drive of eighteen miles nortnwesterly
down the range and across the northern
end of Snake valley brings one 10 the
Rhodes ranch, the scene of the recent
killing of Stevens by TREBLE Doutre. After
travelling over the God-forsaken country
between Deseret and the Rhodes place, one
is prepared to look upon the latter as a
veritable paradise, and as he seats
himself under the poplars and looks
around him at the thrifty gar
den sass" gooseberries, currants, ETC.,
and then at the seven years. old orchard,
the smooth bark and dark green leaves
attesting their healthy growth, and then
visits The lucern patches nearly in bloom,
and the grain fields, ne feois that he has at
lOQDu
much more deserving Of the name than
that station on the Union Pacific with its
misnomer.
With Mr.. Rhodes l went over his farm,
visited the tragic spot who're Stevens met
his fate, and mentally measured Warm
creek and without doubt there Is more
water running by the Rhodes place to the
Doutre farm than is used by the seventy
five families of the town of Holden, and I
H. fok ioo fhe
200 families of Fillmore and the outlying
farms, with less water in low season
than is running down Warm creek, and as
this creek comes from springs about two
miles from here, and which never vary in
the low, the stream is there when needed
in hot weather.
The fact is that the western part OF Mil
lard county and throughout Nevada there
is sufficient water now mOnopolized by
few ranchers TO support ten
times the number of inhabitants that now
occupy the country. Thirty-fve or forty
miles from here, up the valley, half
dozen settlers are using the water OF
Snake creek which, if a fine reservoir site
were utilized, would furnish an ample sup
Div of aqua purG for from one hundred to
two hundred families. But men came in
wears ago and took possession OF the
springs aud creeks, and have farmed 9
ubblo anu ralsSu StOCh, anu LH0A 4ootStA
from civilization has engendered feeling
of repugnance to neighbors, and often has
this nou-intercourse with their fellowmer
and its necessary reverence for law,
produced a feeling of contempt fcI
all restraint and has made the hip
pocket the repository of law and fire arms
the court of last resort.
This condition of society has resulted in
two fatal shooting scrapes within two
miles of here, and the incarceration of one
man for term of eighteen years. The
incoming of railroads and natural Influx
of settlers not afraid Of guns will, IL
time, correct these evils. Respectfully,
IGSoT.