The herald., 1894-07-15
THE NEW LINE FROM UTAH.
A Vast Country to Be Opened
for Settlement.
A Correspondents Recent Trip t.
Southern Nevada.
what tho Building of the Railroad Will
Do for Los Angeles
and Southern
California.

The following interesting article was
written by gentleman who just re-
turned from trip over the proposed
line OF the Southern Nevada railroad to
st. George, Utah:
What must soon become one OF the
greatest fruit growing sections OF the
western country, the only thing neces-
sary to put this promising country in
prominence is the completion of a rail-
road. In making trip from Southern
Utah across the country TO Los Angeles
we passed through some of the finest
agricultural and iruit lande that we have
ever eeen, and why such valuable land
should still be open to the home or land
seeker at government prices we did not
understand, but after making the trip
across the country we can readily under
stand. BY making special inquiry we
find that until very recently this land
has been over hundred miles from rail-
road, and that while this country is but
little known to the outside world it Las
been noted by parties travelling across
the country as far back as 1914. When
General Fremont in crossing these beau
tiful. valleys mskee special note of their
richness, and when the Mormons first
made their choice OF lands, selected on
land in these beautiful valleys, and went
to great expense in starting little fruit
ranches. and in several places start
ing towns and building good stone
buildings, and expending many hun
dred thousand dollars. Everything
flourished until call from their leader,
Brigham Young, ordering them all back
into Utah. This caused many sad
heart, and it was only with many tear
and sad regret that they gave up their
bright prospects and little homes.
We visited a number of the old ruins
that were then started. l believe it
was about the year 1873 that these val
leys were vacated by the Mormone. A
few OF the families did not 20, and few
OF the places started are now occupied
by more recent settlers. and on these
ranches ie whore we saw some of the
finest fruit orchards and vineyards, with
beautiful fields OF grain and green pas
lures with hundreds OF fine stock graz
ing, that led US to fall in love and be-
coms infatuated with this beautiful
country. After leaving St. George, in
Southwestern Utah, we first reached
the Virgin and Umdy valleys. These
valleys are fertile, but more broken,
and are thinly settled. special feat
ure OF the Virgin is it's rich deposits OF
pure crystal salt, 30 pure and clear that
you would think it was glass. After u
day'a travel by way of California pass,
where two lines Of railroads are sur
veyed through. we came into what is
known as the Las Vegas valley, q term
used by the Spanlards to signify fertile
or marshy plains. Here We find large
basin, or valley, surrounded on
all sides by mountain ranges, and
about the center OF the valley therN
are two well-improved ranches that
would do the eye OF any farmer or fruit
grower good. And from the great va
riety OF choice fruit grown on these
ranches, and it's early maturity and
abundant yield, we would cay this lie
the place to raise fruit; that is, when
this country is supplied with railroads
There is plenty OF good rich land in this
valley still open TO entry. Our next
stop was made in what is known as
Pahrump valley. Here we found about
the game kind OF valley as the Vegas,
large, fertile land, with but few
ranches. We understand that this val
lev has recently been bought up; but
after making a trip across this country
and finding SO great n variety of re-
sources in minerals, and a country that
some day certainly will become great
fruit section on account of its richness
OF soil, plenty OF water and most perfect
climate for raising and curing all kinds
of iruite, we wonder why railroad has
not pierced this rich and promising
land. But we find to our delight that
this long-felt want will coon be sup
piled. We learn through the land de-
partment of the Southern Nevada Rail-
road company, located in the Stimson
block, this city. who are now pointing
out the resources along their line and
the land in this valleys mantioned, that
a railroad will coon bs completed
through this country.