The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-18

All of the necessary WO"k preliminary
to the Inauguration of the splendid en-
terprise of the Salt Lake Irrigation,
Land and Power company, recently in
corporated in this city, is now under
way and it is proposed TO make good
start before the end of the season. This
project contemplates the connection Of
the chain of beautiful lakes at the
head of the Provo river into one giant
reservoir and the construction of canal
systems of sufficient length to enable
the company to reclaim many thous-
ands of acres in the Strawberry valley
country and over towards the Uintah
section. These natural reservoirs have
been located and surveyed by the COM
pany and the other holdings of the cor
poration are secure. 4 meeting of the
board of directors has just been held
for the purpose of receiving the official
report of Vice-President Darke, who
went out to the lakes on a tour of in
spection. The report was presented to
the meeting, together with some fine
views of the lakes and the country to
be Watered by them. These pictures
are very fine and show that the coun-
try in which the waters Of the company
are located is very beautiful indeed
MI. Darke's report is as follows:
To the Salt Lake Irrigation Land and
! Power Company, Salt Lake City, Utah:
Gentlemen:-On the 18th day of July I
left Salt Lake City for the purpose of
paying a visit to and investigating some
company, at the head waters of the
Provo.
The Provo river rises on the south side
of the Badly mountains and flows in a
southerly direction for q distance of about
| seven or eight miles when it turns alb
/ ruptly and flows to the westward, the
| first affluent of any size being the Soap
stone, which empties into the Provo on
! the south and about three miles from the
| point where the river commences to flow
! to the west. This aff1uent is marked on
the company's map of the lakes.
After passing the S0apStone river our
! route led through a country where no
roads have been made, and we had, in
| places, to take the bed of the stream
| for roadway, and in others we had to
! build our road through Swamps which
! had been hitherto at this season of the
year impossible for wagons. Following
! the course of the river from The bend TO
the west we assembled the main channel
| of the river about four miles, beyond
which point we could go no further with
teams and therefore had to make our way
afoot over the mountains.
| We crossed over the stream and as
! cended the mountain on the west side:
! the route by which we trayersed it being
| two and a half or three miles to Timber
lake. This lake lies on a plateau at the
Provo and is situated at an elevation of
| from six to seven hundred feet from the
! Level OF the stream and at an elevation
! of at least nine thousand feet above sea
| level. This lake is from one half to three
fourths of a mile in length and of an
oval shape, being at least one-foJlrth of q
mile wide in its widest part. It is well
named for timber grows. all around it
and some of it of tolerably large size
/ The water is clear and sweet; it is in
! q a of fish
animal, two specimens of which we
caught. They were at least foot in
length and have a head and mouth like
a trout, fins similar to that of an ordi-
nary fish but with a long tail. In addition
to the fins they have each four legs and
are of a species Of animals only found
very common in the high lakes of Mexico.
where it is used for food and is esteemed
! a great delicacy. 1t is called the aXolotl.
This lake is shallow. at the edges hut
! is clear and the bottom can be seen from
a long distance out from the shore.
/ Northwards from this lake at least a
mile in an air line. but by the contour
of the country involving a walk of i've
or six miles is another lake, n large one
Big Reservoir No. ?, the elevation of
! which is slightly more than that of Tim.
Der lake. This lake is at least one-third
| larger than Timber lake and is inhabited
| by the same kind OF animals; the water
! is perfectly clear The description of
/ Reservoir No ..
One of the most beautiful of the lakes
! belonging to the company is Lily lake
| which is so named ON account of the pond
or water lilies with which il is partially
! covered. This lake lies in n direct line
| about two miles northwards from Big
! Reservoir No. ., but involves a iaunt of
about four miles i'll order to get to it
] from Big Reservoir No. 2, on account of
| the mountains and TIE gulches which
! have TO be trayersed in goinS from one
to the other.
The water of all these lakes are clear
! is running out of them, the only loss of
the water of these lakes being by evapo-
! ration.
! At this time it was impossible to make
a more detailed examination, but I found
| the surveys to have been correct and the
quantity of water to have been in excess
of the amount estimated.
! Arrangements were made for connecting
! the waters of the lakes, the work to he
! done between them in such manner that
they can be tapped to Cow on very short
notice.
The country is picturesque in the ex-
outing than about these lakes can hardly
| be conceived.
There is little doubt that the company
has a most valuable property and one
which will prove a boon to the many
wide and fertile sections through which
its waters will traverse.
I have the honor to present with this
report views taken from opposite sides of
each of the three lakes mentioned.
Very Respectfully,
S. w. DARKE.