The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-24

mines and a number of industrial
plants exempted from taxation. The
natural resources of the territory APP
parent today are almost HmitleSs.
while the best informed biologists and
scientists insist that the variety and
extent of Utah's mineral wealth are
not yet one-half known. The mining
interests, now producing $15,0OO,OOO per
annum, need but the stimulus of
friendly legislation to record a yield
of many times that sum; while the
present annual output of half a million
tons of coal would be doubled as the
demands of mines and shelters in
creased.
Not only are the mountains of Utah
stored with gold and silver, but also
are found in ineXhaustible quantities
every useful metal and a great variety
of natural chemical deposits used in
commerce. Especially true is this of
her iron. sulphur, asphaltum, salt and
guano, having all these useful arti-
Giles sufficient to supply the demand
of the entire world. Granite, building
stone. photographic stone, marble and
onyx of the finest quality abound. All
these precious deposits but await the
magic of applied capital to produce
each year many millions of wealth
for the Industrious people of the new
state.
But if Utah is rich in mineral and
chemical deposits, she is fabulously
wealthy in her natural water supply
and fertile agricultural lands. While
farming has been carried on in Utah
for nearly fifty years with wonderful
success by the hardy pioneers and
their descendants, still it is but true
that agriculture and the possibilities
in that line of industry are only
slightly developed. Whereas, the early
settlers were, per force, compelled to
| devote their entire efforts to raising
ordinary food crops in succession.
varying only as the land absolutely
required, the more recent years have
brought to light the greater profits
derived from fruit crops of such var
1eties as cannot be successfully grown
in the eastern and middle western
states. Since the first settlement Of
Utah the capabilities of soil and eli
mate have been known as exactly
suited to the production of superior
fruits of every class common
to the north temperate zone.
1t is gratifying to note. now
that horticulture is receiving at
tent1on commensurate with the I'M
eXcelled opportunities along that line
1t is not Utopian to predict that within
a quarter of a century the orchards
ana vineyards OF Utah will produce an
nually more revenue than the com.
bined production of her mines and
mills. Nor need there be fear of over.
production in this line, since the very
acme of excellence is attained in every
variety of Utah fruit and less favored
localities cannot hope to successfully
compete with Utah in the markets OF
the world
! Inseparably connected with the con.
sideration of Utah's agriculture is the
question of water supply for irrigation
1t is to this method of furnishing the
requisite moisture that is due the alb
solute certainty of crop returns to the
Utah horticulturist. And in this i'm
portant source of wealth Utah is Law
ishly supplied. Already the lands ad
| jacent to streams and lying so as t.
be easily watered therefrom are set
tied upon and under high state of cul
tivation. The attention of capitalists i:
now attracted to the recIama ton Oh
vast tracts of superior bench land
the watering of which has been impos.
sible without the expenditure of large
sums of money. 1t is in this field thai
the skill of the civil engineer in direct
ing vast canal systems has opened ur
opportunities for thousands of settlers
on the best fruit lands in Utah. To
such perfection has the science of irri-