The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-14
OUTSIDE THE LAND GRANT.
What the Railroad Surveys Told of
the Guano Islands.

1t is stated on the best Of aush).lty
That the surveys made lass week by
the party of surveyors sent out by
the Southern Pacific railroad company
for the purpose of locating on the
maps Gunnison and the other guano
islands claimed by the Utah Guano
company and Laron Cummings and
associates, in preparation for con-
test in the land Office and the courts,
failed to bring the isolated specks
upon the bosom of the Salt Lake
within the twenty mile limit Of the
railroad company. At any rata, The
engineers have again taken To the
field, as was stated in The Herald
would be the case, and this time
they have gone out to The Islands II
order that they may resurvey, with
base line run from tn : island of Gun
nison. According to the first survey,
made from both the west side OF the
lake and the promontO-y by triangula-
ton. the island of ,iunnison IS three
miles south IF tie line which marks
the southern limit of the gov eminent
land grant to the railroad. Very ma
turally, the engineers claim that their
lines. were not what they should be
and. for the purpose of making mere
definite locations. they are ECW gong
to the island. While there they will
be enabled to snoot to either side CT
the lake and by this meaEz the exact
location can be ascertained. As it is,
without the knowledge as 70 The size
of Gunnison, they are unable 70 make
accurate surveys.
The third cargo of guano received
by the Utah Guano company has now
been discharged at Lake PARK, and it
is more than likely that The product
will be sent south. probably to the
beet fields of Utah county. Manager
Perkins has just made business trip
into that section of The territory. and
the farmers have expressed a desire
to try the fertilizer. Major Bird yes
terday received a lot OF land office
blanks, which cover a larger field
than have those heretofore sent out to
this territory. They provide for the
non-mineral affidavit and also state
ment on oath that the lands about to
be filed upon under either the desert,
homestead or timber culture act. do
not contain any phosphates. These
latter blanks are evidently for use
in Florida or the other southern
states where phosphates abound, but
the members of the Utah Guano COM
pany hold to the opinion that mas
much as the general land office has
nelQ UndI southern phosphate ldIIuS
are not subject to entry under other
than the mineral act, their placer To-
cations on the Salt Lake guano is
lands will hold good as against the
desert entry of the other Salt Lake
locators. Be that as it may, the lat
ter are preparing for a healthy fight
in both the land office and the United
States court.
Reports brought back from Gunni-
son and Hat islands by the employ
ees of the Utah company who went
over for the load of guano just de-
livered. are to the effect that the peli-
cans and cranes which have formerly
nestled on Gunnison are now to be
found on Hat. while the glIls
are in their old haunts in countless
numbers. They do not seem to mind
the presence of humans in the least. A
large number of eggs of all of the sea
birds which make their homes on the
islands during this season of the year
were brought back on the schooner.
The cranes have already commenced
to hatch on Hat island, but it will be
some time yet before the young of the
gulls and pelicans put in their appear
ance. The boys say the scenes on the
islands are beyond description. There
are birds everywhere, on the islands,
in the air. and in the water.