The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-22
Deep Creek country and to Los Ange-
les, California.
FEDERAL BUILDINGS.


FEDERAL BUILDINGS.
The chamber should take an active
interest in the efforts of our delegation
in congress to procure the erection of
federal building in this city; for a
postoffice, United States courts, etc,
but | think a great mistake will be
made if SO small an appropriation as
is now proposed should be adopted.
Congress has just appropriated two
million of dollars for public building
for the city of Indianapolis, Indiana,
and [ feel confident that within peri
Cd of twenty years Salt Lake will be
more important city than is Indian
apolis today.
1t will take about five years to con-
struct the public building here, and /
am satisfied that such building as is
proposed in Senator Browns bill will
be entirely inadequate before it is
completed We should not be satisfied
with an appropriation of less that one
million dollars, and if the condition of
the public treasury will not permit OF
this appropriation at present, / would
prefer to wait a year, rather than to
start the foundation of a building,
which when completed. would not be
commensurate with the Importance and
dignity of the city.
UNITED STATES MINT.
The chamber should take up the mat
ter of the location of a United States
branch mint in this city. Now that
we have two senators and a representa-
tive in congress we should be able to
secure a mint with little difficulty.
It has always been the policy of the
general government to establish coin
age minis in every state where the
precious metals were produced. Before
the discovery of gold in California,
the only gold found in paying GUAM
titles in the United States was in Geor-
gia and North Carolina; hence
branch mint was established at Dab
lonega, Georgia; also one at Charlotte,
North Carolina One was established
att New Orleans in order to coin the
silver of Mexico; one in San Francisco
for the gold of California; one In the
village of Carson, Nevada, to coin the
silver off that state. A United States
assay office was established at Helena,
Montana, and one at Boise City, loahoi
also one at Denver, Colo, which is now
about to be converted into mint Tor
coinage. Thus it will be seen that
although there is more of the precious
metals handled in Salt Lake yearly
than at all the places named, COM
bined, except Denver and San Fran
cisco, yet we have not even a govern
ment assay Office here. This remark
able exception in oul case is certainly
owing to want of proper efforts ON our
part and perhaps to want of influence
at the seat of government owing to the
political and other conditions prevail
ing here during our territorial vassal-
age / think that with united effort
on the part of our people and our dele
4 hn
within our reach.
MILITARY POSTS.
Some years ago it was announced to
be the settled policy of the war de-
partment to abandon the numerous
military posts scattered throughout the
Indian country as speedily as practic-
i-ble, and to locate the military forces
of the Republic in permanent posts
near the larger towns and cities. In
furtherance of this policy, Fort Doug
las, near this city, will doubtless be-
come one of the permanent posts. 1t
is old and antiquated and should be
reconstructed and re-arranged to be
properly fitted. for the comfort and
convenience of the officers and troops
stationed there, and if proper efforts
were made by our congressional dele
cation, 1 have no doubt but that suit
able appropriations could be obtained
for that purpose as we'll as for park
ing and beautifying the grounds of the
reservation.
RAILROADS.
1t is semi-officially announced that
the Oregon Short Line and Utah North
ern railroad is to be separated from
the Union Pacific system and re-organ-
lied on sound financial basis; also
no no -
operated from this city as headquar-
ters. This in itself is most import
ant railway system, including all the
roads now operated in Utah by the
Union Pacific, south of Ogden. The
line from Ogden to Butte Montana,
also the line from Granger, Wyoming,
to Huntington, Oregon, with branches,
making total of about 1900 miles,
and, if it is to be really operated, in
dependently of the Union Pacific, will
make of Salt Lake city the controlling
railroad centre of the intermountain
country If its headquarters are here
1T will mean a large clerical force, its
purchasing agents, its shops. the max
ing of tariff rates from this city, ETC.,
will be of untold advantage to US, in
fact no one can foretel1 the great bene-
fits that will accrue to our city if this
most important system of railroads
is to be operated from this city as
general headquarters.
1t is too important matter to be
treated with ind ference. Even upon the
presumption that the general offices
will come here anyway without effort
on our part, still I think that a COM
mittee selected with a view to efficiency
and energy, as well as financial
strength, should at once be appointed
by the chamber to take whatever
steps may be necessary to secure
the headquarters of this system.
This committee should take i'm
mediate steps to bring about
this most desirable result. and they
should be empowered to guarantee to
the new company the hearty co-opera-
ton and SUBSTANTIAL support of the com
munity. This is the great opportunity
to assure the future of Salt Lake be-
yond any further contingency and
must not be neglected or trif1ed with.
There is not G moment to be lost. Ac-
tion-immediate action is imperatively
demanded.
BEET SUGAR.
The sugar factory at Lehi has been
the most valuable and beneficent in
stitution that was ever established in
Utah, and the financial success at
tanned by it the past year has been |
most gratifying. 1t will take another |
such factory to supply the home de-
mand, and two more could easily find /
a market for their product in the sur
rounding states. A factory should be |
located near this city; one in the |
Tooele country and one between here
and Ogden. An ideal location for a
factory would be on Mill creek, a few |
miles south Of the city A good flow of |
water for the OnerafionS of tho foo |