The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-06

disposed to insist on eXOrbiIant and
impracticable terms. It is true that a
certain mineral, commonly call5d slater
ite. or mineral rubber, more correctly
'wurZelite," has been found on the
southwestern part of the reservation.
This mineral belongs TO the class of
hydro carbons, in which are usually
grouped gilsonite and the other asphalt
ums. It's supposed value consists in
that it is believed to be capable of
being used in connection with vegetable
caout-chouc, in the manufacture of rub
Der goods. In this connection a great
deal has been claimed for this mineral;
with how much truth the future alone
can disclose. The veins, so far discov-
cred. are small, their depth is alto
gether problematical and no expert
ments on working scale have ever
been made with this substance, so far
as we know. We have never seen these
veins or deposits; but know the sources
from which we obtained our lnforma-
ton to be perfectly reliable. Outside
of this elastic bitumen it is not posi-
lively known that any other mineral
exists on that portion of the reserVa-
ton which it is proposed to open to the
public.
In leaving the reservation, we went
up the DuChesne river and through
the two Strawberry valleys, but out of
Difference to the wishes of the colonel,
we never left the Travelled road until
we were outside the limits Of the reser-
walton.
1t is supposed by some, who pretend
to be informed, that natural boundaries
will be selected for the remaining reser-
walton. In this connection, 1t is as
serted that Rock creek on the west,
and the DuChesne on the west and
south, will be the dividing line. The
Uintah reservation, as it exists today
is about 65 miles long from east to
west. and about so miles wide from
north to south, containing in round
numbers about 100000 acres. There
are about 100000 acres OF good agrlcult-
ural land lying in the locality between
he Uintah and DuChesne rivers, cut oil
from Lake Fork by high, broken ridges.
One-third of this is embraced in the
high bench, already mentioned; one
third in a lower bench surrounding me
upper bench like terrace; the other
third being bottom land along the
Uintah and DuChesne rivers.
There are about $4,000 acres of ag-
ricultural land on the different benches
of Lake Fork, consisting of bottom
and bench lands; some very good, but
on the whole not as level as the fore
going. This makes in all one-quarter
of a million of acres of farming land
contained in that portion of the reser-
walton the Indians propose to keep
The other three-quarters of a, million
consist of high mountain grazing lands,
some OF which is excellent and embrace
ing fine bodies of timber, but there are
also some low, worthless bad lands"
On the upper DuChesne and lower
Strawberry rivers are perhaps $4,000
acres of good farming lands, consisting
of benches and bottoms. On the south
side of the DuCheSne to Green river
are perhaps 100000 acres more, max
ing $4,000 in all, or orse-eighth of that
portion of the reservation the Indians
propose to sell. The other seven-eighths
consist of first-class grazing lands for
both summer and winter use, embrace
ing the two Strawberry valleys, the
larger of which has an area, Of about
5000 acres and the smaller about I,OO0
acres. All these figures, it must be
understood, are approximate. In this
connection, we would mention that the
south boundary of the reserve, as es-
tablished by the earlier survey of Du-
bois and the last survey of Cakes, en-
braces a small, narrow valley, which
drains directly into Green river. The
executive order which created the res
ervation was made and based upon
the treaty with the Indians of 1868,
which declared that all the watersheds
drained by the Uintah river and its
SlOuIQ COl1Sl1lQlC liz AOoC1-
walton. The survey, embracing the
above valley, is therefore to that eX-
tent erroneous and unjust to the citi-
ZenS OF this state. Should a, straight
north and south line be agreed upon,
to divide the reservation, which has
been talked of to some extent, 1t would
be we'll for the state to insist that this
south boundary be resurveyeds in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the
treaty. The valley in question en-
braces about 5000 acres of good farm
ing land which can be readily lrrl- |
gated from Strawberry creek or Du-
Chesne river.
The following are some of the eleva- |
lions of the country embraced in the |
reservation: Main Strawberry valley, !
Z, 500 feet above sea level; Little Straw
berry valley, 1850 feet above sea level; !
upper DuChesne valley, 1000 feet above
sea level; mouth of Rock creek, 5000 /
feet above sea level; White Rock |
agency. 6,175 feet above sea level; /
mouth of Strawberry creek, $500 feet |
above sea level; mouth of Lake Fork,
5 ,250 feet above sea level; mouth of
Uintah river, 5000 feet above sea level /
These figures show elevations almost /
Identical with those of SanDete and /
Castle valleys. These aforementioned !
valleys are about so miles further /
south. But this is more than compen-
stated by the protecting influences OF /
the mountains surrounding the Uintah /
valley country. The above figures also ]
show the great fall or slope of the /
country, amounting to as much as 100 !
feet per mile. providing the most ia /
vorable conditions for handling and !
the water, of which there |
is more in proportion than in any other /
part of the state.
These last two facts will be duly ap /
preciated by our practical farmers. In |
we viii state that we did |
not visit the Uncompahgre reservation, /
as it is we'll known that but few thou !
sand acres of farming land exist there, /
near the mouth of White river, the /
balance being grazing land.
But on this reservation, it must be /
borne in mind, are those extensive J.
veins of gilsonite, the purest asphaltum
known, which have been the source of (
contention among rival companies and /
which have therefore retarded the |
opening of this reservation. This gill I
sonite has appeared but of late (since |
it's discovery in Utah) in large guam /
titles uDon the markets of the world.
Formerly it all came from the neigh
borhood of the Dead sea, in Palestine,
where it was mined by the Arabs, and
carried on the backs of camels to the
Suez canal, whence it was shipped to
all parts of the world. 1t was formerly
used exclusively for the finest grades
IF asphaltum carriage varnishes, and
brought about $3.50 per ton in our mar
kets. Since the discovery of this ma
-erial in such large quantities in Utah
its use has become more extended. It
cd oil in he mo nj a n q