The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-28
UPLAND CATTLE RANGE
VAST, RICH, ROLLING PRAIRIE ON
TOP OF A UTAH MOUNTAIN.
Incidents of a Ride Through Valleys
and Over Hills in a Wild, Pictur-
esque Portion of MOrmOndOn.
Salt Lake City Letter in Springfield Repub-

Salt Lake City Letter in Springfield Repub-
lican.
Having often heard of Range valley, En-
cry county, Utah. and it's cattle ranges for
summer and winter. its fertile canyon val
ley and it's vast mesa, or rolling prairie on
a mountain top, long-standing invitation
to take vacation there was accepted. We
started from Salt Lake City to the south
and east over the Rio Grande Western
Railway Southwark from Salt lake it's
course is through the rich valley, which is
cut up into small farms, highly cultivated
by irrigation. The grand Wasatch noun
tains tower above the villages on the right;
to the left, westward, are the Oquirrh
mountains, not so high as the Wasatch. yet
high enough to make the valley appear shut
in. The Mormon people are fond of point
ing out how their land resembles Palestine
The valley next south of the Salt-lake basin
is called the Utah valley, in the midst of
which is Utah lake of fresh water, CORE
spending to the Sea Of Galiee, and about
it's size. From this the Jordan river flows
northward to Star lake, the Dead sea of
this land, holy to the Mormons. AS we
proceed southwark we follow up the bank Of
the Jordan. Twenty-Five miles south of
out, and meeting one from the other range
the Jordan narrows are formed, through
which the river has cut it's way The higher
Utah valley is fertile and abounds with or
chards. the boughs bending to the ground
with fruit, the peaches of this region being
particularly fine.
Out of this valley the line turns up Span
ish Fork canyon, the windings of which it
C~11o fla,
the last part of the way the grade is very
heavy. The great ''ten-wheeer' Rome
passenger engine which has drawn us so
far is exchanged at the foot of 1.-The hill''
for a Baldwin hog pattern locomo-
tive. having eight driving wheels. which
clings close to the rails and draws a big
load. We are soon at the crossing of the
Wasatch range Of mountains at Soldier
summit so named because in early days a
soldier of an army column died and was
here buried. Here are meadows, rolling
plains, patches of Pine forest, and aspens,
cottonwoods and willows along the margin
of the little stream or the pools. Then we
pass down Price river canyon, between the
two great pillars of ledge, each nearly five
hundred feet high, the space between just
wide enough for the railway and the mar
row river. The pillars are the outjutting
of the mountains behind are thin as
wedges and variegated in color Near by
are great coal mines, and coke ovens bor-
der the track. Then the valley widens. and
some miles to the north are perpendicular
mountain walls known as the book-cliffs,
two thousand feet high, and by the ele-
ments worn into all manner of fantastic
shapes. reminding one of fortress and cas-
tie ruins, the thin layers of rock reminding
one of books laid on side.
HOW PACKS ARE ARRANGED.
At a station called Lower Crossing, be-
ing the lower crossing of the Price river in
stage days, we leave the train. One of the
"boys" from the cattle ranges is waiting
with horses. Packs are arranged on the
animals backs. This is a sight for an
Fastener to see-what amounts may be put
on horse or mule-what a variety-and the
roping. A frame, reminding one of a cut
off sawhorse, is on the back, and to it's
ends the rope is wound, encircling the ami
NAL many times and when drawn tight the
packer places his foot against the animals
side and pulls, pulls, till signs and grunts
indicate that the animal feels it, yet so
accustomed do they get that those that
otherwise will kick. buck and bite will pa
tiently submit to this treatment.
With rolls of coats and blankets before
and behind on the saddle, We are off, ford
ing Price river then passing along its
banks, under beetling and SCARED cliffs of
rock through groves of cottonwoods in the
bottom, along the narrowest of paths
among huge powders. high above the river
till we strike a tributary, or what is one
when it has water. Up this dry torrent bed
we go, over sand beds, clambering up rocky
stairs, now and then leaving the bed and
mounting over a shoulder of bank because
of a barrier of ledge in the channel. too
high for even nimble-footed bronchos to
climb. After winding this way and that,