The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-29

4 the scream OF the iron horse may be
heard in the land. The people here have
been looking and hoping for a railroad
from the first settlement of the coun-
/ try
The advantages that would accrue
from the advent of a railroad into this
/ section are incalculabIe. The great re-
/ sources that now lie dormant would be
! developed and make of this section an
! empire within itself
ABUNDANCE OF WATER.
Uintah county, or more broadly speak
ing, northeastern Utah, is one of the
/ best watered sections of the state. In
that portion of Uintah county not in
Guided in the reservation there are four
streams of water, Green river Brush
creek. Ashley fork and Henry's fork
Green river. running along the east
ern border. is the largest stream in the
state, but as yet very little of its waters
are utilized, owing to the difficulty Of
handling and controlling such a large
stream by men of limited means. and,
owing to our isolated condition, men
with the capital necessary to inaugu-
rate big irrigation schemes, have not
yet found US out.
The two streams that are made to do
duty to their fullest capacity are Ash
ley and Brush creeks, from which every
drop of water is taken in low water
season. There are several canals taken
from Ashley creek, which circle around
the valley and irrigate thousands of
acres of land, upon which are raised a
great variety OF agricultural products.
Brush creek courses along between
Ashley creek and Green river. and
waters the highest benches that lie
along the latter stream, near its mouth.
There are splendid opportunities at the
head of each of these strains for the
storage of water. as there are some fine
locations for reservoirs, which would be
the means of increasing the tiliable
area to a considerable extent and, with
the advent of a railroad will come men
of capital who Will find some of the
bast opportunities for investment to be
found in this intermountain country.
GREAT RANCH COUNTRY.
Henrys fork, on the northern border,
is a great ranch country, and is taken
principally by cattle men. who have
thousands of cattle and horses roaming
on the great ranges which lie contigu-
Gus to that stream.
RESERVATION RESOURCES.
In that portion of Uintah and Wa
satch counties that lies within the re-
servation are the undeveloped resources
laying idle that will one day make of
northeastern Utah one of the greatest
sections OF the state.
II would make the average Utah
farmer weep TO stand upon the banks
of the beautiful Duchesne, Uintah and
Lake fork streams and watch the cease
less flow of the purest water on earth,
While along their banks are thousands
of acres Of land. upon which could be
grown every conceivable variety of
agricultural products known to this
latitude The day Will come when this
great country will be network Of
canals and thousands OF comfortable
homes viii appear upon the ruins of the
prairie dogs ancestral haunts.
MINERAL WEALTH
Great as ale the agricultural posi-
bilities of this section, its mineral
wealth is even greater. In the Uncom-
pahgre reservation are the great gill
sonite deposits that have attracted the
attention of the world. ana which Will
in the not far distant future, when the
question Of transportation is solved
pave the way for future generations
in every quarter of the globe.
In the hills which skirt the Ashley
valley on the south are great beds of
what is known as sand asphalt"
commercial article which only awaits
cheap transportation to place it upon
the market. John Beck, the we'll known
mining man, is the principal owner of
these deposits and annually eXpends
from $1,000 to $1,000 in assessments.
Elaterite and mineral wax are also
found in a number of places and all
around the Ashley valley on the east
and north are veins of coal which fur
nish an abundance Of cheap fuel.
Promising prospects of gold, silver
and copper are found Oh every hand. At
the head of Brush creek lies the ia
nous Dyer copper mine, which has
shipped ore over one Of the worst roads
imaginable, for q distance of 80 miles,
and made it pay, and which recently
sold for $4,000. Unfortunately, this
mine has been in litigation for years,
and has lain idle in consequence. All
around this famous mine are numerous
prospects that would spring into promi
hence with the advent of a railroad.
There ara a number Of silver-lead prop
ositions that are awaiting develop
ment along the same belt.
Splendid specimens of copper are
brought in from the Blue mountains
on the east, and the parties interested
think they have barrel of money on
tap.
Aside from agriculture and mining. I
there are the great ranges or the north 4
which. from Strawberry valley on thee
west to Browns park on the east, along
the great Uintah range, feed thousands
Of cattle. horses and sheep, and which
viii feed thousands more when the res
ervation is thrown open TO the pubic.
UTntah county shipped 100000 pounds
of wool this season and q great deal of
mutton.
FINE FRUIT CROP.
Fruit a few years ago was brought in
from the outside" but now the or
chards Of Uintah county are beginning
To give an account of themselves. Small /
fruits do splendidly. and apples, pears
and plums do well, and in some loca-
tons peaches are successfully grown.
This season the fruit crop IS excellent,
both in quality and quantity.
With the advent Of railroad to
transport its products, this will be one
of the best locations in the state Tor
a beet sugar factory, as there are thou
sands of acres OF elevated pehch iallD !
that Is well adapted to the growth of
the sugar beet. The climate and all
other essentials necessary to the sue
cess of such an enterprise are to be
found here.
and thousands of pounds of honey are
annually transported in wagons into
western Colorado and sold. Tons and
IONS are nsed in the preserving OF |
fruits. and is made to take the place
of sugar for a great many purposes. (
Tbe people here can laugh in the face
of the sugar trust
In the mountains to the north are
countless thousands of posts, poles, I
bouse logs. and sufficient tie timber TO
h,lild a railway across the continent !
There are several saw mills that keep I
. L., 7l.l.r-