The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-26
CONDITIONS IN GARFIELD,
RESOURCES OF THIS SOUTHERN
UTAH COUNTY.
Not Much Farming, But Great Re
gion For Stock, Lumber, Fish and
Anthony.

Garfield county is situated in the
southern part of the state, a scope Of
country So miles wide from north to
south and from the Parowan noun
tains east to the Colorado river a dis
lance of $50 miles. The topography
consists of a succession of high noun
tains, gorges and deserts, and now and
then a fertile valley, which. where the
water facilities are sufficient, is occu-
pied by the farming portion Of its pop
ulace.
Its agriculture is very light. consid-a7
ering it's large area, being confined to
the watered valleys and hooks of land
at the foot of the mountains, where
irrigation is possible Indeed, there is
not sufficient raised within the county
to support it's people, but this lack is
happily relieved by its proximity to
Utahs granary-Sevier and Sanpete
countieS-With whom it's people eX-
change other products for flour, grain,
etc. Our crops this year amount in
round numbers to about 10000 bushels
of wheat $4,000 bushels of oats. 10000
bushels of barley and as much pOta-
toes Fruit has given but little salts
faction in Garfield county as yet.
Its deserts and mountains, with it's
varied climate, make it almost one
vast and perpetual herd ground, upon
which roam something near 120,00O
head of sheep, and cattle without num-
Der, and herds of horses, which, how
ever, are now of little value. Our
sheepmen boast of having sold this
year ST., 900 worth of mutton and stock
sheep, and immense quantities of wool
while the cattlemen report nearly as
much for their cattle.
The mineral wealth of Garfield cOun-
ty is yet hidden, but during the year
Of
considerable money spent, and labor
expended in searching for 1t. White
Canyon district, in the Henry Noun
tains, sends to the recorder at Pan
guitch a number of locations to be re-
corded, and has two mills for the re
ductiOn of its ores. while Coyote creek,
in the northern part of the county, Is
wild with delight just now on account
of its anthony mines and sends in Is
original locations in the last 40 days;
in fact farmer, mechanic, laborer,
Sheepman, and, indeed everyone else,
is carrying magnifying glass and
searching for something in the mineral
wealth of the EARTH which undoubtedly
abundantly abounds in Garfield county
TIMBER AND LUMBER.
Garfield county contains the most
valuable timber belt in the state, if
not on the Pacific slope. Lumber in
abundance can be had from 81 to $40
per thousand. There are at present
within this county four steam and
three water sawmiIls, with a daily ca
pacity of from 5000 to 10000 feet each;
one 50-barrel and one 30-barrel roller
mill, with two burr mills, serve to
grind for it's people.
Panguitch lake, a body of water
about two miles square, situated in the
southwestern part of the county,
abounds with salmon trout weighing
from one-half pound to two pounds
each, and from which there has been
taken this year something near ten
tons of fish, which sells at 10 cents
per pound.
The population of the county will ex-
coed 5000, it being in 1890, 2,457. an
increase Of 20 per cent in seven years.
The county, like the people, is in
debt about $1,000. but under the man
agement of the present commissioners
and with the aid and assistance of
some influential men. it's paper is
worth 100 cents on the dollar.
There is not an Incorporated city or
town in the county, and taxes are very
light.
There are no high schools in this
county, but every child within school
age is provided with the privilege of
the district school