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

Especial Correspondence.
Yernal, Aug. 25.-Yea~s ago. when the
first pioneers of Uintah county, brav-
ing the dangers and dlscomforts of life
on the frontier, landed in what was
then known as the Ashley Fork c0un-
try there was nothing to greet the eye
save one vast expause of gray, broken
only by q fringe of green along the
Ashley creek. which sweeps VITA c.le
long graceful curve from the Ashley
gorge. where il issues from its moun-
tain fcrtresses, with an endless protest
against lis Stormy passage. to the val
ley Of fhe green.
Standing upon the dry and barren
soil their gaze resting upon the bleak
and undnviting prospect they little
dreamed Of the vast possibilities which
lay before them.
The transformation is now complete.
Where once, to use an old settlers
words a horse would sink to mis- fet-
locks in the dry loose SOIL there is
now one vaat alternating expaaee of
sunshine ana shadow, 4 billOwy sea of
green and blue, with just now, here and
there a dasn of gold
To one who travels over the seeming
ly interELnable road, from what is
known here as the outside. and is com
PEELED TO take in the proYerbial peck Of
dust en- route. and carry another PECK
on the outside, and who with an acnclg
void, inwardly expressed, is gazing
hunguly ahead, for the end of what
seems an enGses road. which circles
with provoking persistence around
every knoll in sight the scene that
spreads itself before him, When he ar
rives at the summit of the pass which
is the commercial gate way of the val
ley, dispels all other thoughts than the
beauty of tie panorama spread before
him
Where once the antelope fed ua-
moleSted along the foot hills, and
nothing that savored of civilization
marled the complete wildAess of the
scene. now a scene presents itself that
seems almost marvellous, in light of
past conditions.
As one taTries a moment in contegn-
plation OF the scene spread before him,
ne cannot but admire the pluck and
perseverance of q people that have
transformed barren waste lnto a land
virtually flowing with milk and honey.
Locking out over the valley one is
struck by the fact that the houses are
distributed pretty evenly over the en-
tire country, which is explained by The
fact that nearly all Of the lands were
homes e2ded, necessitatiug the build
ing of houses and The improving of
each claim.
Towards the center of the valley.
Where the trees seem denser than COM
mon, the smoke slowly ascending
Through the green branches. and the
busy halm Of industry marks the center
OF population, there lies the town of
Vernal, the county seat of Uintah
county.
As one descends. from the pass and
drives briskly along the downward
slope toward Eernal one passes houses
On either hand in continual succession,
with their grain fields and lucegn
patches around them.
THE ASHLEY PIONEER.
On the 18th day of February 1873,
Pardon Dodds. who had been previously
lnGlna agent at Uiutah. drove in the
first wagon that ever made a track in
Ashley valley, and was the first white
man 10 locate on Ashley creek, where
he still resides.
The first white woman 10 enter the
valley was Mrs. Snyder. whose husband
died here. and who subsequently, mar
ried the present sheriff of Uintah cOun-
y. William Preece. Mrs. Preece lives
ia Neraal so thAt the first white man
I the first white woman that settled
IN Uee valley, are still With us. 4
T'le first settlers located along the
creek bottoms, and eventually a little
town sprang up at what IS now known
as OLD Ashley. a few Of the old build
ings sun remain 10 mark the site where I
once existed the rendezvous for all the
wild and woody men that inhabited this
section Of Utah III the old bygOne days.
In those days society. was very crude, (
and a man to hold mis- place on the top
round Of the social ladder, must be
able 10 drink plenty of bad whisky,
yeN like a coyote. and handle gun
VITA all the deSterfty that the average I
man now exhibits in the use Of q knife I
and fork.
But those days have passed away. 4
and comparative peace and quiet reign i
Where once TIE desperate whooped to (
his hearts content. The bad men nave /
aied themselves TO other and more con- /
genial climes, and the peaceful farmer
has now taken possession and pursues T!
the even tenor Of his way. 4
Since Pardon D0dds first drove his
stakes along the banks OF Ashley creek Z
the tide OF Immigration has steadily ,
poured over the divide and spread it /
self over the entire valley. There are !
great many people here from Cache 1
valley, a great many from Salt Lake !
county. ana a very generous sprinl1ling !
from Utah county, and some from /
every where.
PEACEFUL AND Law ABIDING.
a great deal has been written. and /
more has been said, concerning the con-
dfti0ns existing in this section, and the /
class of people inhabiting it The inn 4
preston mas gone abroad that Uintah /
county people are in a wild and un-
tanned state. that the laws are trampled
under foot, and no man dare protest. 4
A greater mistake was never made. for
there are people here who not only dare
TO protest. but who dare to uphold the ]
majesty of the Law.
While we, admit that there are men
vino iDfest the mountain ranges along
the border lines Of our county. who [
cause US considerable annoyance at 4
times, the fact still remains that the
great majority of the people of This
county are industrious. law abiding
citizens. who are determined TO stamp {
out lawlessness. and see to it that law
and order prevails. Il seems somewhat
strange that truth should be sacrificed (
TO satisfy an inordinate appetite for
something sensational. We naturally
expect, at least, the moral assistance
Of the populOus sections Of the state.
but can set along Probably without II.
and yet make Of Uintah county one of
the fairest sections of the state of
Utah.
Some time since. IN an interview, an
individual stated that he never thought
of travelling in this country without a
Winchester. Now, l feel extremely
,,a,.ea-, VII ,c. ,a,-r-ar ~,