The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-13
Another Gigantic Trust
May Find a Home
In Utah.

the st. Louis company's mines, which
are located two miles east of Duchesne,
other deposits We're found where the
Castle Peak and Pariette mines are
now located, several miles west of
the Duchesne river. The, river is u
or 10 miles west of the JIintah, on
which stream Fort Duchesne is To-
Gated. These mines have been a
source of considerable contention be-
tween the rival companies, and be-
tween the companies and the govern
ment, owing 10 jealous rivalry in the
nrst instance, and uncertainty as to
the reservation lines in the latter.
Although the operation of these
mines have demonstrated the CONNER
cial value of the material they, in
reality represent a very small per
cent of the deposits known to exist
in the section of country divided by
the Duchesne, Uintah and White
rivers
After the value of the giisonite be-
came generally known, prospecting be-
gan in earnest, one party skirted the
entire reservation, carefully examining
every point of indication. The de-
posits were found to exist in the main
within the reservation lines, and con-
sequently on forbidden ground. Some
20 miles south of Rangely, Colo, were
found some small veins, outside the
lines, which have been worked inter-
mittently by a company represented
by st. V. lie Sieur, the shipping point
is Grand Junction Owing to the dis
lance and extreme roughnesS of the
road the proposition has not been a
paying one, and nothing is being done
there at the present time.
This brings US to what is located
within the lines and on the forbidden
ground. This question it would be hard
to answer, owing to the fact that there
are veins which are known only to in
dividuals, who will not divulge their
location. hoping against hope that some
day the ground will be thrown open to
public entry.
Gilsonite, sand asphalt, elaterite and
kindred minerals are known to exist on
both reservations, but the chief de-
post. for which incorporate capital and
greed are struggling. lies over on the
banks of White river, and upon the
Uncompahgre reserve.
These beds. as they are called, are
45 miles southeast from Vernal, as the
crow flies, and are in what is known
as the bad lands" In extent they
cover a strip six miles wide and ten
miles long, traverSed with numerous
veins, of varying thickness, the larg-
est averaging from s to II feet in
width. The course of these veins is
from northwest to southeast, and they
terminate abruptly at the very bank
of White river. They stand perpendic-
ularly and are clean cut and well de-
fined, and in all probability descend TO
the very bowels of the earth.
The section in which these deposits
occur is easily accessible, and close to
water. There will be no difficulty at
tending the construction of railway IA
cilitieS to the very entrance to the
mines.
The mines have been located many
times over by different parties and at
different times. There have been sew
eral wild rusheS to the spot on the
supposition that the ground had been
thrown open to location. A few years
ago, on one occasion, every saddle
horse of known speed (and some I'M
KNOWN We're kept saddled day and
night awaiting the signal. Some were
stationed at Vernal, some at Green
River and others at Rangely. Men were
laying out under the cedars, spending
sleepless nights under the starry skies;
straining their eyes and ears for every
sight and sound. hoping to paste their
little white notices upon a claim that
would announce their ownership.
There were false alarms, too, when
all joined in one wild stampede, and
where men tumbled over one another
in their mad rush for the possession OF
the black, dingy stuff. Relays of horses
were stationed along the line, between
the mines and the county seat and
many are the stories told of the wild
rides in order to record claims. But all
in vain; many were the hopes dashed
to the ground. The one consolation
now of these would-be millionaires is
to gaze wistfully in the direction where
the White river flows placidly on to the
Green, and build air castles of magnifl-
cent proportions, and no doubt rooted
over with gilsonite. There are many
imprecations on the perversity of the
American congress and the innate GUS
sedness of things generally.
One thing is certain, however, and
that one thing is that a circle of I'M
developed wealth engirdles northeast
ern Utah that will at some future day
extend it's fame to the uttermost por-
lions of the earth.
HERBERT TYZACK.