The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-31

That Utah has been prosperous during
the past twelvemonth needs no other
proof than the activity that has prevailed
among all the railroads of the state Not
only has there been added nearly 100
miles of new road. but the rolling stock
and motive power of most of the lines
have been augmented to keep pace with
the increased traffic-both freight and
passenger-which has demanded moving
during the year. Steady work has also
been in progress upon the roadbed already
built. IN reducing the grades and curves
of the lines TO render the power already
on hand more effective. as well as other
Improvements having as their aim an in
crease in the capacity of the lines.
The assessed valuation of all the rail-
road property in the state has been placed
at Sl4. 457. S24. This does not include the
road built during the year which would
swell the amount to over Sl5,000,00O.
The earnings of the roads for the fiscal
year were over 81, coo. Without count
ing the through traffic over the Union
Pacific and the Southern Pacific, which
cannot be fairly accredited to Utah the
earnings of all the Utah linesfor 1899 will
reach in the neighborhood of Sl4,0O0,O00
Rio Grande Western Improvements.
There has been 93.5 miles of new rail-
road built in the state during the year,
at a cost OF s., 26O, 000 This new road con-
sists of the 455 miles built on the Utah
& Pacific 10 complete the line Through to
Nevada on the state line between Utah
and Nevada; a branch 1871 miles long from
Mound, on the Rio Grande Western, to
connect that road with the coal mines at
Sunnyside; a new line up the Provo can
yon. 25.S miles, built by the Rio Grande
Western 10 connect their main line at
Provo with Heber City in WaSatch coun-
", and spur of SIS miles built By the
Sanpete Valley company to connect with
the great brown stone quarTies near Ster-
ling.
In the matter of improvements the Rio
Grande western has been the most ac-
tive In addition to the building of - IS
miles of road. the company has expended
S2J0.OOo in improving the roadbed The
track has been Strengthened and the
grade lowered at the entrance of the
Spanish Fork canyon; the grade has been
lowered at the Jordan Narrows and work
has been progressing on the hill at Sol
dier's Summit, which, when completed
will reduce the west-bound grade for the
entire length of the main line to y of l
per cent In addition to this the COM
pany, after having bought the Utah Cen
trail. running from Salt Lake to Park
City, built trestle near the Summit thus
dispensing with the loop and has been
pushing a tunnel near Barley which
when completed, will reduce the grade at
that point from per cent to { per cent
making it equal to the main line when
first completed to Ogden.
Utah & Pacific.
In all the work done on the railrods
during the year, the building of the Utah
q Pacific will have the greatest effect
upon the future of the state. This is true
for two reasons. In a local sense. it has
opened UP a strip of country that bids
fair in the near future to be one of the
most important in the -intermountain
country The iron mines near the Nevada
line. stretching by the side of coal meas
ureS as inexhauStible as they are them
selves, viii revOlutionize the iron industry
OF the whole country and have the effect
OF making Utah a great manufacturing
center as well as a mining and agricul-
turai country In another sense il is
the precursor OF a through line of road
TO the Pacific coast, opening up on its
way a vast treasure store house and Civ
another avenue to the ever growing ira de
OF the Pacific coast and Asia
Utah Mileage.
In all Utah there are 151S.54 miles of