The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-11
GREAT COAL FIELDS
WILL BE OPENED UP
Coal and Railway Companies Are
Working Together.
Branch Line to Whitmore Canyon,
Twenty Miles In Length, to Be
Built at Once-Great Field of
the Finest Coking Coal In the
World-New Town to Be Built
Important Improvements at
Castle Gate.

An enterprise involving an expendi-
ture OF from s25O.OOO TO 100000, the
employment of an army of men, the
building of twenty-five or thirty miles
of railroad, the opening up of immense
new coal fields, and the establishment
of new town and its consequent di-
Versified lines of business, has just
been brought to a consummation, and
the people of the central part of the
state. in particular. are to be congrat-
ulated upon its success. 1t will also be
a source of qualification to the whole
of Utah. for its benefits will be felt
by everybody.
For some time past the Pleasant
Valley Coal company, operating in
conjunction with the Rio Grande West
ern railroad, has been acquiring lands
in the Whitmore canyon coal fields. In
fact, there is little question but it has
been taking hand in the development
> of that section for several years, as
the big col1ing coal measures there eX-
posed have been thoroughly and sys-
tematicaHy developed. Slopes ranging
in depth from few feet up to several
hundred have been opened up at diff
ferent points along the several miles of
outcroppings, and everything is now in
readiness to handle the proposition on
a magnificent scale.
Manager Sharp's Statement.
No word touching this new enterprise
on the part of the coal and railroad
company could be obtained from Man
ager Sharp of the Pleasant Valley Coal
company Yesterday. and when pressed
for an Acknowledgement of the scheme
outlined. he would only vouchsafe the
information that the company had in
augurated campaign of extensive i'm
provements at its Castle Gate and
Schofieid properties which involved an
expenditure of many thousands of dol
lars He stated that the mine at Cas-
tie Gate was being equipped with a
new engine and generator. new fan
and four 100 horse power boilers. Work
at the mine. he said, was progressing
as usual with a force of some 800 men.
and by the time cold weather comes
again the property would be in better
shane than ever 10 handle an immense
tonnage.
At the company's Schofield property,
Mr.. Sharp said. one new mine is now
being opened up and the force en-
ployed is about the same as that which
operates the Castle Gate mine. The
Schofield mines are not being sighted
as regards new equipment, either. as
an exact duplicate Of the Castle Gate
plant is also being installed there, and
nothing is being left undone which
will bring the company's appliances
to a stage of perfection which will en-
able il to cope with every demand
made upon it, either in respect to the
safety of the employees or the produc-
ton of the mines.
Reports From Price.
The following special from Price tells
what Mr. Sharp was reluctant to admit.
1t means the building Up Of another big
industry in this state:
Price Utah, June 10.-Two weeks ago
or less it was stated in these dis
patches that the Rio Grande Western
railway was soon TO begin work on a
branch line of railroad from a point
near Sunnyside or Mounds station on
the main line TO run TO the new coal
fields in Whitmore canyon, where the
Pleasant Valley Coal company recent
ly became owner of some 5000 acres of
valuable eoking coal lands, and which
are now being worked on an extensive
scale for development.
This morning +. A. Deal of the rail-
road contracting firm of Deal Bros. &
Nendenhah, stopped over in Price on
his way out TO where work is to begin
not later than next Wednesday morn
ing on the grading of the line. which
will be some sixteen to twenty miles
fn length. and which, it is believed.
will branch off about two miles this
side or west of Sunnyside station.
Colonel Dodge Arrives.
Assistant Chief Engineer Baxter and
his corps of seven field men ran pre-
lininary line over the ground two
weeks ago, and went through here this
afternoon on the regular east-bound
passenger train to establish permanent
lines Colonel d. c. Dodge. general
manager of the Western. will be here
or at Sunnyside in the morning from
Denver and will meet Mr.. Deal and go
over the work in detail. The scrapers,
shovels and other tools and imple-
ments necessary in railroad work went
through here this morning. and will be
unloaded, when the exact point at
which the branch Will go out is estab-
lished by Colonel Dodge, after CONSUL
tation with surveyors.
Mr. Deal has sent several representa-
tives into Emery county on the south
10 secure men and teams for doing the
grading, which Will be let out by con-
tract, as all of the teams of the firm
are now working on new lines in Ore
gon and on the Provo canyon line. and
Mr.. Deal says il would not pay to buy
more for this piece of work alone. He
expects the work to cost about $15 600
10 the mile. and says he hopes to have
the grade ready for the iron inside of
sixty to ninety days. He will give his
personal attention TO the supervision
of the work.
The decision of the firm of Deal Bros.
& Mendenhall to let out the work TO
local graders and teamsters means
much to this valley. 1t VIII not only
put thousands OF dollars into circula-
lion here for labor directly. but viii
create good demand for the products
raised in this valley, such as oats. hay.
potatoes and garden stuff of various
kinds. The coal company. it is said.
will put 300 to 400 men to work as soon
as the railroad reaches the camp and
develop the property on big scale.
Bank and Commercial Stocks.
Those in close touch with the Off
cials of the Pleasant Valley company
say the development of the coking coal
OF Whitmore canyon means the build
ing up Of better and bigger town