The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-31
BRIGHT FUTURE FOR UINTAH.
Business is Prosperous Despite the Lack of Transportation
Facilities.

Despite the fact that Uintah county
is 125 miles from the nearest railway
shipping point and is surrounded by
walls of mountains and vast stretches
of plain; in spite of its isolation and
inconvenience, the county can point TO
the progress of the last few years with
pride.
Not long ago, Uintah county was
looked upon as the natural rendezvous
for the wild and woolly desperate,
whose contempt for the law was
gagged by his ability to shoot and
who jeered from his hiding place at
the feeble efforts Of the minions of the
law to carry justice into the haunts of
the unjust. To those whose impress
sions of Uintah county have been as
described a visit to this section is a
revelation.
The passing of the dad man" and
the old log, cabin of the pioneer has
been almost complete. The establish
ment of the district court has been a
great factor in bringing about the for
mer, while the prosperity which comes
from manifold natural advantages has
accomplished the latter.
Growth of Prosperity.
A faint idea of the comparative
growth of Uintah county can be gained
by reference to the assessed valuations
for the past ten years. During that
period they have increased 200 per cent.
Only one county in the state shows
greater increase for the year 1899 and
for proportionate increase Dlntan cas-
lily leads the state.
This showing can be better appreci-
ated when it is understood that there
is not a mile of railway in the county,
which makes the increase wholly due
to its superior natural advantages.
AS an agricultural section Uintah
ranks high. The soil is fertile, climate
mild and water for irrigation ample.
Crop failures are never known While
other counties throughout the state
have suffered the past season from
drought and frost, Uintah has stored
away in her granaries one of the best
crops in her history. Wheat, oats, corn
and potatoes were above the average,
the latter being the best ever known
here.
All kinds of grain has always found
a. ready market at home, and the COM
ing winter will be no exception.
Increase Water Supply.
With the advent of capital the many
splendid opportunities of increasing the
water supply will be taken advantage
of and many more comfortable homes
established. Thousands of acres can
be reclaimed by these means. The
opening of the Uintah reservation, or
the opening of its surplus waters 10
pnblic use. will provide the means of
establishing thousands of homes, that
will double the wealth of the county in
a few years.
In the hills that encircle the valleys
is an inexhaustible supply of coal, and
the poorest inhabitant has no fear Of
the. wintry blasts.
The honey business is hourishlng
industry ard promises to be a source
of great revenue in the future. Uinsah
stood second in the list of counties for
number of colonies of bees assessed for
the year 1899 and in point of production
and quality of honey is led by no coun-
ty in the state. Repeated shipments
of extracted honey north and east to
points where California and eastern
honey has an established hold has
demonstrated that the Uintah county
product fears no competition, as II
holds its own with the highest grade OF
honey known in the market and in
many instances demands a premium
Fine Fruit Is Grown.
For fifteen years prior to 1885 all
kinds of fruit known to this latitude
did exceedingly well. Peaches, pears.
DruneS. DluIflS, dPpltS 6AAu Oil VI
small fruit were planted with every
assurance of success. The past two
wears have proved rather disastrous to
the fruit growing industry, as unfavor-
able climatic conditions have resulted
in the loss of many trees. The pres
ent winter is very favorable, however,
and a return to former conditions is
now predicted.
In quality, fruit grown here is of the
very highest, particularly apples and
small fruits. A great many trees Will
be planted the coming season, which
indicates that the faith of the farmer
is not dissipated in theScounty as a
fruit growing section.
Sheep and Cattle.
There are 100000 sheep in the county,
from which was shorn 100000 pounds
of wool the past season. The past two
years has been a prosperous period for
the fiockmasters, and the good prices
realized have put a great many dollars
in circulation in the county.
AS in other products, Uintah county
easily leads the state in the grade of
its wool and it sells on the market at