Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-06-07
Mayor Edwards Relates Some Of
His Early Experiences,
HAS SEEN MANY CHANGES.
says Itis S~uieuent T. one OF the
Hinest In Utah Railroad
Tramps.

Hon. J. l.. Edwards. mayor OF VIII
lard city. noxcldcr county. h Ia tho
city spending a few days with msmbcrs
on his family AIR. Edwards has lived
In willard Tor tho past forty-lhrcc
years and says Il IL one of tho nncst
settlements In Utah.
Ia conversation with a "Nowa' re-
porter AFT. Edwards said the fruit crop
had been damaged u some extent this
spring on account uf the recent ffuata,
but otherwise everything. he said. looks
favorable for bountfuuu harvest
Water 8. plentiful this year but tho
people u willard for some time past
have been contemplating the constfuc-
ton " a complete watrrgurka system.
there being excellent facilities Tor 10
doing ar. Edwards IL engaged Ia rats
lnF cAtuu and hs IMPORTS thu outlook Tor
business this summer as being very
Eu1d. beef, he sud, N already IN big
demand. but VIII not fetch tho price u
dld years ago.
on the promontory At Maple
Creek. AZ that time the Union Pacific
and Central lacinc were constructing
their roads frum blue Creek 20 the top
Of rromuntoy hill. Mr. Edwards rest.
dcncu consisted ~ a log cabin, with no
other house within twenty miles. With
him was hia wife and two children. one
u whum-J, a. Edwards IL now Ia the
Louisiana conference, nllinE "a mission,
and the other tho wife u Orrawoli
Williams mailing clerk at the post.
ofucr residing az iGs N street purius
tho winter VI 1909 Mr.. Edwards Hayu be
sold beef az railroad camps at 20 oenta
a pound and there was "a big demand
Tor a. too, The only annoyance, Mt. ia.
wards says the people % his section "
country were ever subjected 90 was
while tho railroads were being built
Hundreds ~ men were employed b. the
two roads o. do tho work and
some uf them we're among the tough
ct % tho tough" Rows vert frequent
among thon and many lives we're lost
IN consequence, They also committed
numerous depredauons ~ roeblng
and stealing cattle, etc. Mayor
Edwards Was among those thus an
noycd and more than once had occasion
20 90 into the house and get "a shot
KUN Tor the purpose Of soaring the mis-
Grants on. You may say what you
IKE about suns, said Mr.. Edwards
have around the house NJ that time"
Mr. Edwards related. an incident that
occurred one night IN March. 1870,
which started In rather rough but hop,
PLY ended all right lie raidi "'rhe
niFht was frnffully cold ana dismal and
J had Just returned from railroad camps
whore had bevu dLsposinE of some cat
tlr Some water was needed Ia tho
house and Mrs. Edwards insisted on
going Tor u, proforring that l should
remain TO take care Of the children. I
had received large roll u green
hacks from the days sale. When ~
wife reached the creek she saw two
men ON the other side. She hurried
back 20 the house and toih me u the
mems presence. We had gun and a
pistol IA tho room and handing me tho
gun and taking tho pistol hcrrelf my
wife said. husband let ua 20 out and SEQ
what those men want, n they are here
for mischief, they viii flnd this hot
place.
''Tho courage displayed by my wife
omhuldrnpd me and I went down TO tho
creek and calling out 60 the men asked
what they wanted There was no reply
1 called out again and said. ~ you
don't answer l shall take Il Tor granted
that you are enemies and Will shoot
the first move that II made SIN there
was no response, We listened for some
time and not hearing tho least sound
of any Kind We made our way back TO
the house, determined 10 SIT up all
nlght rather than TO 10 10 bed and take
chances ~ being murdered while asleep.
just before reaching the door we OBJ
served two dark objects moving away.
once more l raised my gun ready 10
shoot but l didn't nre, FOR we found
the ulrtiea 20 be old friends of ours,
instead Of enemies as we had all tho
time supposed them 90 be-"