Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-23

bringing the Salt Lake market In close
touch with the producer.
Early In the year Just closed, the Rio
Grandc Western railway clearly demon
strated Its policy To develop the State.
II had shortly before acquired the prop
crty OF the Utah Central railway.
narrow gauge line In operation between
Park city and Salt Lake. and began
lts extension through the beautiful
Provo canyon to Heber and Charleston.
This branch 25.s miles In length. was
completed on october lat, 1899. Stimuli
tnneously, the road was ut work on It's
line from Mounds, a point on the main
line las miles east of Salt Lake city,
To the coal beds at Sunnyalde. This
branch was completed on December LIST
and covers distance OF 1871 miles.
Both OF these new lines are important
features In the development OF the
State The Hebcr branch brings into
prominccc the prolific valleys OF the
Provo, strawberry and Duchesne riv-
crs, while the Sunnysidc branch opens
to the western market vast tonnage OF
coal and coke,
Besides these lines. the Rio Grande
Western railway during the year ex-
pended large sum In taking out the
grades and curves east OF Sprlngvillc,
In Spanish Fork canyon and other
places along the main line. II has added
greatly during the year to Its motive
power. freight and passenger equip
ment, made necessary by a constant
growing local and through traiilc. II has
also established dining car service.
adding ears OF that character TO the
equipment on all through passenger
trains. In other words. the road during
tho year. has kept abreast with the
times 40 that In perfection OF service.
road-bed, etc, II IN the equal OF any
line In the country.
During the year all branches of rail-
road traffic showed n very healthy In
crease as compared with the year 1898,
Trans-contlnental frclghts. also pas.
sengor travel have largely Increased.
thus demonstrating the powerful place
that Salt Lake city and the Rio Grnndc
Western railway occupies In the trans
continental situation today. Local
traffic within the state has grown TO
important figures and during the SUM
mer months almost doubled itself In the
passenger branch OF the service. II
naturally follows that with the prosper
ity OF the railroads, all commercial pur-
suits have benefited to n like degree.
The railroad IL the first to feel the eff
fects OF n stimulus In trade, as also a
depression In business,
The broad gauglng OF the Utah Gem
trail line to Park city II definitely as
sured. Work has already been COM
menced with that end In view. II Is OK
pectcd that brond-gauge ears will be
operated over the line by June LIST,
1900.
An extension OF the Snnpete and
SEWER branch to Marysvalc IA also as
surcd but Just how far that line will
be carried beyond that point during
$4,000 IN yet undetermined. Already the
good people OF Marysvale and vicinity
are feeling the benefits apparently as
sured OF railroad transportation faclll-
ties. The country has extensive iron
beds besides other mineral resources.
aud from u pastoral and agricultural
standpoint II In unsurpassed by any
other district In the State
The extension OF the Heber branch
from Heber to Park city during the
coming year IN not among the improb-
abilities. Such a line would offer TO