The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-29
NORTHEASTERN UTAH'S
PROMISE OF RICH MINES
Lack Of Transportation Facilities Unable to Pre-
vent Partial Development.
Future Full Of Hope That Is Based on Actuaiss-Wha Has
Been Done Already

the natural development of northeast
ern Utah. For selfish purposes schemes
are being worked to perpetUate the
disadvantages under which the section
now labors.
Despite the fact that the great bulk
of the land containing commercial gill
sonite is not yet subject to mineral
entry, a great deal of work prepar-
atCTy in its nature is being done by
the companies interested. Roads are
being constructed, nine houses built
and matters are generally being got
ten into shape so that when matters
are finally brought to an issue and the
deposits released, operations viii begin
without delay Along White river the
holding of so many claims has ne
cessitated a considerable amount of
assessment work, and it is safe to say
that more work Of this character is
being done than heretofore, owing to
the wholesale claim Jumping Of a year
ago, which, while il has stimulated the
work of assessment has in the whole
proved a setback to the activity man
itested year ago, when the big
syndicates were sparring for the control
of these deposits. At that time ne
gOtiatiOns were being carried on with
many Of the prior locatOrs. with
view to purchasing their rights, what
ever congress might decide this TO be.
and considerable money was involved
in the different deals. The indiscrim-
mate jumping Of claims so mixed mat
ters that ali deals were called off at
the time, although several important
ones had been contaminated
Options That Expired.
During the summer and prior to the
assassination of President Mckinley,
options were written on all Of the avail
able claims of the district and just
when everything was sailing along
smoothly the assassination of the pres
ident upset the whole affair, and the
matter came to a standstill. Claim
owners are still holding on, however,
with the hope that congress will take
some action this winter that will clear
up matters as regards these deposits.
The GilsOnite Asphaltum cOmpany's
mines at Fort Duchesne continue to
ship regularly, loading all returning
freight teams from the Ashley Valley.
Fort DUchesne and the Indian agau-
cies- This company has shipped be
tween 1900 and 1900 tons OF gilsonfte
during the past year from these mines,
besides some smaller shipments from
of which necessitates a wagon haul of
100 miles. The product of these mines
IS shipped to st. Louis. where the COM
pany's preparing works are located,
and brings, so the writer is informed,
an average Of $50 per ton. The vein
Is about three feet in thickness and
stands almost perpendicular
From what is being done at this
mine an idea can be formed of what
the industry viii be when congress
sees fit to open the deposits of the
White river country to public entry.
some Of which are over fifteen feet in
thickness and can be traced for miles.
and are of a first-class grade of
material
At the Pariette and Castle Peak
mines. twenty-five miles southwest sof
Fort DucheSne, work has been of a
desultory character during the past
year, owing to the fact that these
mines have been the subject Of litiga-
ton in the federal courts. the govern
ment holding to the contention that
they were located on the Indian reser-
vatiOus. These veins are Of smaller
extent than those at Duchesne. but
despite this fact and the expensive
court proceedings, the companies in
Jerested hold on with a determination
that demonstrates the value Of these
deposits. The Pariette mine is oper-
ated by the Culmers of Salt Lake, and
the Castle Peak mine by St. V. Le-
Sieur of Provo.
There have been some desultOry ship
ments from the several mines. near the
state line, but the roughness of the
wagon road to the railroad makes the
commercial value of these mines de-
pendent upon better transportation ia
cilites.
Interest in Oil.
The greatest interest just at present
centels in oil, and all the favorable To-
cations along the oil belt, which ex-
tends from the Dewey springs near the
state line, northeast to Deep Creek. at
the base OF the big Uintah range, a
distance Of nearly 100 miles.
Claims covering no less than 100. 900
acres have been located in Uintah coun-
ty, as well as numerous locations in
Grand county. Experts who have been
over the ground pronounce the oil indi-
cations of the Uintah basin the most
promising in the west. These indica-
lions follow closely the line of the
hydrO-carbon belt. In a number of
places along this belt are oil seeps, and
in several places are extensive depos-
its of sand asDheitum, which carries
a heavy per cent of oil So impreg- ]
mated with oil are some OF these depos-
its that when the stuff is dug out and
exposed to the sun the oil OOzes out !
i'm little streams.
Oil experts who have exploited in the
fields Of Texas and California pro-
nOunce the indications Of northeastern
Utah better than either, and the oil Of
a higher grade.
The McWhorter OIL company Of Cal
ifornia has over 10000 acres of oil
lands located in the vicinity Of Vernal, .
and expresses the intention of making
some revelations ia the near future.
This company is operating at present /
IN Carbon county, where the question OF /
IS not such a serious /
affair
The eastern end Of the oil belt, which |
is the nearest to rail facilities. is re-
ceiving the lions share of attention Just |
at present At the Dewey springs, !
which is the property of the Utah /
Colorado oil company, and which is To- /
Gated near the state line. a first-claSs !
outfit Of boring machinery has been |
installed. and the work Of drilling Is /
now in progress. with every prospect Of |
sue .ss.
Farther north. along the state line on /
White river. a California company has 4
installed a drilling outfit, and is now
bu5ily at work. This company is max /
ing very extensive preparations for I
exploiting the field, and, in fact, both 4
IF these companies are going ahead in /
a way that is business-iike and devoid /
Of any fake boom.
Along the Book Cliffs. close to the line /
between Cintah and Grand counties, /
and extending into both, is large }
tract Of oil ground that has been To- /
gated by a company in which the Lett 1
a~s Of Chicago are interested. This /
has expended considerable +!
money in the construction Of roads and I