The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28

THE mineral possibilities of north
eastern Utah have on more than
one occasion received mention IN
the columns of The Herald, and the
fact depfored that the lack of trans
portation operated against the develop
ment of what may be considered ia
vored section as far as natural condi-
tions are concerned. The advantages
enjoyed by localities where transporta-
ton is cheap and convenient, and where
dividend-paying propositions are made,
oftentimes from modest beginnings,
prove attractive to mining men with
the means and inclination to invest,
and experience has demonstrated that
the attraction of capital to the more
remote districts where these advan-
tages are lacking is an uphill affair.
For years northeastern Utah has been
known to many as a promising section
in a mineral way, and they have looked
forward TO the time when capital would
recognize this fact ana the natural re-
sources would result in opening means
of communication with the outside
world of business. The announcement
that d. H. MOffat has succeeded in
financing the Denver & Northwestern
road and the immediate prospect of the
realization OF years of hoping and wait
ing. has awakened new interest and
when the iron horse pOl1es his nose over
the state line, that there Will be some
thing doing is as certain as anything
within the realm of human probability.
The whole of northeastern Utah
shows the existence of mineral of one
kind or another. From Vernal in every
direction are found indications of min
eral. On the south and east are found
gilsonite, asphaltum. mineral wax and
kindred minerals. and extensive coal
- N
along the hydrOcarbOn belt are found
indications of oil that are pronounced
the best in the state by experts. On
the east at Blue and Split mountains
is found copper and gold. On the north
east are the Red creek, Jesse Ewing
and Willow creek districts. which are
scanned from one end to the other with
veins of copper. silver and gold. Elk
tending from the state line to Mt.
Badly on the north is the great lime
belt that traverses the country on east
ward far into Colorado, and which con-
tains deposits Of lead and copper at diff
feTent points To the northward on
Deep Creek are located quite extensive
deposits of low grade copper that, with
transportation facilities, viii receive
attention. Forming a half-circle on
the north of the Ashley valley, in which
Nernal is located. are numerous veins
OF coal. from which the present popu-
lation derive their fuel supply, while
on the south and eastern edge of the
valley are extensive deposits of asphalt
tum that contains q heavy percentage
of oil. These deposits can be made a
commercial proposition by the intro
duction of machinery for the extraction
Of oil by a process now in use in Cali
fornia. Aside from these there are
other various minerals that will re-
ceive attention with the advent of rail
facilities
The greatest activity during the past
year has been along the hydrocarbon
belt. This class of property is demand
ing increased attention every year be-
cause of the steadily increasing de-
mand for gilsOnite and kindred miner
ais. In the beginning the market for
giIsonlte was very limited. but by per-
sistent effort many new uses have been
found and the market expanded until
during the past year the producing
lire &c the ellison Asphaltum COM
pany. near Fort Duchesne. have been
totally unable TO keep I'D with the de-
Tnand. A few years ago shipments We're
very desultory and at times ceased al
together owing to the slow demand
but during the past year orders have
been months ahead of delivery. Every
available team en- route from Nernal
and Fort Duchesne on the freight road
is loaded with ore. and the company
has put on several big outfits of their
own. State Senator Hardin Bennion
and Ward z. Pack. who have the con-
tract of mining the ore. also have sew
eral big outfits on the road. When one
considers the number of teams that are
necessarily on the road to TRANSPORT
supplies for the Ashley vaNeV with q
population Of 1000, and Fort Duchesne
and the two Indian agencies, and that