The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-01-14

Feb y. 1873. and also to the efforts by
the board 70 dispose OF the same. The
private sale. but without success. until
early in he year 1862 when negotiations
were entered into with the board Of edU-
cation or salt Lake City, the outcome
being an agreement TO sell the premises
The terms and conditions are these.
The state board of land commissioners
and the board of education Of SAT- Lake
City having executed an agreement IN
accordance Herewith. the price is SIg,.OsJ
of which sum the state allowed 81, $50 as
a credit on account OF improvements ana
repairs which had been made by the
board Of education. The latter paid down
$500. and the remainder of the pur--
chase price, $4,000, is 10 be paid on or
before July !. 1904 without interest, The
board of education. IN addition to The
above, paid the delinquent insurance pre-
MUM on the buildings. amounting 10
about $3.50. and for which the legislature
has made no provision
Upon the payment of 1880. on Feb. 4,
1907 an agreement was executed by the
state board Of land commissioners and
the board of education. ami the premises
were surrendered TO the latter, having
since been occupied by the Salt Lake
City High school The money was de-
posted with the state treasurer 10. the
credit of the University fund. principal,
and applied to tn cancellation of notes
for the amount. given by the board OF
regents OF the university by authority or
the act of Feb, n 1899. While the sale
price is not hiBh. IN the light OF the cost
of the buildings the sale must be deemed
advantageous ana satisfactory the prop
erty not being of salable character, ex-
cept Tor the purpose to which il has been
devoted.
Withdrawal of Lands.
Two years ago / had the honor to di-
rect your attention to the withdrawal by
the secretary of the interior of certain
lands, Ostensibly as a fOrLst reserve, but
in reality for the conserV alton of the
water supply and for the protection OF the
watershed of Salt Lake City The with
flrslVr al 1ch ri n
to township Il south, ana from range
east to range 8 east. The Legislature me-
morlallzed the secretary Of the interior
and requested that the contemplated res
ervatiOn be reduced to the actual require
ments. and not be made so extravagant
as to be ludicrOus when considered In
connection with the purposes to be sub
served The secretary acted promptly
on your request and cut down the bOun-
Diary OF the reserve to reasonable limits
Since then. however, several withdraw
ais, vast in extent, have been made. I'M
til the sO-ealled forest reserves, perma-
nent and in contemplation, embrace
something over 100000 acres of land, and
extend in an almost uubroken line from
the northern boundary of the state, along
the WasEtch range of mountains, to with
in few miles of the southern limits OF
Utah. l cannot think the Withdrawals
are in the interest of the state, nor that
they are desired by the citizens generally
On the contrary, ] believe they will prove
permanently injurious, as they are al
ready temporarily SO
They are certainly exceedingly annoy
ing 10 all save a limited number of peo-
pie. ! assume that all good citizens are
interested in and sincerely DESTROYS Of
conserving and protecting the waters OF
the state, and especially so as to the wa
ter supply for our towns and cities. [
also realize the Importance of protecting
the timber. sparse as 1t is, in our noun
tains. fully understanding how essential
the timber and underground are TO the
preservation of waters until such lime IN
the season as they shall be most needed
that it will prove beneficial in a public
and general sense. to withdraw from en-
try and settlement the vast tracts OF
territory many of which are barren of
timber, and their withdrawal can, in no
sense conserve the water supply.
Furthermore. the rolIcy and course pur-
sued by the government in the control
and management of the alleged forest
reserves have not been such as to encour-
&c the belief that real good will result
rom the removal of these lands from
the operation of the public land laws.
Indeed, the general apprehension is that
great hardship and great evil will result
unless the reserves shall be reduced in
extent to the actual needs, and the con-
troll of the reservations shall be such as
will actually protect the timber and the
water will be pleased to cooperate
with YOU in any properly directed effort
looking TO the averting of what I believe
To be a great wrong which is threatening
the state by reason of these extrayagant
and arbitrary Withdrawals of public land
from their legitimate and proper use by
citizens.
Sinking Artesian Wells.
At the fourth regular session of the leg
islature the sum of $4,000 was appro-
priated and placed at the disposal of the
state board of land commissioners for
experiments in sinking artesian wells
The commissioners have visited and ex-
aminSd various sections of the state with
the view to the wise expenditure of the
money. the object being ITO sink a We'll
at place giving reasonable promise OF
success in the search for artesian water,
and also at a point where the water, IL
found. VIII be valuable for irrigation.
The investigation resulted in the fixing
upon site for an experimental we'll at
q point about five miles southwest of tho
town Of Holden, in Millard county. The
board called TO its assistance in the Sc
lection DR.. James Z. Talma ge, professor
of geology in the University of Utah who
visited the locality, and after an eXamilIa-
ton OF the region as to its geological
formation, advised the board that there
is reasonable hope of success. There is
an extensive area. of excellent land in
that neighbOrhoOd. which can be brought
under cultivation provided artesian water
can be obtained at moderate cost and
upon the outcome of the experiment will
depend the settlement and reclamation OF
a vast tract Of land. The board has en-
tered into contract with an experienced
well b0rer. who has the latest improved
machinery, to drive q well to the depth
Of not less than 100 feet, provided a
sufficient flow shall NOD be obtained at
less depth; and if water in satisfactory
quantity shall not be found at depth
of 1900 feet. greater depth viii be sought
The report of the secretary of the state
board of land commissioners for the years
1901-1902. showing in detail the operations
OF the board for these years, and tie
status OF the several land grants and the
funds arising from them will be pre-
scented for your consideration.
The estimates of the board fer the en-
suing two years, aggregating 3s,S00, are
essential TO the proper conduct Of the
land business Of the state. and should be
provided Tor.