Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-02
Regarded as Certain That the
Former Will Bounteously
Insure the Latter.
FARMERS THUS MADE HAPPY.
Appearances Are That Grauaries viii
Teen, That Meadows aud Ranges
Will be Covered With Grass.

'H PicVlpitatlon Tor the month
Just closed amounted to four
inches. which Is a stand.off with
the second highest record In the his.
tory OF the local government records
the other four.inch record occurring in
March, 1876. The highest March record
continues to be that of 1891, or 4.66
inches, something phenomenal. The
precipitation this year so far. has been
quite heaVy, being nothing less than
"lo incnes as against AIS inches for the
corresponding period Of last year, 3.l9
inches Tor that Of 1902, $50 inches for
me frst three months in 1901, but only
z.Oi Inches for the same months in 1900
In 1893 the record was quite high, 6.75
inches, while for the year before that.
lsyS, II was decidedly light, being only
26' But In 1897 the precipitation was
very,heayy for January. February and
March. being III inches, pretty near
the record for the present year.
WHOLE WEST DRENCHED.
The heavy precipitation for the first
three months of this year il by no
means peculiar to this basin. for II has
extended all over the north and west,
and only the other day Boise chronicled
the heaviest rainfall IN local history,
20 Inches In "A hours. Idaho has been
well drenched, just as has northern
Utah, and the outlook In the we'll wa
tered country Is In the highest degree
encouraging. But up TO within the last
10 days the rainfall south of the 40th
parallel Of latitude had been slim, and
In the far southern part OF the state
the ground was said TO be bone dry In
fact In Sanpete valley, farmers were
obliged to jrrigate to soften the soil so
that they could pillow. Ex-Sherlff Kelly
of Fillmore and others who were up
from the south on business earlier IN
the month reported that people were
leaving and preparing to leave, intend
ing TO locate in Idaho and Alberta, or
were thinking OF going to Mexico. They
were thoroughly disheartened, How
ever since then, the advent of the much
needed rain has alleyiated somewhat
the situation and the immigration ar
dor Is temporarily abated
SNOW IN THE WAsATCH.
Forest Superintendent Marshall, who
was In town yesterday from Kamas
says that there Is more snow In the
Wasatch mountains than he ever knew
before. The roads In the northern part
OF the state have for the time being
lost their bottoms, In not few local.
ties all travel Is abandoned, and horse.
back Is the only way one can get
around. or course the watercourses
are booming, and the ground Of the en-.
tire Great Salt Lake watershed Is so
thoroughly soaked that 1t Is not
taking up any more moisture and the
water is running on 10 the great lake.
Two weeks ago the lake was about the
same height 1t was last year at that
time, but now II Is higher by several
inches, and Is rising much faster than
Il was In the latter part of March, 1893.
Isaac Sears who was out at the lake
shore by the Jeremy salt ponds the
other day, when Il was 80 dark early
IN the afternoon, says that the clouds
came rolling over the surface OF the
lake like great waves, and II seemed
as though a big tidal wave was APP
preaching Mr.. Sears notices a rapid
increase In the volume OF the lake, and
that the water has once more nearly
covered the bottom between Antelope
island and the main land, and which
has been dry land for over two years.
He met q man who drove over from
the island and the latter stated that
nj the rate the lake level was rising, II
would be impossible TO drive be-
tween the island and the main shore In
few days. This gives hopes that
there Will be good bathing at Saltalr
the coming season, as the lake VIII
continue 10 rise for the next two
months, and perhaps longer. Utah lake
Is also rising rapidly, and at present
rate OF increase will be up TO COM
promise point before long,
GOOD CROP OUTLOOK.
All this IL in the way OF ensuring
great crops the coming season over an
Immense area Of country. The sup.
erabundance OF moisture has raised
the water tables under the surface
of the ground TO higher elevation
than usual, no that there viii not be
as much need Of irrigation as has been
customary, and much Utah lake ana
river water that would otherwise he
used, will run into the Great salt LAKE
The dry bench farmers are rejoicing,
for they believe that this year. nj all
events, they will not suffer because
they do not have irrigation water anu
barring unforeseen accidents copious
haryests are made sure TO them In
fact that is the promise for all. Last
year, with four and a quarter Inches
for the initial watering the lands
promised and did pretty well, But TINS
year, with three and a half Inches OF
water In excess Of that, the promise IS
that much the better, The only thing
10 trouble and make afraid IL the Tear /
of possible raids on the crops from
grasshoppers and other pests, and Ius,
to what extent these VIII materlallse
Is yet TO be ascertained. me ranges
are all In fine shape, and the grass VIII
be rich and abundant THIS spring ~
that taking the situation al round
there 10 iust reason for extended hope |