The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-12

Aud DOohlcl ON inc Jlntdh railway, y
= which has just been sent out by =
Major ). X. Hooper, general pas y
Senger agent of the Rio Grande \
system. from which the Cintah =
= road branches of at Mack. The =
booklet Is handsomely illustrated =
and gives an account OF the new =
road and the eastern Utah coun- =
try It IS opening up. The story =
= told is herewith reproduced.
@<<%t%%+*t+**t++%4++t*4&+*
The Uintah railway is a narrow
gauge railroad in western Colorado
and eastern Utah. It extends fifty
four miles northward TO Dragon from
Mack. its southern terminus and june
ton point with the Rio Grande West
ern railroad. Mack is in the broad,
fertile valley OF the Grand river, TWEEN
~ miles westward from Grand June
ton, Colo, and, while a small commu-
nifty. is yet destined to grow to consid-
cradle Importance as. a railroad town,
surrounded, as it is. by land unexcelled
in fertility when brought under irri-
cation
Nowhere iii the United States has
there been q more astonishing result in
Wv - A61A2NAi VI an ANllQH hlAA hisFit
conversion into beautiful farms than
during tho past ten years in this valley
OF the Grand river From Fruita, sew
on miles east OF Mack, TO Palisade,
twenty-five miles further east, there is
an uninterrupted series of prosperous
farms growing all the varieties of fruits
and vegetables for which the irrigated
Colorado lands of comparatively low
elevation are noted. Colorado melons
have Won Il well-deserved reputation at
home and abroad; those of the Grand
valley are equal 10 the best The Del
aware peach is surpassed by the peach
OF the Grand valley. The apples are
famous for their variety and rare quail
ties. Numerous other fruits are equal
~ successfully grown, as is, Of course,
the beautiful western clover, the alfalfa
or lucern.
Large Irrigation Project.
The Grand river is one of the largest
streams in western Colorado, carrying
an enormous volume OF water. An i'm
mense irrigating ditch or canal, known
as the High line, TO be constructed by
the United States government, is de-
signed to traverse the country imme-
diately north of and to the westward
or Mack. bringing all of the ne,ghbOr-
ing valleys and mesas under irrigation.
\ smaller irrigating ditch already in
tersects the valley at Mack. Homeseek-
ers may well give consideration to this
area as one possessing many adYan-
tages.
Through land such as has been de-
Scribed, the Uintah railway passes for
distance Of twelve miles, at which
point il enters a canyon in the foot
hills of the Book Cliffs. and for sixteen
miles on a steadily ascending grade it
passes through scenery that is strik-
found, broken only by the operations
of the coal mines at the station Car
bonera, eighteen miles from Mack.
At Atchee, twenty-elght miles out,
are the shops and round houses of the
railway. at the base of the main range
of the Book Cliffs. Here the trains be-
Sin their heavy climb toward the sum-
nit. with one mile of per cent grade,
and thence on an uninterrupted grade
OF rs per cent, five miles further to the
summit. Two thousand feet of eleva-
ton is attained in these six miles, by
an engineering accomplishment that is
unique in railroad enterprise and won
derfully beautiful in the natural char
acteristics Of the country.
Where Mountains Join Sister States.
The Book Cliffs is a precipitous range
extending upwards of two hundred
miles in an east and west course from
the mountains OF Colorado TO the Wa
satch and Uintah ranges of Utah. cross
ing the broad valleys of the Grand
and Green rivers like a majestic ram
part, and providing an unObstructed
view on either side for hundreds OF
miles.
There are no other nearby mountains
10 shut of the view. as on other noun
tain railroads. Rising steadily up the
face OF this great range, there Is never
a moment when the eye of the passen-
ger may not rest with perfect delight
and wondermcnt upon a gorgeous pam
Drama OF slopes below, of valleys and
deserts beyond, and of snOW-clad
mountain ranges in the far-Off horizon.
To the eastward, the great continental
divide and the Grand Mesa, 10 the
southeast the precipitous San Juan
mountains OF Colorado, $50 miles away;
10 the south. the Sierra La Sal in south
ern Utah, les miles distant, rising in
indescribable grandeur on the hither
side OF the valleys that lead to the
Valley of Evacuation Creek.
These views from the train windows
are best appreciated when the summit
Is reached at Baxter Pass. Here, SIM
ultaneOusly, another panorama is an
folded on the north, as from the mar
row summit the traveller sees the valley
Of Evacuation creek stretching out 10
the Grand canyon of White river, aud,
over the old UnCompahgro reservation
To Raven ridge and Blue mountain on
the north, eighty miles away, TO Rab-
bit mountain and the White river plat
eau, many miles further distant in the
northeast in Colorado over the Tin
tab reservation and beyond 10 the Tin
tab mountains i'm tho northwest, $50
miles. the breeZcs flinging through tho
mines = pa B.a oh h1
SUBMITS, the blue vault above the eter-
nal peace in all the atmosphere.
Everywhere there is gandeur, accen-
tuated lights and shadows. marvellous
combinations of color II is sOUl-stiT-
ring poetic, stimulating, satisfying and
n never-endin6 appeal 10 the artistic
sense.
Game in Abundance.
Along the crest OF this remarkable
range. among its beautiful trees. bv its
springs of purest water, are rarest OPP
portunities for those wh9 would have
recreation either in bungalow, cabin or
tent; To escape the heat of summer, 10
be lotus eating in a land of natural TO-
nance or, from such "a rendezvous. 10 !
make tours 10 remoter Businesses i'm |
search OF largest game. Game there is I
FOR those that seek it-bear, mountain /
lion bobcats, gray wolves ana the /
black-tail deer. the latter. Of course !
coming within the workings of the /
game laws. Old Indian trails, deep /
furrowed. lead along the ridges. and /
wagon roads in excellent condition. !
though. like Topsy. they have simply /
"growed.' From these, new panOramas /
unfold in Kaleidoscope succession.
cIoudless Days and starlit Nights. /
Who has not heard Of the wonderful |