Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-09-20
JENSEN.
TOUR OF UINTAH STAKE.
Andrew Jenscn-D Describes Scenery and
Conditions in Eastern Itah.

Special Correspondence.
Jensen, Uintah CO.. Sept IL have
lust finished a tour Of the Ulutah stake
Of Zion, in the interest OF Church his.
tory, and have noted with pleasure the
progress made in this yeritable oasis
IN the desert since a former visit hero
fourteen years ago Nerual. which was
then small cluster OF houses. has
grown 10 a respectable business center
with bank. fine mercantile houses mod
crn school buildings. a beautiful taber-
hacle nearing completion and some
paved streets. IN the Umtah valley.
Of which Vernal Is the center. there
are now about 1000 people. Of Whicn
the saj0rity are Latter-day Saints.
The Uintah stake consists AZ seven
wards, namely Vernal. Maescr former-
ly Mills, Mountain Dell (also called
Dry Creek), Glines. Naples formerly
called Meriills). Jensen Tan outgroVth
Of Riyerdale. now defuncD. and Du-
chesne. The last named was organized
as ward last Sunday. and embraces
the Saints who have recently settled on
the Uintah Indian reservation, and COW
ers probably as much country as an
the rest Of the Ulntah stake put togeth-
err II Is only a question Of a short
time when the new ward viii be d.
vided into several wards, and a new
stake OF Zion constitute what was
formerly the great Uintah reservation.
In order to reach the Uintsh stake
headquarters. which are only about IL
miles In straight line southeast OF
Salt Lake City. the visitor must now
travel By circultous route about 400
miles 81 miles Of which is by stage OW-
ing 10 a difference in train connections
al Mack. Il takes about IS hours To
get TO Vernal from Salt Lake city. but
only 20 hours tor two days and a night
TO get back. But the accommodations
for the travelling public are very good
all along the line.
The new Uintah railway. running from
Mack. on the r. G. ". railway in Col
orado. 10 Dragon. In Uintah county,
Utah, is marvel Of engineering and
construction. The road is "a miles long
and crosses the main range OF the Book
GIN, AZ the Baxter pass. which has an
elevation Of nearly 5000 feet above sea-
level. A. AtChee. a station 2S miles out
from Mack. the trains begin their
climb toward the summit " the noun
TAIN with one mile Of per cent grade
and thence on an uninterrupted grade
OF * per cent. fye miles 10 the top.
Two thousand feet OF elevation Is at
tanned In these six miles by an enei-
neerng accomplishment that Is unique
in railroad enterprise. rising steadily
up the face Of the great mountain,
There Is scarcely a moment when the
eye OF the passenger may not resi- with
perfect delight and wOndcrment upon a
gorgeous panorama OF slopes below ANA
OF valleys and deserts beyond. When
the Baxter pass is reached another
panorama Is unfoldcd on the north, as
from the narrow summit the traveller
sees the valley OF Evacuation creek
stretching our 90 the Grand Canyon or
White river and over the old Unc0m-
pahgre reservation 20 Raven ridge and
Blue mountains on the north, also TO
Rabbit mountain and The White River
plateau on the northeast Ia Colorado,
and over the Uiutah reservation 20 the
I-infah mountains in the northwest, 10
miles away. The northern descent from
Baxter pass Is not quite 50 steep M
grade az the southern slope, here the
RAILWAY winds through alternating
groves and parks 10 McAndrew s lake,
an artificial storage reservoir, thence
down % Dragon. the forwarding point
for passengers. freight, express ana
mall To Vernal Font Duchcsne and 9TH
en- POINTS in Utah snd Colorado. The
Stage leaves Dragon az o'clock eN-
cry morning. After crossing A sue
cession of hills. White river - miles
from Dragon. n reached. Here the
scenery 10 grand beyond description.
Here" (st place called Nalhalal
saws am enthusiasts writer "the gods
have PLAYED sport with mountain sides
and iops. and ln the echoe' throw 0ut
again deep chuckles OF mirth.
Vast amphitheaters. obel mp.es,
towering pinnacles. an o. .onfusion
worse COMPOUNDED
The distance from White river bridge
TO Green river ferry Is 30 miles. On that
Journey the traveller passes through
bad lands which reach their zenith
OF barreuncss and desolation IN the 50.
called Dead Mans bench. also called
the Devils Playground where scarce
Is spire Of vegetation OF any KIND
grows From the new ferry on Green
river AZ Alhandra. the distance 10 YER
nal IL only IL miles.
The Tlntah Railway company owns
the stage line. the telephone line. me
wagon road. the hotels along the line,
etc. and certainly deserves credit for
having built a frst-class road and pro-
vIded everything possible along its lines
FOR the convenience and comfort OF
the travelling public ..-..-,.