Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-12-14

Tooele county lies 90 miles
southwest Of salt Lake city ut
n point that has an altitude W
| 1909 feet Tho valley in which this triN-
ing little city rs located Is the fertile
fringe along the cast OF vast cN-
panse OF desert land and waste
The population OF Tooelc is l2oo
consisting mostly OF sturdy farmers
OF English descent and miners.
Tho city's history IS as interesting az
It's lifc now is active and prosperous.
I'm 1851 after suggestions had been
mace by Brigham Young Francis \.
roeeo, and Judsou Tolcmau. came py
OK team to roocle valley Mr. rolc-
man brought bis family hut Mr. Los
rey was az the time unmarried. Two
years later the following party arrived
Mr.. and Mrs john Gillespie. Alir'a
Lee Thomas Lee. samuel Lee ana
Joseph Lee. From that tune on many
more came. Ina fact so many arrive"
that i'm 1858 the city was Incorporated,
with Bishop John Rowberry as mayor
and the whole site was surveyed by
John GiWspic and others The nrst hoy
born in the city was very likely Judsou
rolcman. Jr.. while the first giri was
Sarah Lee.
FIRST MERCHANTS.
Bishop John Rowbcrry and Thomas
Mckenzie put up small store and
John England began to make shoes. the
first pair being for Orson Hyde,
just prior Go his going TO Palestine.
II was time of hardship ana almost
famine Joseph Vernon n Rush val
ley and others in Middle canyon were
killed by the Indians who not only
endangered the lives Of the whites to
such an extent that the people con-
structed mud wall ~ feet high as
a protection. but they also drove on
the cattle OF the settler The wall
was built in 1855 after two years ol
hard work by squuos of 10 OF 20 men,
Peer Gillispie being superintendent.
And then famine came the grasshop-
pers having been so thick In 1850 that
they clouded the MONDAY sun Mil
lions Of locusts came In swarms eating
every particle OF green before them.
The Indians of course. gathered the
meal between rocks and cooked them,
eating them aftcrward with a relish
and "a resulting fairness altogether in
consistent with the times. from 1893
10 1856 John Gillispie says he lived on
pig weed ana others, of course sur
yiVcd on the same diet
AT that time the people gathered
their hay from point T. miles north
of Tooele. where meadows and sWamps
were numerous Cattails were plentiful
iu the swamps and tine settlers gather
eC them for beds. The Indian name
for "cat tall is Tooelc, SO the city
can now be said 10 have been named
after its first feather beds-the cat
tails. taken from the rpshes in the
swamps.
Times have changed now, however:
and Tooele valley is one Of pie
turC squeness and fertility. The noun
tains form "A horseshoe with the points
toward Great salt Lake; I'm the bond al
the south lies TOoele ON streams that
come from Middle and Settlement can
yons.
AGRICULTURE AND MINING,
Agriculture and mining are the city's
chief occupations. Throughout the wall
ley dry farming is carried on extensive
ly there having been produced there
last year 10000 bushels of wheat, the
land upon which this was raised sell
ing now from $40 10 $50 per acre.
Alfalfa may be considered a lead
ing product also, and most of II hnds
ready market In Salt Lake and othcr
cities.
The soil along the eastern bench IS
a gravely loan. IN the valley sandy
loan and near Grantsvllle of a cay
formation. This variety will undoubt-
edly be Of great value when It's posi-
bllities are fully realized. Some trui-
Is raised now in Tooele. which Is a
pretty city with shade trees and run
ming water on its streets; but as yet
this industry is kept without the town
limits.
Tooele has an excellent waterworks
system owned by "a private corporation
of which A. r. Doremus Is president.
The electric lights of the city were
installed by the Clark Electric Power
company. which also supplies light and
power to Grantsville and Ophir
NEW RESIDENCES.
During the past year many fine new
residences have gone up in the city,
j, A. Lundbery. John Marsten. George
J.. England and Benjamin Stewart be-
ing among the owners. Nowles a.
Evans have put up fine new butcher
shop and office building, which the
Tooele Meat and Storage company
have erected a big cement block es-
adjustment
The present city administration has
been active In promoting the city's well
fare. and Il Is an evidence or the peO-
pies appreciation that they reelected
its mayor Alvin A. Walters.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The public school system under the
guidance OF w. S. Marks, John Tate
and Peter NJ. Clegg IS especially fine. |
The main school building Is a beauti- |
ful structure that would be a credit |
20 any city. The school population Is |
about 700 and the teachers receive |
salaries ranging from $40 20 $95. Alfred |
NJ Nelson IN principal
or the churches there are two. tho |
leading church building H. d. 50, |
having been constructed in 1869 H. S.
Gowans. the president OF the stake,
and the bishop Silas &. owen are both
energetic citizens. Rev Cook is the /
pastor OF the Methodist church.
Toocle h. called the coming amclter /
city" for the reason that already land
and water have been purchased there \
ready FOR another such "a shelter as
the one an Garfield. People are al-
ready gathering an T0oele and many |
moro new homes Will soon be afnrted L