Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-05-04
Governor Cutler Spends Three
Days on the Strawberry In
speoting irrigation Plant.
MORE MONEY BADLY NEEDED
After This summer 100000 Per Year
Could BE Used To Advantage in
Carrying on Construction.

w hNli IL fSlhtIiN iNb'7' Nfl's WV
knows tn. western country more init
mately than any previous chief execu-
tive. meets the governors of all the
American states in his Washington
conference this month Gov. cutler OF
Utah Will be prepared to stand any
amount Of cross-examiantion on i'm
portant government work now in prog
ress in the Uintah mountains.
The governor returned to salt Lake
last night, after an arduous trip to
Strawberry valley In which three days
We're spent examining into details of
the vast construction work going on
at the head Of Sixth water, branch
Of Diamond fork of the Spanish Fork
canyon
The governors party consisted OF
himself, Elias A, Smith of the state
hoard of corrections and Isaac Russell.
They left the ruilroad at Government
Switch, four miles this side Of Thistle
Friday morning and We're there met 10y
J. L. Leytel I'm charge of the govern
ment operations.
WALKED OVER SNOW BANKS.
A four-horse team and mountain
wagon were utilized to make the 25-mtle
drive To the tunnel mouth on this side
OF the western Strawberry ridges. Deep
snow prevented the team from going
the entire way to the summit. and this
portion Of the trip was completed on
foot the party often walking over snow
banks several feet deep. From the
ridge top the Strawberry valley was
inspected through glasses. while Mr..
Leytel pointed out the places where an
gt,,t, m will bta
structed to make the valley more
complete reservoir, and where the
dredging of a channel into the new
tunnel will be undertaken, the plan
being to stop up Strawberry river where
It now cuts its way through the noun
tains to ultimately empty into the
Colorado. and by a l9,OOO-foot tunnel
through the westward watershed, emp
~ II into the waterways feeding Utah
lake.
Friday evening the party slept mt the
government camp on this side OF the
ridge. where the tunnel is being run IN
to the mountain With lighted candles
they penetrated the tunnel 1900 yards
TO its head and found 1t TO be perfect
~ constructed and timbered with ar
electric trolly system being Installed
to remove the debris from blasting
Az day Saturday was spent in fol-
lowing the proposed water channel
down through Sixth water guich 20
Diamond Fork. and through this into
Spanish Fork canyon where the gov
eminent employees are now at work.
PROGRESS ON WORK.
Actual progress on the tunnel itself
has stopped since October last, while
the appropriation IS being spent in
tnuneling for power project in Spar
ish Fork canyon. This project VIII
- n
present plans, when the hammcring
OF drills in the big tunnel will again
be commenced, The power plant ma
chinery Is now lying nj Government
Switch in we'll constructed sheds, Whi'e
State Senator Henry Gardner is llsy
with a force of Utah county residents
building a power line from the mouth
of the canyon 10 the big tunnel %
miles farther eastward. over this
line electric current will be carried to
operate the entire tunneling plant.
Compressed air drills and electric
wiring are already in place. a gasoline
rlant having been installed but clos ID
down on account of the fact chat
freighting gasoline TO the top of the
| mountain proved too expensive
PROPOSED POWER PLANT.
The power plant now being built is
| from water taken from what will bc
known ms the high line" canal. Quilt
Ia distribute water over the southern
| Utah county benches II is situated
| en- spot where II Is proposed 10 drop
water in considerable volume 20 n
! lower canal and viii be a permanent
mart of the project, the government
| FLAMING TO pay tho cost Of tunnel
| maintenance through the sale Of pow
err from this plant
When this construction Is finished
| IN October the force of workmeu WI
again go up the mountain to tho Zig
| tunnel and continue at work MI Il is
| completed. the estimated rapidly Of
| progress being 90 feet per day " Two
"hifts. Is completion into the Straw
| berry valley being followed by the
| digging of long cut and the ereHtion
| II a dam IN the river No work. ~
| yet under way over the divide, Dut IL
| IL thought that this work viii lie
commenced as soon as the retreaHag
| SHOWS VIII permit
| rarity took up the inspection Of tho
! canal work leading out ~ span, sh
! Fork canyon. Two tunnels we've
found partly completed upon
| which forces Of men were
LAYING concrete lining, even
! including an Hrched cement TOP,
| th!p being inside OF n carefully con-
strucled timber lining, A cement bot
tom and sides line the canal al every
point To make n FREQ running stream
and prevent Seepage, In places where
a steep cut was made instead ~ tun
nelmg a concrete tunnel is being con-
structed "a prevent rock slides filling
IN tho stream. Rock taken out IN the
| biasting Is returned after being ground
into pebbles and sand as u portion Of
| tho cement mixture 10 be replaced In
| the tunnel as a waterproof lining,
After passing over the canal rouia,
| and looking through the store houses
I'm which the government IN assembling
| its material for the vast amount Of
work stu ahead, the party returned
Ia Salt Lake yesterday evening.
GOVERNMENT PAYROLL
From Manager Leytel Is was learned
| that the government has q monthly
pay roll az from 5000 Ia $4,000. am
of which goes into the hands ~ the
Utah county residents except what Is
spent for material, II being the policy
| 10 valley residents whose land lis 60
be affected by the water power 10 BE-
proposed 10 procure
lritgatlng water rs now available on
tho area which win come under Tho
project up 10 40 second feet. Nheh
the tunnel Is completed, water viii he
available np lo 1850 second feet Anuy
people who have kept dry bonch land
f0r "a years Or more az value ui $50
or So per acre arc disposed to sell