Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-11
\ PUBLIC DUTY,

The Commercial club of this city has
engaged in an undertaking of gem
eral interest and Importance 1t has
sent out letters asking for up-to-date in
formation about the valleys and coun-
ties Of Utah. we understand that this
letter has been sent to persons deemed
able to supply some of the lnforma
ton asked for 1t says that the or
ganization is seeking TO collect certain
data and that 1t solicits the co-opera-
ton OF the persons addressed In aid
ing ii to set forth the resources Of the
state.
Accompanying the letter Is set of
questions with the request that as
many OF the answers to these questions
as possible be filled out and forwarded
to the Commercial club. Salt Lake city
before March Goth of this year. The
questions are as follows:
valley? Average elevation above sea
level; mountain range; height of peaks;
average width OF valley; miles; length.
niles proportion cultivated; proper
ton barren; area that might he re-
deemed by what methods? Why UNI
cultivated now? Order OF leading crops;
order of leading mining products; or
der of leading farm or range ANIMALS
kind and abundance of available build
ing stone why was the valley ,oC
county, so named? Why were any OF
The towns. streams. mountains, 50
named? What Indian race originally
there Any relies Of their occupancy
still in evidence2 Any historic events
associated with the valley? Time OF first
settlement, etc. anything peculiar ABOUT
the surface and soil? Anything unusual
about the climate? What wild animals
remain? your worst weeds: your worst
insect poets. reasons why homeseek-
ers should come to your valley what
is the approximate area of unreclaimed
dry land in your valley? In your couh-
ty? What proportion of 1t do YOU con-
slider reclaimable for the purpose OF
arid farming? What possible reservoir
facilities have you? What reservoirs al
ready operating What reservoirs III
course Of construction? What noun
tain lakes or natural pleasure resorts
we regard 1t a public duty for every
| citizen so addressed to exert himself
to supply some of the information
! sought 1t is recalled that when
| similar but less comprehensive inquiry
was sent out some years ago, only one
county made a vigorous response II
| employed men at five dollars per day
| TO secure the information, The result
| is said to be that a million dollar en-
terprise was started IN that county as
a direct result of its careful answers 20
the questions Thus the county got
back trine more than the fifty dollars
it had expended through patriotism
Selhshness. laziness. and indifference
to the public good. soon bring their
inevitable penalty to the person or the
community afflicted with such inertia.
Public spirit pays any community. In
| every town there are at least several
| persons who have or can get this in
| formation. 1t is unfair of the citizens
to permit the one or two public spirited
citizens who will furnish 1t to do so
unaided. They should be helped. paid
If necessary and the facts recorded.
Before long much of this informa-
| ton will be no longer available, Those
| who can answer some OF the questions
| are now few in number The matters
of early settlement, Indian relies and
| traditions. and the reasons for the
naming of places must presently be
shrouded in the oblivion OF the past
Twelve only OF the original pioneers
remain. and their advanced years and
failing memories may fix forever an
impossible limitation to our present
| knowledge Of what they found here.
| knowledge of our own country u
| the necessary basis of our own prog
ress in the world OF wealth and of our
best achievements In the realm of
thought. We admire the brief. compre-
hensive. practical, and Interesting pre-
sentotion OF the questions propounded.
we trust that they represent only the
broad and simple beginning, Many ot
the lines they suggest can readily be
much farther developed,
We also express the hope that the
people generally win respond ana that
nh who have information on any Of
these topics viii send it TO the com.
merelal club, whether or not the in
formunt has received one OF the let
tiers NJ inquiry IL Is public duty
tn respond The response viii bring
personal satisfaction 10 the one who
makes IT, and financial aud educational
gain 10 the people of the whole state.