The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-15
WOULD ADD VAST
AREA TO STATE
Annexation OF Arizona Strip TO
Utah Means Changing
of Map.
Mr.. MORRIS HAS NO FEAR
ADDITION WOULD NOT REFUGE
DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY.

The memorial 10 the United states con-
rress asking that tho northwestern cor
neT Of Arizona b. annexed to Utah is now
in the hands Of The committee on federal
relations OF the senate, which will doubt
less report favorably on the memorial,
which viii then be passed BY the sell
ate and transmitted 10 congress. II
passed the house yesterday.
The strip Of land affected is that lying
north Of the Grand Canyon of the Colo
rado. IL contains many HUNDREDS OF
thousands OF acres Of land and has q
population Of less than 30. The tract Is
nearly all grazing land, although along
the Colorado river there Is some timber.
There are two small towns in the STRIP.
which includes portions OF MohaNe ana
COconinO counties in Arizona The towns
are Fredonia and Beaver Dam.
One OF the chief reasons for the pro-
posed annexation is that il j. almost i'm
possible for the residents Of that part
the state because The Grand Canyon OF
the Colorado Is almost impossible al anN
point in Arizona There y an extreme
y hazardous crossing Of the canyon al
Lees Ferry, but at times IL is Impossible
10 ferry the river even at that point 4 o
get to Phoenix. Ariz.. from any point
tn this corner ii Is necessary TO ride OF
drive 30 miles over a mountain range
to Marysvais. Utah. to go thence on the
Eanpete Valley branch Of the Denver q
Rio Granoe To Helper Utah. from tnat
point TO Denver. and thence south ana
west to Phoenix, thus compelling the peo-
pie to 90 through three states 10 get
TO their OWL capital
Is Extremely Awkward.
The county seats OF the counties of
which this territory is a part are across
the canyon and il is even harder to get
TO their own county seats than 10 60 10
Phoenix. The people, therefore IN THIS
strip are practically without state or coun-
" government. although the local gov
eruments OF the two towns are excel
lent The people living IN this strip are
DESTROYS Of becoming annexed TO tan
Their business is practically all done
through Salt Lake. The mail for these
people goes by way Of salt Lake and their
interests are the same as those OF south
Those who live in this strip nearly ali
came from Utah. The livestock on the
grazing lands in this section Is nearly all
mart Of the government forest reserves.
The district was at one time a faVorite
hunting ground for the Mohave Indians,
most OF whom are now hey ond the can
As to Politics.
The memorial to congress for the segre-
cation Ct a portion Of Arizona ana the
addition thereof to the state of Titan
nassed the house Yesterday This matter
has been IN the legislature at every ses-
sion for twelve years. but the consoh-
dalton has never been made.
In the h1use Yesterday Representative
Morris o. Washington county, the author
Of the memorial. was asked by a num-
her Of members with regard TO the sltu-
alton on the southern boundary. One OF
the questions asked was:
VIII the gentleman from Washington
tell US how the change would affect the
political situation down that way?"
The gentlemen from Washington Is
happy to reply said Mr.. Morris. that
there are about thirty votes IN the strip
,,ronose5 ~ hr annexed and that the an
nexation would not reduce the Demo
cratic majority"
There was a broad smile at this sally,
which was tire second pronounced eyi-
dence that lie leader OF the minority
is on the job.
c. ]. Smith of Kane said that he would
ike to have the proposed strip annexed
10 Trtah or to have his county annexed
to Arizona. as the interests Of both dis
tricts are identical. especially in that
which has TO do with livestock