The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-06
PIONEER RAILROAD
BUILDER IS DEAD
J. Fews0n Smith. Sr.. Passes
Away as Result of Loco
motor AtaXia.
IDENTIFIED FOR YEARS
WITH WESTERN INTERESTS
Widely Known in Engineering
Circles for Nearly Half
a Century.

J. Fewson Smith, Sr,. who for years
was one of the most prominent civil
and mining engineers iu the state OF
Utah, died from the effects of locomo-
! tor ataxia at his home, 6l0 Third ave
nue., in this city, on Wednesday even
ing.
The deceased was one OF the pioneers
of the state in the building of rail
roads, and was prominently connected
with the location of tho principal min
ing camps of Utah and Nevada. being
considered an authority on the mineral
deposits of these states and the general
questions that pertain to the engineer.
ing profession. For a number of years
before his death he had been a member
of tho we'll known firm OF engineers
under the firm name of Smith &
Doremns.
Mr.. Smith was born at Preston. Eng
land, on Jaruary l, 1884, and received
his education in the engineering pro
fession at Preston college. In May,
1868, he was married 10 Miss Vernon,
eldest daughter of Joseph Vernon, and
with his wife left Preston on May 4
and arrived in Salt Lake. City ou Octo
Der 4, 1863. having made the Journey
across the plains by OK teams aud sUf-
fered the usual discomforts of such
trips. The first permanent home of the
family was located between Second aud
Third avenue on | street, and later
Mr.. Smith built his residence at 610
Third avenue.
Immediately following his arrival in
the city he began active practice of
his profession. beginning as the as
sistaut engineer on the location and
construction Of the Union Pacific rail
r-bI of &baf hojpfr h,1ilt
through Echo canyon During his con-
nection with this company he made
favorable report on the project of
crossing Great Salt Lake instead of go
ing around II, but due to the additional
cost of the construction across the lake
the company decided to build around by
way of the Promontory. At the pres
ent time a similar panshas been put into
forco by the building of the Lucin
cutoff.
Work in Mexico.
After The completion OF the Union
Pacific railroad. with which company
he was associated until 1863. his work
was with the railroads of the inter
mountain country, and he had served
during that time all Of the great rail
roads now operating. HIS latest work
was with railroads building IN Mexico.
which for many years took him 10 the
southern republic. In the location and
construction of the Utah Central be-
tween Salt Lake City and Ogden. known
at present as the Oregon Short Line.
he was actively connected. In 1872 he
located the narrow gauge railroad which
ran into American Fork canyon, aud
during the following year he began the
construction Of the road into Bingham
canyon. at that time narrow gauge
railroad, for the purpose of carrying
the ores of the camp 20 the smelters.
Mr. Smith was chief engineer and one
of the principal promoters of the Pleas
ant Valley railroad during the year Of
1875, which later on was absorbed by
the Rio Grande Western and has be-
come an important factor in developing
the coal folds of Pleasant valley, He
was also connected with tue Salt Lake
& Eastern railroad through Farley IS
canyon and its branch through Fort
Douglas into Red Butte canyon; also
with the Ketchum branch of the Oregon
Short Line, and with the original Utah
& Western to Stockton, which has DOW
become part of the San Pedro line,
and with many others.
Mr.. Smith conducted extensive ex-
plorations across the deserts Of Nevada
Continued on Page Ten,