The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-05-09

Fertile soil fourte
fruit lands thereabout are in demand.
! I was shown young peach trees in
blossom that were only planted eleven
months ago.
In the near future, as the result Of
Mr.. Candland's visit, 109, 600 acres OF
this land Will be withdrawn from entry
and shortly after will be offered to tine
public under the provisions Of the
I Carey act, including ample water
/ rights, at a reasonable price to be set
by the state.
| I have described in a general way the
geological features of the San Rafael
Swell and the benefcent influence its
river is destined to have on the agTi-
cultural development of the state, but
those are not the features that I went
there to see.
Recesses of the Mountains.
For years 1 have heard stories of its
rocky Businesses and of the strange
forms taken by the cliffs that hem it
I in on every side. The tales were dim
and shadowy-sOme of them incredible
for very few had penetrated its re-
cesses. No doubt there are many can
yons and gorges within its boundaries
/ that have never been explored by white
! men. ana ENl1tHGCS VI AlLNAcAA tNAAla-
/ ton are strangely absent. There seem
/ to be no cliff dwellings, nor hieroglyphic
writings. although it is the kind Of
country III which such things are usual
/ ~ found
The first wagon wheel tracks were
made on the 18th of last January, and
the men who took the outfit in are
swearing about it vet. What the horses
/ said has escaped. Three men were COM
/ PEELED to ride outriggers; yet the wagon
relied upside down. Some Improvements
have since been made on the road.
I There are tales of murder and out
/ - ge galore. No safer retreat could be
/ ina giued than these dark goTges, many
of which contain good springs and
/ caves. while deer are within easy reach
of the hunts
Mexican Who Went to Death.
Mexican Bend is so named secause :
/ Mexican dared to folle~v some thieves
who had stolen his cat1ie down in Old
/ Mexico. and although they disposed Of
a number of them at the settlements
/ on their way up. they still had a gOOdly
+, bunch when they reached San Rafael
/ The pursuer told a rancher in the outer
valley that he was on their trail and
would get them yet.
You won't get them fellows up in
the Swell" said the rancher. They
! will have every advantage of you in
\ the world. This is just the place for
you to turn back and not foller them
any further"
i've tracked EN- all the way from
Old Mexico was the reply. "and I'll
fOller 'em 10 h-ll before l turn back
That was the last Of the Mexican. He
was murdered at the bend in the river,
hut NOT br7r-ia1 until some wears
later by other parties.
Within half a mile of the bend is the
mouth of Walker canyon. 50 named be
cause it was there that an outlaw
named Walker shot Sheriff futile
few years ago. There is a delicious
spring close to the entrance Of the can
yon. near which Walker hid, with his
horse concealed among the rocks behind
him. The sheriff was killed at the first
shot. and Walker fed northward TO the
Book mountains. where he and three
companions were killed by a posse in
pursuit.
And so it goes on. The history Of the
iplsce is written in blood, with the
names of Butch Cassidy and other des-
peradoes in respectable sized letters.
Trail Full of Peril.
There is but one way into the san
Rafael Swell from the eastern side, and
that is by way Of Black Dragon can
yon. As to going up san Rafael can
yon, that is considered quite an achieve
ment on foot or horseback at the lowest
stage OF the stream. II involves leap
ing your horse from rocky lodges into
deep water. and many a quick pit-a-pat
over quicksands down in the dark boxes
Of the canyon. The trip is said 10 con-
tain more thrills to the mile than any
other trail in the universe.
At flOOd-time it is impossible. But
Black Dragon canyon is superb. It
carries no stream, and for distances its
gravelly bottom is as pleasant to travel
upon as the single on the ocean beach.
Its magnificent and unbroken walls,
nearly 1000 feet in height, bulge over
the pathway, sometimes with an over
hang of a hundred feet Ferns and
clinging vines hang from the crevices-
it is cool and shadOwy in the depths
every football echoes with a spacious
sound For a mile or more. you wind
through this Granny in the mountain
and then emerge to the interior of the
Swell, your course now surrounded by
towers and columns Of Triassic rocks.
They rise in massive cliffs, in spires
and minarets, in jagged sky-piercing
teeth. in domes and coTnices. They are
of a rich orange and brown. and har-
monte splendidiy with the Indian red
and maroon Of the Permian series on
which they rest In its own unique
way, Black Dragon canyon is as fine as
any scenic feature in the state.
In the Businesses.
Once within the ramparts, the trav-
elers usual aim is to again reach the
friver, for the water question must never