Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-17

a and commerce; the story OF q
country is related by what it
can produce Richfield, the CONNER
cay center of Southern Utah. has Il
w0ndrous tale to relatc--of municipal
advancement and rural productivity
almost unbelievable by people who
have never had occasion to observe
the magic toucl: OF Irrigation, the sal
walton of the great western agricul-
turnl empire
Richneld is situated on the west side
of the sunny Sewer valley on the
branch line Of the Denver G. Rio
point for the middle southern counties
Of Utah and for Arizona north Of the
Grand Canyon OF the Colorado.
Sewer valley Of which Richfcld Is
the trading center is one OF the most
fertile of Utah's far-famcd agricul-
tural districts. 1t comprises about
2eO square miles and is located Just
south OF the center of Utah. 1t begins
Mt the town of Joseph, whore the val
ley Is quite narrow, and extends in
general northenatcrly direction for 40
miles to the town OF Gunnison where
the valley attains It's minimum width
This portion of the greater Sewer val
Icy. having an average width Of five
miles Is bounded on both east and
west by prominent mountain ranges
which rise quite abruptly from the
usually level floor of the valley The
altitude of the valley varies from $500
feet to about 5000 feet, whc the AID
jaeent mountain ranges rise from 1000
to 5000 feet higher
MANY, CANYON STREAMS.
The ranges running parallel with the
valley are cut in many places by can
yons, more or less prominent, through
which enter small streams some of
which are perennial and others inter
mittcnt. The perennial streams are
all on the east side ana in the ag-
grcgatc they furnish sufficient water
to irrigate several thousands acres of
land All the streams on the west
side are dry for tho greater part Of
the year but in times of frcshets they
become veritnblc mountain torrents
capable of filling mammoth reservoirs.
In the larger mountain passes n con-
siderable growth OF pine which fnrn-
ishcs good timber Is found. ON tho
higher mountains the winters snow
fingers during the greater part of the
summer and together with numerous
springs furnishes II limited supply OF
water through tho summer. This con-
slant water supply. entering the val
ley hv way OF small canyons, affords
excellent opportunity for developing
water power.
The mountains and platcaus nd
iaccnt furnish summer ranges for
thousands OF sheen, which during tho
winter are brought into the valleys
and fed with the crops of alfalfa and
grain,
As an educational center Richnold
las no superior south Of Provo. It's
two large school buildiN~s offer solen-
did advantages To tho children of the
citizens to ACQUIRE n good working
knowledge of the branches taught hi
the common schools, while the high
school is second to none In the state.
LARGE SPRING
A large spring Just southwest of
Richt'eld Is one of the chief sources
of Irrigation water thus for cncnun-
tered on the west side Of the valley.
This srring issues from n limestone
crcvicc in the base OF the mountains
and furnishes the water supply whicN
irrgatcs the land around Richnnld.
Thc'vclun,c of watcr Is. S. or 10 second
feet and tho area that Il irricntcs Is
probably not less than 1.n0o acres. II
hns n temperature of 70 d"~rors and
the small Irritation streams from II
r,in throu~'> tho r!tv ~ winter without
freezing. It's salt content is &c parts
nf which' 50 per cent Is hicnrbouatc
Ricbneld has n splendid wafer works