The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-20

dams, who hunted game and occasionally
ran aniuck, TO the sorrow OF the Isolated
ranclImen. From civilization there was
stretch OF desert where the cactus and
sageorush played hide and seek with the
horned toad and the scurrying lizard
Then for an additional forty miles the
government agents found !; necessary
TO blast a road cut of the solid rock OF
the canyon side.
The waters OF Salt river have broken
through the mountain from the watershed
beyond and the marrow cut which was
made is the point selected for the erection
OF the great dam. The base OF this dam
covers an acre Of ground, it is 2S4 feet
from the base to the paranet. On top
II is 1850 feet in length. a twenty story
building beside 1t would yet be in the
shadow. The material that goes into the
body OF so monstrous n structure would
suffice for the building OF 4 city To
erect such a structure in a region beyond
the reach OF ordinary transportation and
IN which there is ordinary body of
labor upon which TO draw is a monu
mental task.
The engineers who have accomplished
the task. headed by Louis G. Hill who
began life in Detroit. were called upon
Tor unlimited resourcefuIness. In the
hrst place there was need OF a great
amount OF power in the big TASK. The
engineers constructed a small dam nine
teen miles up the canon, diverted a
stream OF water and brought it on a
higher level TO fhe dam site. This water
was dropped 200 feet, operated ii great
dynamo which generated 4C00 horsepower
in electricity, which was used in various
ways.
Purchase price and transportation
charges were great that cement
mill was established in which 200. 900
barrels of The best OF cement have been
made and gone Into the body OF the dam
Sawmlls were set up in the national
forests thirty miles away and the timbers
needed were cut from Uncle Sans own
tree lot. Two farms were laid out and
thr hui Il a Co..
the supplying Of their tables and feed
for their stock, In the valley just above
the dam q town Of 1000 people sprang
up and lourished during the six years OF
the building of the dam This was the
town OF Roosevelt, doomed to destruction
before II was built, for il was known
that the waters impounded by the reser-
voir would crgulf ii when the work was
done.
Town That Moved,
Some months ago the people of Roose-
welt were asked 10 move out OF the val
ley. as the greeat 6OO0e-pound gates Of
the spillways of tho dam werc to be
dropped and the filling up was TO begin.
Most OF the residents moved to the mesa.
above Bag and baggage; the town OF
Roosevelt tTansDlanted Itself TO the
higher level. The postmaster. however,
refused to move until he had orders to
do SO from headquarters in Washington,
Then. finally there was a freshet on the
tumbllng down the canyon. These foods
crept about the house Of the stubborn
postmaster and suddenly in the dead Of
night rose rapidly, Cries for help came
from the direction of the submerged
town and some one put out in boat TO
ascertain the trouble. The postmaster OF
Roosevelt was found in the second story
OF his house with his mail bags while the
water Tapped about the window sashe3,
He then consented to move TO higher
ground with the balance OF his towns
people.
The labor question was partly solved
In a novel way. The basin which is be-
ing filed by the stored waters has for
centuries been the tramping grounds OF
the Apache Indians. that tribe which.
led by old Geronimo. was the most re-
cent 10 so Oh the warpath. In the high
mountains Just above the reservoir there
is n cave full of bones that bears silent
evidence OF one of the most sanguinary
conflicts that has marked the passing of
the red man Here band OF warriors
took refuge when pursued too closely by
Uncle Sans cavalry. There was but one
entrance 10 the shallow cave. and this
was crnwling down a Crevice in cliff
side. Through this the Indians entered.
and through Il the soldiers would have
been able to follow with difficulty and
but one at a time. ii was a modern
| Thermopylae, and the defiance of the