The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-20
j. P. Miller of Grand County
Tells What Good Roads
viii Do.
REACH VIRGIN REGION
OF INFINITE RESOURCES
Vast Oil Field and Farm Sites
for Thousands Are Await
ing Development.

| J. r. Miller OF Moab, representative Of
| Grand county I'm the last Legislature, is
| In the city en- route To the annual con-
vention of the ntermountan states Good
Roads association, which viii he held in
Pocatello, Ida. Wednesday, Thursday and
! Friday OF this week.
I'VE are said Mr.. Miller greatly in
| terested Ia these meetings. which are in
tended TO further the movement for the
betterment OF the public highways that
by reason OF physical conditions must oi
necessity be traversed by those engaged
in the development OF our region.
In going from one valley or settlement
10 another We encounter sand and all
but impossible rocks over and along the
elevations.
by reason Of the energetic work .ac-
complshed through the personal effort of
public spirited individuals, there has
been demonstrate ted the public benefits 10
be attained through the betterment OF
highways. The state has recognized this
and all OF US did the best We could TO
encourage the making Of good roads In
the last legislature.
What Bridge Will Do.
LAS the representative OF Grand county
exercised a humble part in the work
OF getting from the state an appropria;; :;
ton OF s35. 900 TO build a substantial and
modern bridge across she Grand river at
Moab. This bridge VIII complete the one
safe and feasible highway to the San Juan
oil fields, But IL will do more than this,
for this highway Will prove the open
sesame to the largest undeveloped region
in Utah now suitable for fruit raising,
agricultural and stock raising purposes.
Note this-ln speaking OF county
the general imprcssio Is conveyed that
It's boundaries are geographically closely
circumscribed. But the area of San Juan
and Grand counties In southeastern Utah
is greater in extent than several OF the
credible TO the man who has never been
beyond the confines of his eastern homo.
but 1t Is true nevertheless. From Thomp-
sons springs on the Denver & Rio Grande
railroad passing through Moab. thirty
hve miles south. in order TO reach the
oil fields of San Juan river. one travels
li5 miles across country. And then you
are not even near the southwest boundary
OF San Juan county.
Beginning to Use Autos.
I'm making the trip from Green river.
twenty-five miles west OF Thompson's
sprinss-where The rich parsIine oil has
recently been found-the same quality OF
oil that has been brought TO the surface
by Judge a. G. Ellis and others In San
Juap-an automobile service is now be-
ing used. Autos are also being used
from Thompsons to Moab"
Can YOU overcome the resistance of
sandy roads and the other obstacles with
automobiles or any gasoline power"
Il think So and our object in attend
ing the good roads convention Is to get
the best information regarding the run
ming OF autos along the lines of least re-
sistance."
Questioned regarding the prospects for
a fruit crop in Grand county. Mr.. Miller
said:
I'VE could have used smudges. we could
have averted failure, but situated as we
are. thirtyfive miles from the railroad
at the nearest point, the coal that we
would have had 10 use would have cost
us not less than $40 per ton. You can
see thai smudge as frost preventative
was about out OF the question. The re-
suit is that fruit in Grand county this
year is In a great measure a failure.
Farmers and stock .raisers in our section
nave this year most propitlous pros
pect."