The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-26
ROADS LOOKING
TO ST. GEORGE
Utah & Grand Canyon and Salt
Lake Route Appear to
Be in Race.
THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR
SOUTHWESTERN UTAH
That the Country Is to Have
a Railroad Now Seems
Assured.

Utah G. Grand Canyon Railroad COM
pany; San Pedro. Los Angeles & salt
Lake railroad. st. George, L tab. Which
Will reach the objective point first?
From present indications, the Salt
Lake Route is going after the develop
mcnt OF southwestern Utah in earnest.
According to information received In this
city Tuesday, contracts have been let 10
the Utah Construction company for the
grading of a branch line OF the salt Lake
Route from Moapa 10 ST. Thomas dlS-
tance of twenJy-six miles. The grading
work is TO commence at once, ACCORDING
10 the information, and the track -layinS
Will be pushed as fast as possible, Fol-
lowing the completion OF this branch IL
Is said that the plans arc to build lire
up the Virgin river to ST. George at the
earliest possible date.
Color To at least part OF the story
is lent from the fact that some time ago
General Manager Wells Of the Salt Lake
Route announced that the road had de-
cidcd to build a branch line down the
twelve miles: the Utah Construction COM
pany was one of the biggest contractors
on The building Of the new high line q!
tho salt Lake Route through the Meadow
Valley wash, which work is now practi-
callv completed.
The information received in this city
yesterday was thai the construction COM
pany had already secured enough hay
to feed 2Oo teams until the new crop
came In and that within few days
would put q large force Of men and teams
10 work on the grading of the new branch
line.
Information Scarce.
While none OF the local officers of the
Salt Lake Route is ready TO give out amy
definite Information. IL is said that the
contract has been closed with The con-
struction company for the grading OF the
line TO st. Thomas and that the work
Is to be completed within six months
This part of the work will not be nearly
so heavy as some that the Utah Con
structiou company has handled in The
past and 1t Is believed !hat less than
three months Will be required To complete
81 Thomas will open up rich country.
There are rich gypsum beds within six
miles OF Moapa. TO say nothing Of yalu
able truck garden land that only awaits
rail-oad transportation to get the goods
10 market. Further south in the valley
there are rich mineral deposits and n !
short distance north OF st. Thomas there |
IS mountain OF salt. The agricultural! |
mining and stock raising possibilities of
the Muddy valley are only waiting n rail- !
road. according 20 the information given |
out by those familiar with that section /
OF the country.
Grade Is Favorable.
As to The building OF a railroad from
ST. Thomas TO st. George. up the Virgin |
river. it is claimed that rhe grade is |
nearly q water level and that no diff !
cult fests of engineering will me cncoun
tered.
Some TWO months ago the Utah & Grand |
Canyon company commenced grading on
n line from Lund Utah, on the Salt Lake
Route. southeast 10 Iron Springs and |
southwest towards ST. George in Wash
ington county. That they have graded
several miles of their right-of- way is
known. From the latest information IL is |
70 he race between the Salt Lake
Route with its branch line from Moapa
to ST. Thomas and then to st. George,
and the Utah Grand Canyon as TO |
which can get 10 st. George FIRST