Show ASPHALT IS KING tur THE GILSONITE all MINES allwes WES OF UINTAH E COUNTY ono one of the most promising sources of wealth in uintah county conn by is the gil 1 bonite mine located just on this side of fort duchesne and about twenty four miles from vernal the droppings crop pings were numerous and at first no DO one knew what the aspdal turn tuni was it was assayed finally and its value discovered the first shipment was make by goss chambers co the property has since been purchased by a stlouis st louis syndicate called the gilson A asphalt asphalt company of which 0 A baxter is president 1 0 the laud land was formerly a part of the uintah indian reservation but the government set aside the strip for mining purposes the gils gilsonite rese resembles nibles coal in appearance pe arance but is glossier and and lighter in in weight it is found in fissure AW M veins and four or five men inen are kept busy mining it they are obliged to work with spon over their mouths A to keep from inhaling the fine dust on emerging from froin the shaft they are black C its as the ace of spades and require liberal doses of coal oil to bring back their ia natural tural color however the work is not unhealthy sonio some of the oldest miners have never been sick a day they are able to get out seven or eight tons per day the gilsonite is too expensive for ordinary paving and is is used busold in the manufacture of insulators and as a cover covering hig for underground telegraph or telephone wires this is the only mine of the kind in the world and the cou company leany sets its 0 on n prices the surface property of the mine consists of a neat dw dwelling and num CIOUS outhouses out houses near by is a store conducted by Elis elisha lurt davis where a complete general stock is ke kept P t and two saloons we are indebted to mr toi tom toia a taylor the alie foreman of the mine for most of our information himself and his charming wife make inake a pleasant home hoine for the miners miner tf mr taylor as assures ures that the supply of aspli asphalt alt is inexhaustible their claim f he says h has as hardly been prospected and a number of claims adjoining have not been ton touched clied As new uses are discovered for this peculiar material we may see our asphaltum phal mines second to noie of the underground storehouses of utah in value 4 1 |