Show SUMMIT COUNTY D Iii < vasaer Reviews Her Situa tiCn And Advises Her to Finish the Utah Eastern My last had drawn itself to such a length that I had to close abruptly ab-ruptly I would like to refer more particularly to the matter of the mines in and about Coalville It is true there is a great deal of farming farm-ing and the products of the farm together with the herds of cattle which that ctuaty support more than anything render the successful mining of coal possible against the competition competi-tion of the Union Pacific mines Wyoming Nevertheless it is equally true that without these I mines Summit county or that portion por-tion of it which constitutes Coal ville and environs would fare very poorly The Home Coal company alone keeps about 150 men constantly con-stantly employed of this number probably 125 or 1CO at any rate have families which will average four children each this would make six to a family The Home company therefore gives sustenance to nearly 600 human beings These men are all coal miners by profession and by choice and a vast majority if they could not not find their accustomed work here would go elsewhere and instead of a population of 1400 Coalville would have about 800 But the exodus of these miners would take the bread and butter the very livelihood of hundreds of others clerks would have to be discharged in stores sales would decrease here and there would be nepd for fewer shoemakers tailors and so on ad libitum The amount paid out yearly by this company in salaries 375000 amounts to one half the county and territorial taxes It is all practically peaking peak-ing spent in Coaville If any industry in-dustry should start in Salt Lake the pay roll of which made as magnificent mag-nificent a showing it would be pointed to with great pride and citizens would lok up to it I do not wish to intimate that Coal villians fail to appreciate the benefits ben-efits of their coal mines but I hardly think they attach as much importance import-ance to the industry as it deserves They must give support to about lOOU souls a railroad the Utah Eastern is supported without exaggeration wholly upon those mines and the men engaged on this narrow gauge owe their livelihood at present to the coal field which the Home company is working I am afraid should the mines suspend it would be a sorry day for the inhabitants of the capital of I Summit county i The Ontario mia3 consumes nearly the entire product of both the Cris men and Wasatch mines or about 3000 tons per month so that indirectly indi-rectly the prosperity of Coalville admitting the above conclusions to be correct is due to the Ontario mine which consuming and paying for the products of the Home Coal companys mines is the most important im-portant feature in the wealth of Coalville This much is due the greatest mine in the country to which thousands of persons are indebted for honest livelihoods but the coal mines were worked before the Ontario bought all their products and I believe could and would be worked successfully were the Ontario On-tario to shut dowa though such an i event would certainly cause much 1 trouble and loss for a considerable period When the Utah Eastern was commenced the idea was that it should be continued to Salt Lake by way of Parleys canyon The continuation of the little road built out of savings and hard earnings had to be abandoned because of the I colossal opposition of an oppressive monopoly and because of the adverse ad-verse influence of men whose immediate im-mediate interests were opposed to this railroad child though they professed pro-fessed to be friends of the people and with the people The result was the road could go no farther I than Kimballs which rendered it I valueless to the inhabitants of Salt Lake and other and adjacent counties and because a few men would not lose a few dollars in dividends divi-dends that the poor might reap a rich harvest and because men who had the power and agreed to assist went back on ther agreements the poor people had to lose all Someday Some-day a chapter will be written on this subject that will shake the faith of many in the nobUity of some who are profuse in their professions pro-fessions of love for the people but who never give them a dollar Be that as it may the project of continuing the Utah Easten to Salt Lake is not yet abandoned and judgment based on a cool survey of the conditions lead to the firm conviction that it is only a question when the Utah Eastern will be connected con-nected with Salt Lake It could secure all the local traffic which very considerable and would go along a-long way to the support of the road and the introduction of coal from i this vicinity on the Salt Lake market mar-ket would render the investment I sure of profitable return The most prejudiced are forced to admit this and those whose interests are averse ito i-to such an event are clearly aware that it is an event which time will see consummated consum-mated Why there should be eo much opposition to the little road is a conundrum that can be answered only by the assertion that its opponents are greedy grasp ing and soulless afraid of reasonable rea-sonable competition or fearful that i past oppression would be resented 1 in the most refined yet effective methois withdrawal of support A tratlic which would make the Utah Eastern profitable would not 1 J be a drop in the bucket compared with immense fields left open to those roads which conspire against the narrow gauge which fact makes the opposition the more painful I pain-ful to note The completion of the Utah Eastern East-ern to Salt Lake would be an absc lute necessity were the Ontario to i cl se down Hence the assertion given above that the mines would still continue to be worked though the delay would be very serious seri-ous for a period more or less lengthy as the case might be Such a condition condi-tion is unlikely at present and need I not be speculated upon but the continuation of the road to Salt Lake as a mat e = of policy as well asa as-a field for profitable investment of as great importance to Coal yill = and Summit cunty in particular as to Salt Lake county in general Supeose ths consumption of the Home Coal companys products was doubled by the connection of Coalville with Salt Lake by the Utah Eastern Double the number of men would be necessary in the mines aud instead in-stead of 600 souls bEing directly supported in this mear s it were increased in-creased to 1230 and that the mims alone directly and indirectly gave ali a-li to 2000 persons instead of 1000 what would bo the result Instead of 73000 being paid in wages the amount would be S150 000 of which Summit county would be the recipient trades would thrive the products of the farmer would be in more active demand the population of the whole county would be increased and the benefits would appear a thousandfold Since then Summit county more than other parts of the territory would be benefited by such a result she ought to manifest as great interest in the affair and it would pay the county to build the road alone if help could be secured no other way Summit county nas not clone justice to her elf in this matter and the sooner she understands it the better She has had all the benefits of Salt Lake poor earnings and certainly ought to appreciate the fact by taking steps to have the Utah Eastern pushed through to Salt Lake especially as in doing so she would simly be helping heraelf The Union Pacific has mines on Grass creek which are also being constantly worked and which afford steady employment to fully 100 men including Chinamen of this number say fifty have families and while there is no means of ascertaining it is reasonably certain that it can fall very little less of paying out 70000 in wages though much of this goes back in rent for company houses and in other ways Anyhow Summit county must have the benefit of 35000 a year from this source which makes her mines worth to be from 8115000 to 8120 000 add to this her other mines the Ontario etc and it is no wonder won-der with the vast amount of con ttantly circulating money she has that sue is out of debt and is in a sound condition It ought to be no trick for the county to build a narrow nar-row gauge twentyfive miles if the Legislature gives it the privilege and that privilege should be sought as a matter essential to the welfare of every inhabitant the county THE CANVASSER |