Salt Lake Tribune | 1911-04-12 | Page 6 | City Creek Gravel Lease

OITY CREEK GRAVEL LEASE. We regret to sco that the City Oouiif oil on Monday evening consented to another leasing, or extension of a lease, of a portion of the banks of City Creek Canyon for a gravel pit. The pica is that the gravel taking to bo dono under the leaso will assist in straightening out tho boulevard, and be a benefit instead in-stead of a dotriment to tho city. But tho boulevard noeds no straightening. On the contrary, its very windings constitute con-stitute its chief charm. And tho viow of a portion of tho city and of tho valley val-ley from tho point where tho boulevard runs around tho "knoll" which it is proposed to levol, is one of Lhc most encha-nting in the whole course of the boulevard. Tho boulevard was laid-out with the express view of affording such views as this, and to begin interference with the plan at this lato day is an iconoclasm IJjat is unworthy of a body like tho Council. Wo can scarcely believe that the members of the Council who voted for this proposition have visited the scene of the proposed "leveling" and understand under-stand just what is proposed. Besides being an interference with the plan of tho boulevard, this gravel-leasing will be a long-drawn-Out nuisance, and defacement de-facement of tho natural banks of the canyon. The "knoll" or point which it is proposed to level, is both high and broad; it contains manj thousand tons of gravel, besides a good deal of clay. It would probably bo the work of years to level it off. And wo think that the Council unwittingly made a mistako in consenting to tho continu-anco continu-anco of the lease. That continuance is objectionable, further, on tho ground that it will probably prob-ably pave the way for other gravel-pit gravel-pit leases in City Creek canyon; for, it will be argued, thero is no reason why any one person or concern should be given a concession of this kind and all others denied. So that this leasing is doubly unfortunate. Wo boliovc that all of these operations opera-tions should be stopped. They 'destroy tho beaut- of the canyon, and make defacements which it will , cost large sums later on to repair. City Creek Canyon is tho natural park and beauty spot for tho city, and it should be preserved as such without further inroads. in-roads. Whatever is to bo dono ia that canyon should bo dono by and for the city; and tho work of beautifying cannot can-not begin any too soon.j.