Show Eight Years Years' Wait M May y be Ending Eight years of anticipation and concern showed promise of being at an end this week following an announcement that potash reserves here would be developed possibly next year Since 1953 when Taylor Delhi-Taylor Oil Corp acquired from Fremont Petroleum Co the right to explore the Seven Mile Fault the potash industry has been heen regarded as insurance against the possible I end of the ural uranium um industry After finding potash feet below the surface the company embarked upon an extensive drilling program that eventually saw eleven holes drilled In the Seven Mile area By Dy 1955 headlines were saying Multimillion Potash Plant Plant Appears Appears Likely at Moab In November of 1955 Robert Norman Independent Moab geologist was named as District Geologist for Taylor Delhi and I an office was set up In early 1956 reliable reports predicted a beginning on the mine shaft later in the year In May of 1956 project supervisor Dr Elton was quoted as saying Under our present plans we should expect to be in operation with the beginning of revenue within two and one-half one to three years We hope we can have a shaft started in 1956 The optimism regarding potash was well timed It was matched during the tame same year with equal pessimism regarding the life span of the uranium Industry Regarded as al the best bet for stability stability was a uranium mill due duo to begin operations In August Aug Aug- August of 1956 In December of 1956 Taylor Delhi moved a rig onto Cane Creek ten miles south of previous activity This first core hole I drilled outside the Seven Mile area was to result in a a. transfer of interest to the shallower beds and better ore are of the Cane Creek anticline At a stockholders meeting a company official said fl potash income should start about 1960 That was the opener when wen financing financing finane ing inK was being sought The fhe year 1957 was spotted with periodic announcements and predictions of plans for the sinking of a shaft and the building buDding of ot ofa ofa ota a 20 million mill mUl There was concern expressed over the depressed market conditions and the emergence of Canadian competition By February of 1958 1951 Taylor Delhi was redoing doing a great part of Its work due to discover discoveries s at Cane Creek New Nw thicker higher grade and shallower deposits found there were expected to spur the tho beginning of mining The Utah Water and Power Board in February of ot 1958 approved approved ed a lifting of a pow power l' l withdrawal on an 80 acre site to permit P Taylor Delhi to acquire title to the site for a projected 25 million dollar doUar potash sh development To close dOle 1958 a II fast ast developing feud ud between Grand and I San Juan counties came to light concerning approximately three three- fifths fifth of a mile along the common boundary of Grand Orand and San SanJuan SanJuan SanJuan Juan and Including the proposed site lIte of the potash operation In mId mid May May of 1959 new names were cropping up in connection connect connee tion with potash Potash Company of America Texas Gulf Sulphur and Duval Sulphur and Potash were reported interested In joining joining in the tho development Later Armour Corp came in to look over the property and prospect The general was that some major move to start construction of the potash facilities would bo be made in 1960 Drilling continued at Cane Creek a total of eight holes being completed ranging from Shafer Dome on the south to the East Eastside Eastside Eastside side of the Colorado river The latter operation was the first time the operator had moved on the rivers river's east tide side In addition to the Taylor Delhi drilling information was gained from several oil au wells in the immediate vicinity Notable among these was a test by Texas Gulf Gull l Producing not Texas Gulf Sulphur With the completion of ot this latest drilling potash dropped from the news until the startling announcement of this past week |