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Show AN IMMENSE ENTERPRISE. On Monday last, Col. [Colonel] T.E. Ricks courteously invited us to take a seat in his buggy and ride up to the mouth of Logan canyon, and view the work on the Logan, Hyde Park and Smithfield canal. We rode over the tract of land which lies immediately east of the city, and which has lately been plotted out into city lots. A drive of one and a half miles brought us to the point where the canal emerges from the mouth of the canyon and takes a bend to the north across the level bench land closely skirting the foot of the mountain. Here we left the horses and buggy and also our overcoats as Col. Ricks shrewdly guessed that we would not need them. He was right, for climbing along the mountain side kept us warm. We followed the line of the canal as it entered the canyon, and found ourselves on a steep, rugged, jagged mountain side, some 300 feet above the bottom of the canyon, the very last place on earth, one would suppose, to think of running a canal. The mountain here takes a half a mile bend, almost a semi-circle, is very steep, and seems to consist of solid lime stone. All along its sides, are jagged points and precipices, and the canal is being constructed in the side of this natural wall, for such it may be termed. For a mile and a half the line of the canal is marked along the face of the mountain, from the point where the Logan river is tapped to the point where the canal emerges on to the level plain. For the greater portion of this distance, the canal will have to be constructed by blasting the rock. The work is now fully under way, and vigorous efforts are being made to complete it by the time the irrigation season shall commence. To accomplish this there is great need of promptness and energy on the part of all who have taken contracts, or who expect to pay for water rights by working on the canal. The capital stock of the company is $50,000, $20,000 of which will, it is expected, be expended on that portion in the canyon. Col. Ricks is superintendent of construction, and he is anxious to see a large force of men at work from now till the canal is finished. About 75 are now at work, but twice that many are wanted. |