Show encouraging DIXIE OUTLOOK prospects very bright for this section something of what has been accomplished washington countes coun tys P prospects havo have brightened considerably during the year now drawing to a close with a climate comparing fa favorably orally with that of california and a soil of marvelous marv cloua fertility this county has been bandi handicapped capped owing oming to ita its dist anio anle from a railroad there being no nearby markets for the produce raised prospects are especially good for a change in this respect as eastern castern railroad people hive have recently made a preliminary sun survey ey of a railroad from lund on the salt lake route to the grand canyon of the colorado this road roal proposes having baving two branch lines one to st george from the bellevue ridge twenty two miles and one from lund to cedar city the tile people of washington county have guaranteed a bonus of for rights of way through the county and depot bites sites to the company proposing to build the road pad and cedar city has also guaranteed a considerable sum besides other privileges this railroad besides tapping the settle settlements menti of Washing washington top and kano kane counties will be the means of opening up mining properties now idle because of expensive transportation of ores and supplies the famous old silver reef silver camp will bo be one of these and it is known kno wn that there is an extensive copper belt in this same district coil ill and copper will be the priner pal minerals bouc touched led by the railroad the objective point of this railroad however is an immense body of timber chiefly 3 vellow ellow pine on the habab plit plateau estimated by the government experts to contain between four and five billion jf jeet cat of lumber immediately avil available lible for the saw besides this the southern terminal of the road will bo be that point of the grind grand canyon most remarkable mark ablo for its sublime scenery n nearly early opposite the terminal of the williams branch of the santo santa fc fe and NN aull ill undoubtedly draw an immense tourist travel liming in tile county is practically at a standstill owing to causes already stated there arc are many promising prospects besides some mell ell developed mines but they aro are all in the sat same no condition idle among the minerals that the county lias has may bo be mentioned iron coal lead silver copper and petroleum production of all of these may safely bo be counted on with improved transportation facilities the virgin oil field situated in tho the eastern part of the county has been but develop development me nt is at a standstill and la is likely to remain so until the railroad builds four producing wells about twenty five c barrell capacity have been brought in the rhyolite no 1 the pioneer m well ell of the tile field woods lease nos I 1 and 2 and the tile downey well the oil obtained in these is all found in what is known as the first sand A second and a third oil sands are known to exist and it ia is believed the tile oil will bo be found in greatly increased quantity in them several wells arc are well mell down towards the 66 second sand pone one being down 1715 feet this latter w m ell is the property of the glen glan colesa cor company los angeles people the company has instructed the superintendent K I 1 hastings to resume drilling as the foru formation lation when work u as indicated that the drill was near the 49 second sand the prospects of a railroad in the very near future has given an impetus to the planting of commercial orchards and many thousands of choice fruit trees and vines nines havo have been planted out this especially applies to hurricane santa clara clam la verkin toquerville and leeds leads the improvement in tho the quality of the fruit grown his has been very marked within the last few vears and anc this fact was emphasized very strongly al at the fruit exhibit and festival held in st george september 9 and anc 10 last when the quality flavor size and general appearance drew forth high praise from J edward taylor the state horticultural inspector and other experts who were visitors at the festival when D dixie axle the warmer low lying part of washington county has railroad facilities it NN mil ill be able to supply the whole state with early vegetables asparagus lettuce radishes etc eta as early or earlier than california docs does and in addition will furnish ill all the fresh and dried fruits earlier and of better quality than can be furnished f from any point outside the state further all the poultry and eggs needed by the state can be furnished by dixie and at a time too when they are mostly in demand the winter season tm two 0 extensive irrigation projects are contemplated in the county the water and lands for both have been filed on and each haa has completed its preliminary survey the first proposes storing water ater mr of the virgin river to reclaim acres of land J 31 lauritzen Launtz cn of richfield 1 is g at present at the head bead of this project and lie hog has the bacch backing ig of chicago 1 capitalists the second scheme P proposes reclaiming acres of land also with N water ater from the virgin nver the engineers employed on both these projects havo pronounced them feasible and with mith the money assured there is every reason to believe they will bo be carried through they will reclaim very rich land winch which owing to its being in the dixie climate will be very cry valuable the county seat st george has in made vide considerable progress during the past year A splendid system of waterworks water mater works has been installed also an electric light and power pomer plant and work is now TIOW in in progress on a stake academy to cost the city also has a live ine commercial club that is working m energetically to forward tho the interests of the county the main difficulty that dixie hag has had bad to contend with has been its execrable roads dixie has a climate that produces grapes figs pomegranates almonds and other subtropical fruits a climate that is warm warin sunny and dry with short mild winters where roses chrysanthemums anthe mums munis and other flo flowers ers bloom outdoors usually until about christmas and where salt lakers and others of less favored climatic places would delight to spend the winter were it possible to mako make the journey with ni ith any degree of comfort and in reasonable time through the efforts of kenneth C kerr tile district pia agent of the bait salt lake route the dixie country will N ill in tho the very near future have hane quick communication muni cation with the railroad mr kerr visited bt george a few weeks ago interviewed leading citizens and told tho tile people he lie would see that an automobile line was c tab if the people would put the acoma road in shape for the service r the acoma road was built at a cost of by the utah eastern copper company from acoma on tho the salt lake route to shorn shem the companas comp anys smelter site and Is 13 pronounced by mr kerr as tile best mountain road he lie lias has can considerable sid erable work worb in ju ne ceary on tho the st george end which will cost in the neighborhood of this sum is now assured and work m orl will be started on the road when certain arc are complied with with this road in good shape mr air kerr estimated that a person can meanest leav e st george by automobile after breakfast and cat hia its next brealy in salt lake city or in loa los angeles the road is 13 a scenic one not muddy in winter or spring and there is no doubt it will be largely used by salt L laker when the autos are running in III conclusion n the prospects for dixie m were ere never more rosa ros thin than at pre sant and it will be a a great county too when it reaches its fullest development and this will not be long delayed salt lake tribune new nem years edition |