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Show B6 Wednesday, December 24, 2008 Vernal Express naMrfSirjrn Mines, freight roads and ghost towns Uintah County's extraction history -. -. r-:K "5 - The following information came from an interview with George Long, which was offered as fol- low-up to the recent Evacuation Bridge opening. A Dec.10 Vernal Express ar- tide publicized the completion of the new 215-foot Evacuation Creek Bridge. Gene Hartle, Uintah Transportation District board member, said of the bridge, "that there was a need to fix this bridge for the past 50 years." The fact is Gilsonite mining have been ongoing in this area south of Vernal for well more than 50 years. At the outset of 20th cen- tury "the Uintah Railway came into existence, and the towns of Dragon and Watson were founded," says George Long, a local historian. Back then, Gilsonite asphalt was mined in Bonanza and trucked on the Watson-Dragon Road to the narrow-gauge Uintah Railway to be shipped out of the area. Luvie Jacobson was the mine operations manager at Bonanza and freighted Gilsonite ore from the mine to the railhead. From Watson, Jacobson had to haul to White River Crossing, a wooden bridge, and up the north bank to dugway, past the mouth of 1 I '",!" ."4 -4 S '"t.. ' . . .... "V . -, ' 1 : ... I , i e ' i 1 ' ' .J t - , -i l ' . ' f ;; : ' ''U':j j .- Wagon Hound Canyon and on to Bonanza. The dugway, about 50-yards long, was constructed by hand and made of flat rock. Built in 1905, the dugway has stood for more than 100 years until recently when pipeline construc- tion destroyed the foundation. Only a portion of the dugway remains in testament to those early road builders, Hauling freight was a diffi- cult and dangerous task, which was made more arduous by the in a while, a passable Evacuation Creek road became raging tor- rent. "The road followed Evacua- tion Creek to the White River where there was a wooden bridge," says Long. "When the weather was bad the road was impassable." . . Long says that more than once the bridge was damaged by ice jams and flash floods. Doris Burton author of Uin- tah County settlement history pictures a partially destroyed trestle bridge at Watson removed after a violent flash flood. Even in winter the crossing was not always reliable as ice floes damaged the wooden struc- ture. Finally, a metal bridge was constructed by Uintah Railway in 1912, about a mile from the rriMWitthiiianatauai ' f Vi Luvie Jacobson Trucking ladened with Gilsonite heads downhill to Evacuation Creek and Watson old crossing, in a place called the rear. freighted over a ton at a time. Ignatcio. These vehicles were only half Even then, heavy truck traffic "By 1912, the Gilsonite road ofthe fleet that Jacobson ran be- was pounding the crossing at wound down from the towns of tween Bonanza and the railhead Evacuation Creek. Watson and Dragon through at Watson. "The last train load of Gil- Evacuation Creek to the White Each truck appears to be sonite and the last hauled by River," says Long. "Once the loaded minimallywith 10 to 12 Jacobson'struckstoWatsontook metal bridge was built, it was Gilsonite bags, which means they place in November 1938," writes the second largest in Uintah ' County. Over this route, tens of thou- sands of Gilsonite bags, weighing 200 pounds each, were trucked until the Uintah Railway and finally, Dragon, closed in 1939. Luvie Jacobson's freighting vehicles are pictured here with a 1928 Morland truck in the lead, a 1934 White behind it, a 1933 Indiana in third place, and another 1934 White bringing up - V It : 5-W i- I, i i yv f j -;.;.-, . - '-,..;-'!:. -r- s .- - r 'r; . .,' -. - ----- - - - . , . . ' ' ... : -t - , . - r - v. . .. - -r. -. V ' ): " - V 2 - "-- ill- ' . . . . . -- " -' V- : mv- ... , . - 7. Vernal dentist receives Brian Callahan, DDS, FAGD, of Vernal, received the prestigious presti-gious Fellowship Award from the Academy of General Dentistry during the AGD's convocation ceremony, a commencement celebration that recognizes AGD members' commitment to excel lence in dental education. Held at the AGD's annual meeting and exhibits on July 19 in Orlando, Fla., Callahan accepted this award along with more than 200 other recipients. The Fellowship Award is presented to dentists looking to provide the highest quality of dental care by remaining cur- rent in their profession. In order to receive this award, Callahan completed 500 hours of continu- ing dental education, passed a comprehensive written exam and fulfilled three years of continuing membership with the AGD. As a 'recipient of this award, Callahan has joined an elite State puts teacher bonuses on hold SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The State Board of Education has put $20 million in teacher merit pay on hold because of the economic downturn. - The board voted unanimously last Tuesday to delay distribution ofthe money. Still, at least one board member, mem-ber, Dixie Allen of Vernal, is worried wor-ried school districts and teachers will be upset if they don't get the bonus. But board member Greg Haws says people understand the effects ef-fects of the economic crisis and that perhaps teachers should be happy that they're still employed at all given the circumstances. i . v group of more than 14,000 members of the dental commu-nit' commu-nit' who understand that great smiles and good oral health for their patients are the result of going above and beyond basic requirements. The Fellowship Award symbolizes excellence in the dental profession and a commitment to providing patient care. "Dr. Callahan's accomplishment accomplish-ment shows his allegiance to the profession and commitment to ensuring his patients receive excellent oral health care," says AGD President Paula Jones, DDS, FAGD. "The challenging process of becoming a Fellow ex- emplifies Dr. Callahan's dedica- tion to continuing education and distinguishes him professionally in the dental community. " Callahan graduated first in his class from the University of Nebraska Medical Center Col- lege of Dentistry in 1998 and The state board had approved plans for the merit pay from 88 districts and charter schools. . il SomelliiiiQ to tali about... Sr.-' : -.- 60 East I o 0 . PIMM i(fl!ff(H!l!Dliipi t o) d port around 1935. (Submitted Photo) Long. "Almost over night, Wat- son and Dragon became ghost towns." Who knows, maybe with the new bridge over Evacuation Creek these historic towns may rise from their slumber? fellowship currently practices dentistry in Vernal. He and his wife, Tina, have four children, Kennedy, Kassidy, Kaitlyn and Benjamin. u S ! i - - - t I - v : t Li:1"- , jfi Brian Callahan , The money was supposed, to go' out for eventual distribution on Dec. 1. mm Vermel Express 100 North Vernal, Utah 84078 435-789-3511 www.vernal.com 4 |