Show Marti Manti helps create forest By J. J BARRY DA DAVIS VIS Forester By about 1870 with the cessation of Indian troubles in inthe inthe inthe the Sanpete Valley intensive grazing on the Wasatch Plateau began The range cattle l business business busi busi- usi- usi ness reached its height in 1880 as the sheep business was taking Its first steps From the first sheep were more profitable than cattle for those who were able to secure enough summer range A long struggle was the result with every everyone one trying to reach the better belter feed first According to R R. R V. V R. R Reynolds Reynolds Reynolds Rey Rey- between 1888 and 1905 the Wasatch range from Thistle to Salina was a vast dust bed grazed trampled and burned to the utmost The basins at the head of the canyons suffered suffered suffered suf suf- most they contained the best feed for tor sheep and were more easily accessible Early residents tell of being able to count the herds of sheep on the mountain by the dust cv va 0 clouds they could see from the valley LaurItz Nielson commented that in the early days of logging the loggers would wake early In Inthe Inthe inthe the morning to catch their oxen before they had fed and laid down For then they would be hidden by the tall grass He also recalled that as a boy of at 12 the grass on Bluebell and Philadelphia Flats In Ephraim Canyon would completely hide the sheep and the turf was so dense that dragging longs would barely scuff the soil Then as the competition for tor feed for the increasing sheep bands skyrocketed the vegetation vegetation vegetation tion by fall was virtually grazed into the soil soU The greatest damage damage damage dam dam- age was done by using the top of the mountain for a trail In driving sheep northward toward the railroad In this trailing period the whole mountain mountain mountain moun moun- tain top became a dust bed The better plants were completely completely completely com com- killed and the cattle H C 1 began egan to eat considerable oak So many cattle were killed bythe by bythe bythe the acid in the oak that the area between White Ledge Fork and Ephraim Creek be became became became be- be came known as the Graveyard Graveyard Graveyard Grave yard The ground was bare and many of the herders had to haul hay to feed teed their horses The nadir on the Wasatch Plateau had been reached This is the second part of ofa a part four-part article In Mantis Manti's role in the creation of the Forest Forest Forest For For- est Service |