History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

732 AGRICULTURE AND .MANUFACTURES.
About one fourth of the total clip was used for
manufacturing purposes, supplying not more than one
eighth of the demand for textile fabrics, most of the
remaining three fourths being sent out of the territory,
not only unworked but even unwashed, to be
returned in the shape of clothing and blankets, with
all the added charges of freight, commissions, and
manufacture. In 1882 Utah possessed ten woollen-
mills, which were worked only to half their capacity,
one of which—the Rio Virgen Manufacturing Company—also
produced cotton fabrics. They contained
at that date about twenty sets of cards, with 120
looms and perhaps 5,000 spindles, the value of goods
produced being estimated at $300,000. For several
T
} ears the Provo Manufacturing Company had the
largest woollen-mill west of the Missouri. It was
built in 1872, on the cooperative plan, the people of
Utah county being asked to contribute money or labor
for the purpose, and the material obtained at small
expense. 41 Utah also claims to have established the
pioneer woollen-mill of the
Deseret News of April 19,
Pacific slope, for in
1853, we read that
the
Mr
Gaunt "has commenced weaving satinets at his factory
at Western Jordan, and very soon he will full and
finish some cloth." 42
stroyed in winter. Later, people learned bow to take care of them. Jennings' 1
Mat. Proyr. of Utah, MS., 3. For clip and value between 137a and 1879, see
I/ollistrr's Res. and Attract, of Utah, 1879, 21-2; for account of tbe sbeep industry
between 1S70 and 1S79, S. L. Dy Tribune, Apr. 2, 1879; for sheepraising
on White River, House Ex. Dor., 46th Cong. 2d Sess., xxii., p. 49,5;
for damage done by wolves, Deseret News, March 12, 18G2. In 1S71 the
Utah Cashmere Goat Company was organized. For description of its operations,
see Deseret News, Oct. 28, 1S74.
41 For further mention of the Provo Manufacturing Company, see Stanford's
Ogden, MS., 7; Hittell's Com. and hid. Pac. Coast, 447-8; Utah Sketches,
MS., 60-1; for grant of water rights, Provo City Revised Ordinances, 129-30.
"For further mention of woollen-mills, see Deseret News, Sept. 14, 18S1.
In Sloan's Utah Gazetteer, 18S4, 53, it is stated that Brigham brought the
first carding-machine into Utah in 1S49. Others were imported between
1852—4. After the latter date they were manufactured in the country. The
Deseret mills, located in Parley Canon, were built by Brigham Young; the
Wasatch woollen-mills by A. O. Smoot, John Sharp, and R. T. Burton. In
1S70 mills were built at Brigham City and Beaver. John R. Murdoch took
a prominent part in establishing the latter. Mr Murdoch came from California
in 1317, having been honorably discharged from service in the Mexican
war. In 18S3 he was president of the Beaver stake. In 1S71 there was