History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

DENVER AND PJO GRANDE. 759
county, and Wales, in Sanpete county, its length
being thirty miles, was constructed by an English
company for the purpose of securing a market for the
output of its coal mines. 21
The Denver and Rio Grande Western, the Utah
division of the Denver and Rio Grande system of
railroads, first began work here in 1881, and in 1883
had 386 miles of road in operation, running through
Emery, Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, and a portion of
Weber counties, with branch lines named the Little
Cottonwood and Bingham Canon, the former running
east into the Wasatch Mountains and the latter west
into the Oquirrh Range, both being built solely to
facilitate mining operations. 22 Ninety miles of the
Denver and Rio Grande Western were built entirely
by local enterprise, including fifty miles of the main
line extending through Spanish Fork canon, completed
by the citizens of Springville, and first known
as the Utah and Pleasant Valley Railroad. 23
During the years immediately preceding the completion
of the overland railroad, the imports of Utah
seldom exceeded 12,000 tons, while the exports were
of trifling amount. Commerce with the east and west
was entirely insignificant, supplies being drawn mainly
from St Louis and San Francisco, and paid for in part
with the money received for surplus grain, stock, and
garden produce from passing emigrants, who, together
with the soldiery and the stage lines, furnished almost
21 S. L. C. Herald, June 17, 1880; Utah Gazetteer, 1884, 110.
T1 Companies were organized to build both these roads in 1872, and they
were constructed by local enterprise, afterward becoming tributary to the
Denver and Rio Grande.
23 In addition to the above roads, there were two short lines, formerly in
operation, aud known as the Summit County and American Fork. Both have
been abandoned. For further particulars as to the Utah railroads, see Hoilister's
Res. and Attract, of Utah, 58-63; Utah Gazetteer, 1881, 105-11; CrofutVs
Overt. Tourist, 126-42; Utah Res., 43-8; //aydeu'.