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Show HISTORY OF SANPETE COUNTY. 35 the settlements was the completion of the Deseret Telegraph line through the county to Manti, which was celebrated December 28, 1866. This placed Sanpete, the acknowledged "Granary of Utah," in direct communication with the capital city, and through that, the entire commercial world. Its benefits were felt at once in giving valuable information on the prices of grain and cattle, thus advising the people when to start by team or on horseback for marketing their products. Many citizens of this county were among the first stockholders of this all and some yet own stock in the the early '70s, the country was connected with the outside world by the Sanpete Valley railroad, extending from Xephi to Wales. This enterprise was started by capitalists in Salt Lake City, to reach the pioneer coal fields located in 1859 by John E. Eeese, and at the time the road was constructed, the only pioneer telegraph company. A line, few years later, in source of coal supply in Utah. The road was a narrow gauge, connecting with the standard gauge Utah Southern, but it extended commerce to the open marts of the world. In the spring of 1874 the Fairview Coal and Coke company was incorporated and operations began on developing another coal field, within the borders of this The third coal mine was discovered in 1S87 by Henry Thomas, in Six Mile canyon, near Sterling, and the following year he and others opened up a good mine, which was operated by a single horse whim, but supplied all the coal required for home consumption for several years. The Sanpete Valley Kailway company later built county. a road to the mines, which they purchased, and have constructed extensive hoisting works at the terminus, now called Morrison. Thus the coal deposits have been important factors in the growth and development of the county, and the future of this business will no doubt be a |
