The Brigham Young Center

Great Salt Lake City,
October 14th, 1867.
S. Salomon, Esq.

President Salomon Gas Light Co. of Ky.
Paris Ky.

Sir:

Your favor of September 26th, on the subject of establishing gas works has been received. The chief difficulty in the way is the scattered condition of our houses. Our city was originally laid out in blocks containing ten acres each. There are eight lots of an acre and a quarter each, in a block. On three or four of our principal streets the houses are built tolerably close together; but the rest of the houses are wide apart. It being a city of villas, each one surrounded by its own garden, the expense of laying pipes and carrying the gas throughout the city would be very great, and under present circumstances, it seems to me, would scarcely pay. Still, small gas works, that would supply the business portions -- or the places most thickly populated, might be made profitable. Our coal is a lignite, and the nearest bed is on the Weber River upwards of forty miles distant from this City -- a section of country difficult of access in stormy weather as the road lies through a mountain canon.

Respectfully
Brigham Young