212 GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. 
and have a few hours to examine the shearing plant which stands 
just north of the station, he might change his mind, for this is the 
center of a large sheep industry. It is said that 100,000 sheep were 
sheared at this plant during the season of 1916 and that many sheep 
were turned away. 
It must be remembered, however, that the sheep sheared here do 
not depend upon this immediate vicinity for their pasture, for the 
sheep herder wanders with his flock during the summer into the 
high country of the San Rafael Swell (see Pl. LXAXXVI, A) and 
in the winter seeks the protection of the lower valleys. The sheep 
would soon starve on a small area, but there is much open range— 
that is, unfenced Government land—in this country and by constant 
migration the sheep do well. 
From the vicinity of Mounds the traveler may see that the Book 
Cliffs, which he has been following, continue northward only a few 
miles beyond the mine at Sunnyside, which generally can be located 
by its smoke, and there swing to the northwest to the head of Price 
River, near Helper, and there again change their course to a direc- 
tion a little west of south—that is, they encircle the north end of 
the San Rafael Swell. The name Book Cliffs, however, is applied 
only to the part that lies east and north of the Denver & Rio Grande 
Western Railroad; the part that lies south of the railroad is known 
as the edge of the Wasatch Plateau. All these features can readily 
be seen from the train in the vicinity of Mounds. 
Sunnyside branch, about 18 miles east 
of Mounds. Two beds of 0g ab 
situs coal, separated by 5 to 25 fee 
of sandstone and shale, are tots here. 
The lower and thicker coal bed ran 
in thickness from 5 to 14 feet and the 
upper bed from 3 to 6 feet. 
e development has been rapid 
and continuous since the beginning, 
nishes power for hoists and hauling 
motors, and light for town and mines. 
Power is also carried by a high-voltage 
line eastward over the mountain into 
nge Creek, a distance of 5 mil 
where it drives pumps which deliver 
ers. The daily output of the mines is 
about 2,500 tons of coal, most of which 
is converted into coke in beehive ovens, 
The coke and coal are hauled by 
“locals” from the mines to Helper, 
where adres a oa trains are made 
up. Most of the coke from Sunnyside 
is shipped to the os at Anaconda, 
Mont. 
The coal at Sunnyside and through- 
out the Book Cliffs has been generally 
burned at the 
more than 
out areas, thus showing the extent of 
the burning. The fire has penetrated 
the coal farther on the points of ridges 
tween drainage channels than it did 
where the coal outcrop crosses the 
stream courses, 
Se 
