Litchfield enquirer., 1849-10-18

'uoiAy OO AoouU IA Gi'S 1SSiOA Oo uO1
doubt. Mr.. Smith deserves a great
share of credit for his bold undertaking.
Valley Of the Great Salt Lake.
There is nothing in the modern histo-
nv of our country SO interesting and so
singular, as the rapid settlement of this
newly discovered Basin. When those
who believed in the Mormon religion were
expelled from their resting place and tenn
pie in the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, they
wandered until they reached this valley,
and now are there laying the foundation
Of new empire. Some fifteen thousand
are already collected in this remarkable
place, an entire agricultural and pasto-
raj community, with no more trade or
mechanical arts than is necessary for their
immediate wants, and with no commerce
or prospects of any commerce with any
one.
The Great Salt Lake is situated about
in the latitude of Philadelphia, just over
the chain of the Rocky Mountains, through
the defiles of which, lies the route to CAL
ifornia. 1t is on an elevated plain, the
waters of the Colorado and OF some of
the head streams of the Columbia rising
near it. The Mormons occupy valley
lying between the Lake and the noun
tain range, which is said to be one of the
most fertile spots of the continent. We
copy from the correspondence of the
New York Tribune, the following des-
cription of this interesting spot:
1--WE descended the last mountain by
a passage excessively steep and abrupt,
and continued our gradual decent through
a narrow pass FIVE or six miles, when sud
denly emerging fromit, an extensive and
cultivated valley opened before US, at the
same instant that we caught glimpse Of
the distant bosom of the Great Salt Lake,
which lay expanded before us to the west
ward at the distance of some twenty miles.
Descending the table-land which bor-
dered the valley, extensive herds of cat
tie, horses and sheep were grazing in ev-
cry direction, reminding US of that home
and civilization from which we had so
widely departed; for as yet, the fields
and houses were in the distance. Pass
ing over some miles of pasture land, we
at length found ourselves in broad and
fenced street, extending westward in a
straight line for several miles. Houses
O wood or sun.dried brick were thickly
clustered in the vale before US, some thou
sands in number, and occupying spot as
large as the city Of New York. They
were mostly small. one story high, and
perhaps not more than one occupy
ing an acre of land. The whole space
for miles, excepting the streets and hous'
es, was in a high state of cultivation
Fields of yello" wheat stood waiting fol
the harvest, and Indian corn, potatoes,
oats, flax and all kinds of garden veget-
ables, were growing in profusion, and
seemed about in the same state of for.
wardness as in the same latitude in the
States"
From the correspondence Of the New
ark Daily Advertiser, we extract in con-
tinuation:
1--WE are now in the Mormon City, To-
Gated in fine valley, one hundred and
fifty miles long by twenty or thirty broad,
with a gradual decent to the lake. so
much so that the whole may be, and much
is watered by the streams and rivers
which issue from the hi h mountains
above them. The city is laid out in large
squares, and every man can, and must
have. / IA acres Of land for garden use,
which can be readily irrigated. Their
gardens are looking finely, and give us Il
full supply II fresh vegetables. which.
with fresh butter. &C., is very accepta-
bic after a tour Of two months and half
on bread and bacon fare. The Mormons
are very regular. well-informed. well
disposed people. They are very kind to
US and are doing all in their power to
make US comfortable-repairing our wag-
ons, &c. They are building a fine State
House. or Council House AZ they term it.
Their dwellings, are small. mostly made
of sun-dried brick, with some few log
huts. and are quite comfortable. and the
CITY is two or three miles square. They
are ready for any kind Of trade. and we
have exchanged for small difference
few Of our oxen that were thin in flesh.
Here, in this quiet and secluded valley,
they are laying the foundations Of . great
but singular nation /; singular in its reli-
gion and habits, but not in its political
bearing. Their nearness to our institu-
SONS viii prevent the formation Of any
monarchical control by their Prophet or
President, and the gradual influx of
strangers viii SO modify their religion. as
.taf