Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-02-17
LATER FR0W THE GREAT SALT LAh T.
TIE ORNoNs-CALIFoRNIA GOLD, sc.


The Pi7sJugh Gazette announces the ar
rival in that city of Mr.. E. Whippe, one of
the leading Monnons, from the settlement in
the neighborhood of the Great Salt Lake
Mr.. Whipplc lef the Great Salt Lake set
tlement on the 18th of October, and arrived
at Fort Keaney, on The Missouri, in 81 days,
The settlement of Moymons with which he
is connected, is located in a beautiful valley
on Inc borders OF the Great Salt Lake, in the
Northeastern part of Upper California. The
Grea, Salt Lake is about $50 miles long, by
so broad, and contains nothing living. 1t is
said that three barrels Of water will make one
of salt.--The shores of the Lake in The dry
season, are encrusted with salt fit for use. 1t
has 10 OUTLET.
Nearly south Of the Salt Lake is fresh
water lake called the Utah, which empties
its waters into the former. In this lake, fish,
the mountain trout, are found. The river
which connects the two Lakes the Mormons
call the Jordan. The valley in which they
are situated slopes from the mountains 10 the
river, on both sides These lakes, we may
state for the information of those who have
not access TO late maps, are situated on the
western slope of the Rocky Mountains, near
the head waters of the River Platte, which
runs into the Missouri, the Colorado, which
empiies into the Gulf Of California, and the
Columbia, which empiies into the Pacific.
The waters Of the Platte and the Colorado al
most unite by means of the Sweet Water
River, which heads ives, of the Rocky Noun
tain chain, and runs into the Platte through
the famous South Pass. Between these Lake
and the California mountains, in which the
Sacramento rises, is a vast valley or basin,
supposed 10 consist principally Of sandy plains
about 100 miles wide from east to west and
some 600 TO 100 miles long from north to South
From this immense basins no egress for water
has been discovered, the rivers losing them.
selves in the sand.
The valley in which the Molmous settle
men's are, is about fifty miles long, and forty
broad, and is surrounded on three sides By
mountains, and on the north side by the lake
It gradually slopes from the mountains 10 the
\ River Jordan. and is formed into steppes
From various Gorges in the mountains, hume,
rous fresh water streams pour their waters
into the Jordan, afordBg fine water power
No timber grows in the valley, but an abun
dance is supplied by the valleys ollhe stream,
in lhe mountains, 1t consists of fir, pine, hem
lock- and sugar maple,
In this delightful valley, about 1000 mile.
from Missouri on the cast, and 700 from tn,
gold-diggings of the Sacramento, on the ives
the Rocky Mountains being barrier OF
one side, and The Great Basin, and the Cali
fornian or Sierra Nevada range on the oihel
the Mormons have at last found resting
place. About 900 persons, of all ages anc
both SEXES are now collected in this valley
They commenced arriving in the valley il
July lS47, and last season they laised, a fine
crop Of wheat corn and other predictions, suf
fcent for their own consumption aud Of those
OF their faith who are yearly coming in. AZ
ter next harvest they will have provisions n
dispose Of They have two gris-mils anc
four saw-milIs in operation, have laid out Sc
veral villages, and a iown on an elevated plat
which oyerooks the whole. valley and lake
They are building substantial houses and sur
rounding themselves with many comforts
They expect large emigration this season
from their brethren in The neighhorhood oi
Council Bluffs, where there are some thousand.
congregated.
The road 10 Oregon and California, BY the
North Fork Of The Platte river and the South
Pass, passes some 60 miles TO the north OF the
settlement but route by the way of the Salt
Lake can be taken which will not take The
traveller oni ~ his ,yav mara Nan 40 nr 5r