Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-11-14
Mormon Settlement and City.

The following description of tho Mormon settle
ment and city is from the pen of California emf
grant, communicated to the New York Tribune:
Our company arrived at the Mormon city on the
Sd OF August ; and Judge our feelings, when, after
some l20O miles travel through uncultivated de-
| sert and the last l0O miles of the distance through
and among lofty mountains and narrow and difficult
ravlnes, we found ourselves suddenly and almost I'M
| eXpectedly in comparative Paradise.
| we descended the mountain by passage exces-
sively steep and abrupt, and continued our gradual
descent through narrow canon for 5 or miles,
| when suddenly emerging from the pass an ey,en
slve and cultivated valley opened before u.s. at the
same instant that we caught glimpse of the dis
tant bosom Of the Great Salt Lake, which Law ex
banded before us 10 the westward at the distance
Of some twenty miles.
Descending the table land which bordered the
valley, extensive herds of cattle horses and sheen
were grazing in every 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. Passing over some miles of
pasture land, we at length found ourselves in
broad and fenced street, extending westward in
straight line for several miles. Houses of wood or
sun dried brick thicky clustered in the vale
before us, some thousands in number, and occupy-
Ing spot about as large as the city of New York
They were mostly small, ono story high, and per-
maps not more than one occupying acre of land
The space for mes-eXcepiing the streets and hou-
ses-was IN high state of cultivation. Fields of
yellow wheat sood waiting for the harvest and In.
dian corn potatoes OATS flax, and all kinds of gar
den vegetables, were growing in profusion-and
seemed about III the same state of furwardness as in
the same latitude in the States
AT first sight of all these signs of cultivation in
! the wilderness, we were transported with wonder
and pleasure. Some wept, some gave three cheers
some laughed, and some ran and fairly danced for
joy-whe all felt inexpressibly happy to find them
selves once more amid scenes which mark the pro-
gfess of advancing civilization. We passed on a.
mid scenes like these, expecting every moment to
come to some commercial centre, business point
/ In this great metropolis Of the mountains but we
were disappointed. No hotel, sign post, cake and
beer shop, barber pole, market house. grocery, pro-
vision, dry goods or hardware store distinguished
one part OF the town from another, not even bak.
cry or mechanics sign was any where discernabe
| Here, then, was something new an entire peo-
! pie reduced to level, and all living by their labor
all cuivaiing the earth, or following some branch
OF physical industry. At first though; it was an
experimentation order Of things established purpose
ly TO carry out the principles of 'Socialism'' oil
''Mormonism." In short, / thought it very much
like Owenism personified. However, on inquiry,
l found that combination Of seemingly unavoidable
circumstances had produced this singular state of af
fairs There were no hotels because there had beer
no travel no BARRIERS shops, because eyery one
choose to shave HIMSELF and one had time Il
shave his neighbor, no stores, because they had Il,
goods to sell time 10 traffic no centre of busi
ness, because all were too busy TO make centre
i here was abundance OF mechanic shops dress
makers, mlliners and tailors, etc, etc, but the,
needed no sign, nor had they time to paint or cree
one, for they were crowded with business Beside
their several trades, all cultivate the land
die for the country was new, and no cultivation
but their own within thousand miles. Every on
had his lot, and built every one cultivated i,
and perhaps small farm in the distance.
And The stCangest of all was that this great CITY
extending over several square miles had been erect
ed, and every house and fence made, within 9 or /
months OF The time we arrived while at the sam
time good bridges were erected over the prircips
streams, and the country settlements extended nea
ly 400 miles up and down the valley
This territory, state, or as some term it, ssMo,
mon Empire" may justly be considered one of Tn
greatest Prodigies OF the age, the most gigantic
all Republics in existence-being only in its 2
year since the hrst seed OF cultivation was planted
or the first civilized habitation commenced
II these people were such thieves and robbers 8
their enemies represented them in the States. mus
think they have greatly reformed in point of indus
try since coming TO the mountains
j this day attended worship with them-in III
open air. Some thousands of well dressed, INTEL
gent looking people assembled some on foot, som
in carriages and on horse back. Many were neatl
, and even fdshlona5Iy clad. They had choir
r both sexes, who performed extremely well, accom-
r panied by band who played well on almost ever
instrument OF modern invention. Peals Of the mo-
sweet, sacred and solemn music filled the air. aftt
? which a sacred and solemn prayer was offered
D Rev. Mr.. Grant, Of Philadelphia. Then foowe
various business advertisements, read by the Clerl
Among these, remember a Call of the Seventeen
r ward, by Its presiding Bishop, to some busine:
meetlng-a Gall for a meeting of the SD Quoru
Y OF the Seventy, and meeting of the officers Of III
e I'd Cohort of the Military Legion, &c, &c.
n After this, came lengthy discourse from NJ
i Brigham Young, President of the Society-partal
i ing somewhat of politics, much of religion and ph
: iosophy, and little on the subject Of GoId-show
v ing the wealth, strength and glory of Enqlan
growing out of her coal mines, iron and industry
and the weakness, corruption and degradation
Spanish America, Spain, etc, growing out of he
o god silver, ETC, and her idle habits
# Every one seemed interested and pleased wit
his remarks, and all appeared to be conenred
II stay at home and pursue persevering industry a
}, though mountains uf gold were near them. TT
able speaker painted in lively colors the ruin whic
:, would be brought upon the United States by Coli
Is and boldly predicted tina: they would be overthrow
/ because they had killed she Prophets, stoned an
rejected those who sent 10 call them TO repen
o ance, and finally plundered and driven the Churc
o OF the Saints from their midst, and burned and de
!. so!ated their City and Temple.
k NewsPAPERs-To appreciate the true value
newspapers we have only to suppose that they wei
totally TO be discontinued for month We tur
re with horror from the frightful idea We depreca
1t such shock TO the circulation Of table talk.
to would operate more unGavoraby than the gloom
4 November is said, by foreigners, TO operate on tn
nerves of Englishmen, and there would be nothn
but accounts Of sudden deaths which had happene
in the interval, with the deliberate opinion of I'll
cOrOner's Jury "Died FOR want of Intelligence !