The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-30
E,o,u n. Western Christian Advocate.

women and three children started out pioneers
from Council Bluffs, Iowa. These Mormons
made entire new road on the north side OF the
Platte, crossing Elk-horn to Fort Laramie they
then took the Oregon trail to Fort Brldger, when
they commenced a new route through the ROCKY
Mountains. On the ODD ofJuly of the same year.
they say the first man, Professor Orson Pratt, en-
tered the valley. On the Odd Of July, the hrst
! camp moved into and halted at what now is called
the centre Of the city. In the afternoon OF the
same day, they had three Ploughs and one harrow
at work.
Attwo o'clock P NJ. of the same day, they
commenced building the first dam for irrigation.
! The next day, Saturday, the path, they planted
five acres OF potatoes. On the 18th of the same
! month, what they style the quorum of the Twelve
Apostles assembled and laid off city as follows:
Block of ten each, eight lots to the block, an
acre and a quarter to each lot the streets eight
rods wide, the sidewalks twenty feet wide the
side walks to be beautifully shaded the blocks To
be surrounded by purllng brook, issuing rom
the mountains every house to be built twenty rect
from the front fence. No two houses front each
other standing in his own door, every man may
not look into his neig hbor's door, but into his
neghbor's garden. They have four public squares,
which are hereafter be adorned with trees from
the four quarters of the globe, and supplied with
fountains of water.
On the temple square, they intend to have gar
den that will cost at least 100000 at the com
mencement Their missionaries have already
made arrangements in the Eastern States, IN Great
Britain France Italy, Denmark, the Germanlc
States and in the Islands of the sea- to gather the
choicest seeds and fruits and every thing that can
beautify and adorn the garden. AT hrst, the city
was laid off to contain one hundred and thrty-hve
blocks Since then, an addition OF slXty-hye blocks
he's been made to the east, and sixty on the west
They have laid off one mile square on the east OF
the citv for University. 1t will not be two years
until next October, since the first house was butt
| in this city, and it now numbers nine thousand.
They already have convenient houses bullt OF
dobies-dred brick-and most Of the luXurles OF
life. They expect an emigration OF at least H.
900 Of their own people this year.
The only method of cultivation is by irrigation,
from what they call Getty creek Just as this
creek opens in the valley from the snow-capped
mountains, it divides into two main branches,
which afterwards subdividc. This water, from the
mountains to the temple block, has an average faii
of nine inches in rod, for distance of more than
ten miles, with q greater fall the further you ad-
vance into the mountains. AT one mile ana d
third from the city, is IA warm sulphur spring'
which possesses great cleansing ana PURIFYING
! properties, and which, it is affirmed, cures most
| diseases of this climate. About mile and hall
| further, is hot sulphur spring. On the south
side of the valley is hot spring of pure water
/ The water Of this spring is twenty feet ano
three inches deep.
The city is located about twenty-five miles
southeast of the great Salt Lake. The lake Is
considered more saline than the ocean, three gal
Ions of the water making one gallon of the purest
whitest, finest salt. The valley is about thirty
miles by twenty-five, joining to valley OF about
! 6ftv miles by eight in width. From the centre
north to the south these two valleys are studded
with settlers, numbering from fifteen to twenty
thousand. The acknowledgement, Mr.. Gun,
nison, estimates these valeys-havlng explored
them-as capable of supporting population OF
from one aud half to two millions.
On the south Of this valley lie the Utah valley
and lake. about fifty miles from this city The
name of their city is Provo, on the south side OF
the Provo river. The lake is pure water, eight
miles by four, Astounding with fish. About one
hundred miles south OF this, they have established
a settlement of about one hundred and fifty faml
lies This valley is called San Pete. Here there
are many ruins covered with hleroglyphlcs. one
place in particular is called by the Indians God
| Temple" Here, also, many remains or ancient
pottery, both glazed and ungazed, are found IN
: great abundance and here, also, is mountain OF
| pure rock salt, and abundance of bltumlnous
| coal
| During five months of the year there can be no
communication with the north, east, or west, the
mountains being rendered impossible by the snow.
This city is situated about forty and half degrees
north latitude, and one hundred and eleven degrees
longitude west of Greenwich.
The productiveness Of the soil is astonishing.
| We are here in the midst Of their harvest, and
never have we seen such wheat We will give
Holiday, from the south Of his place, raised up
wards of one hundred and eightyfve bushels
Of wheat from one bushe OF the seed, and three
hundred bushels OF potatoes from one bushe OF the
! seed. ,.,
This valley is regarded one Of the healthIest
horizons of the globe; the air is certainly the pures
| ever breahed Its altitude is four thousand and
three hundred feet above the level OF the sea; ana
some Of the mountains on the coast of the valley
are more than mile and quarter high, and are
covered with perpetual snow; while in the valley
the thermometer frequently rises above one hun
dred degrees.
So much for this city and valley. As to the
moral and other aspects of this people, have not
at present time or space write any thing. 1t is
due to them to say that have not seen any thing
vicious since my arrival. They are v'ry KIND ana
hospitable to emigronts. The emlgrants drop
them thousand commodities for small consId-
Grafton, as they change from the train to the pack
| ing method of accomplishing the remainder of their
Journey; while they in turn are greatly accommo-
dated in obtaining and refreshments at this
little more than halfway house over plains and
deserts