Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-11-08
From. the Western Christian Advocate.
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u9 From the Western Christian Advocate.
The Great Salt Lake city.
Early in April, 1871, one hundred and rtt-thro6
men, two women, and two children, started out as
pioneers from Council Bluffs, Iowa. These Nor
mons made an entire new road on the North side of
the Platte crossing Elk-horn to Fort Lariamd they
then took the Oregon trail, to Fort Bridger, when
they commenced q route through the Rocky
Mountains. On the 22d of July of the same year
they say the first man-Professor Olson Pratt-en-
tered this valley. On the 23d of July the first camp
moved into and halted at what is called the
centre of the city In the afternoon of the same day
they had three plows and one harrow at work.
At two O'Clock, P. NJ, of the same day, they COM
menced building the first dam for irrigation The
next day. Saturday the 24th they planted FIVE acres
of potatoes. On the 28th of the same month"; what
they style the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles assem-
bled, and laid off city as follows Block OF ten
acres each eight lots to the block, an acre and
quarter in each lot the streets eight rods wide the
sidewalks twenty feet wide the sidewalks to be
beautifully shaded the blocks to be surrounded by
a purling brook issuing from the mountains every
house to be built twenty feet from the front fence
No two houses front each other: standing In his
own door, every man may not look into his neigh
boris door, but into his neighbours garden. They
have four public squares which hereafter to 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 500 600 at the commence
ment Their missionaries have already made ar
rangements in the Eastern States, in Great Britain,
France, Italy, Denmark, the Germanic States, and
in the Islands of the sea- to gather the choicest seeds
and fruits, and every thing that beautify and
adorn the garden At first the city was laid off to
contain one hundred and thirty blocks. Since
then addition of sixty-fve blocks has been made
on the East and sixty on the West. They have laid
off one mile square the East of the city for Uni
versty 1t will not be two years until next October
since the first house was built in this city, and it
now numbers at least nine thousand. They already
have convenient houses built of doliesdried brick
and most of the luxuries of life. They expect an
emigration of at least 10000 Of their own people
this year.
The only method of cultivation is by irrigation,
from what they call Getty creek" Just this
creek opens in the valley from the snow-capped
mountains, it divides into two main branches, which
afterward sub-divide This water, from the noun
tains to the temple block has average fall of nine
inches in rod, for distance of more than ten
miles, with greater fall the farther you advance
into the mountains. At mile and a third from
the city is sulphur spring. which possesses
great cleansing and purifying properties, and which,
it is affirmed most diseases of this climate
About mile and half farther is a hot sulphur
spring On the South side of the valley is hot
spring of pure water, The water of this spring is
| twenty-nine feet and three inches deep
The city is located about twenty-five miles South
East of the great Salt Lake. The lake is considered
more saline than the ocean, three gallons of the
ter making one gallon of the purest, whitest finest
salt. The valley is about thirty miles by twenty
two Joining to valley of about fifty 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 Lieutenant
Engineer, Mr.. Gunnison, estimates these valleys
having explored them-as capable of supporting &
population of from and half to two millions.
On the South of this valley lie the Utah valley and
lake about fifty miles from this city. The name o
their city is Provo on the South Side of Provo river
The lake is pure water-eight miles by four-aboun
ding with fish. About one hundred miles South o
this they have established settlement of about
hundred and fifty families This valley is called SAL
Pete Here there many ruins covered with hier
oglyphics. One place. in particular is called by tn
Indians Gods Temple" Here also, many remain
| of ancient pottery both glazed and unglazed ar
found in great abundance and, here also is a noun
tain of pure rock salt, and abundance of bituminou
coal.
! During FIVE months of the year there can be n
communication with the North, East or West, the
mountains being rendered impossible by the snow
This city is situated about forty and half degree
North latitude, and one hundred and eleven degree
longitude West of Greenwich.
The productiveness of the soil is astonishing. w
are here in the midst of their harvest and hav
we seen such wheat. We will give you one out Q
many authentic accounts NJ. Holiday, from tn
South of this place, raised upwards of one hundre
and eighty-five bushels Of wheat from bushel
the Seed and three hundred bushels of potatoes fror
one bushel of the seed.
This valley is regarded one of the hea1thes
portions of the globe the air is certainly the pures
I ever breathed. It's altitude is four thousand ant
three hundred feet above the level of the sea an
some of the mountains the East of the valley ar
more than mile and quarter high, and are cover
ed with perpetual while in the valley the thel
mometer frequently rises above one hundred degrees
So much for this city and valley. AS to the mol
f al, and other aspects of this people, have not
, present time space to write anything. It is du
to them to say that have not seen anything vciou
since my arrival. They are very kind and hospite
q BILE to emigrants. The emgrants drop them thou
sand commodities for a small consideration, as the
change from the train to the packing method of az
o complishing the remainder of their Journey Will
they, in turn, greatly accommodated in obtain
ing supplies and refreshments, at this little tina
! halfway house plains and deserts.
d FATHER MATHEw-The following is Father M;
: thew's letter to the Bishop of Cincinnati, relative
t his deferred visit to that city:
: ST. Louis, Mo, Oct. %, 1850.
Most ReU'd Dear Bishop: Do not accuse me of fek
e ness stern necessity alone compels to pos
pone until next spring, my long contemplated Wis
to Cincinnati The earl appearance of wintry weatl
s err has produced on my constitution, enfeebled
t forced me to fly from the North last fall. l mu
hasten to Florida to escape the cold and preserve
f health for future exertions in the sacred cause
: Temperance. This pains me exceedingly, as lool
r ed forward with the utmost anxiety for the Ion
f whised for opportunity to avail myself of you
Graces cherished invitations to be your guest in tt
# Queen City of the West, which welcomed me imm
r diately my arrival in this great Republic. Wit
# heart afflicted by this sad disappointment, sha
e take passage Immediately for New Orleans en- rou
e for Florida. Again expressing my profound regr'
t, at this unforeseen disappointment,
- have the honor to be-
Your Grace's most devoted friend,