Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-05
Matters ana innings IN Utah.
Correspondence of the New York Weekly Nor
mon, March 80
HISTORIANS OFEIcE, G.. s. l.. CITY,
WEnNEsnAy Fahr,iary 12h5

mon, March 80
HISTORIANS OFEIcE, G. s. l.. CITY,
WEDNESDAY February 8, 1855.
10 the Editor Of The Mormon:
AS the eastern mail arrived on the 9th, and
leaves on the 8th we take the hurried oppor-
tuuity of again posting you up little on Utah
affairs The supreme court has been in SEES
sion for several days, Hon. Chief Justice John
F. Kinney presiding. The question which has
occupied its attention is, listening to the argu-
ments OF counsel, growing out of question
under the Fugitive Slave law. The holidays
still continue. The Typographical Association
of Deseret had large party at the Social Hall
on Friday, the I'd of February. The Mormon
Battalion are enjoying themselves in grand
party, which commenced yesterday, at 2, p. m,
and is resumed again to-day; how long it will
continue l cannot tell. 1t must be quite
change for the brave men who marched on
foot, at their countrys call, two thousand miles
across the desert, sometimes ninety or one
hundred miles without water; carrying their
muskets and an extra amount OF ammunition;
living mostly on half and quarter rations, and
when their teams failed, drawing their bag
gage wagons themselves and thus enduring
toll and fatigue unparalleled in the history of
military campaigns, and expecting most of the
time to be attacked by far greater number of
the enemy. These gallant fellows are now
participating with the society of their wives,
children and friends in one OF the most splen-
did festivals ever enjoyed in this country; SO
the world changes, and it is right the brave
fellows should enjoy themselves.
Indian Walker died on the 29th day of jan
uary, at Meadow Creek, near Fillmore City;
fourteen horses, several squaws and prisoners
were killed on the occasion, as an escort for
the chief into the next world-rather strange
religious tradition to be sure, nearly as much
so as burning candles on cofins of the dead to
light them through the middle state; guam
tity Of valuable presents and letter from the
Superintendent of Indian Affairs, which he had
received the day previous, were buried with
him.
The weather has been very fine all winter
with the exception of about two weeks in the
fore part Of January. The principal part of
the winter has been occupied by the workmen
laying the foundation Of the Temple. The
Endowment House is nearly complete, the
laths are ready to be nailed on, to be followed
by the plasterers and finishing workmen.
The sugar works commenced their operations
on Thursday last. Presidents Young, Kim.
ball and Grant, with myself and others, went
down to see them, and in about five hours they
rasped about four hundred bushels of beets into
pulp, which will run through very fine seive,
and it is very evident that Elder Taylor has
picked up some splendid machinery for these
works. To-day they have sent up 1879 gal
Ions, to be distributed among lions workmen,
and my clerk, Thomas Bullock, has been
guaging cask which will contain 524a gal
Ions, to be constantly on hand for distribution /;
this causes the men and women to smack their
lips with the prospects of slipping the sweets of
home manufacture.
The public works distribute from four to
seven beeves every week among the hands,
and every family is pretty well supplied with
potatoes and other vegetables; so you will per-
ceive they are in far better condition for the
comforts of life than they have hitherto been.
The Presidency have directed that the big
ditch on the North Temple street be extended
to the river Jordan, that in case any more
floods shall come down from the mountains,
we may in measure be prepared for them.
The Dramatic Association have closed their
performances for season, having performed
several new pieces to the satisfaction of the
play-going public. The brethren are now ac-
lively engaged in making road past the
Warm Springs, north, over the swamp that
many persons have fancied to be bottomless,
on account of the difficulty they have expert.
enced in crossing it.
The United States dragoon horses have not
eaten up the entire amount of grain raised
last season, and it is generally believed there
will be sufficient to comfortably support the
inhabitants until another harvest. The officers
have experienced the most cordial feelings
from the citizens and have often expressed that
the Legislative party was the best and hand.
soonest ever got up. They have frequently said
they intended to reciprocate the favor, but that
it was impossible to excel it. The weather has
been exceedingly fine, with the exception of
the first two weeks in January, and the health
Of the people in the valley is excellent. Elder
B. b. Messenger is now engaged teaching the
clerks of the Historians Office the Desefet
alphabet.