American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-03-26
The Road to Salt Lake City.

The army being now quietly encamp.
ed at Fort Bridges, and, contempla-
ting an early start to Salt Lake City,
1T becomes important to know the ma.
ture OF the route over which the ar
my must pass before it cun enter the
stronghold Of the rebels.
From Fort Bridges to Bear river is
a distance Of fifty miles, the road gen.
orally running through an open coun-
try where little or no opposition can
be made by an enemy. At Bear riv-
er it is considered the real difficulties
of the march will commence. Beyond
the river, which, at the place where
the road crosses it, is about IS yards
wide, the road continues to run through
an open but broken country for about
ten miles further, where it strikes the
head of the celebrated Echo CANON
From this point to Salt Lake City, a
distance of some SO miles, the road
runs through continuous series of
canons and over two mountains, and
along this road will come the tug of
war.
The messenger who brought the late
intelligence from our army, thus DIES.
cribes these canons:
each canon is 20 miles in length,
and descends gradually until it opens
on Weber river. Echo canon-and
the same can be said of all the others
through which the road runs-is moth.
ing more than deep ravine, with slo.
ping sides. covered with vcrdue to
their submits. The great difficulty
will be to get the wagons over the
road; for no doubt it will be cut up
and filled with rocks as to be almost
impossible. The ravines arc narrow,
and can be easily INSTRUCTED, which
distractions will have to be removed,
as there is no other place for the road
to run. After getting through Echo
canon, the next obstacle is Weber riv-
era stream somewhat smaller than
Bear river, but presented the same
difficulty in crossing. From the Web
or to the summit of the Big Mountain
"a distance of Is or 20 milcs-the
road runs through four canons, from
three to five miles in length, and sus-
! ceptible Of the same distractions as
in Echo canon.
"From the top of the Big Mountain
is obtained the first peep of the Holy
Land. 1t is the Holy Mount of the
Mormons. .
"From the summit of the Big Noun
tain the road pitches down into one of
the most difficult ravines on the route.
The hill is so steep that all the wheels
OF wagon must be locked to descend
with anything like safety. Twelve
miles further is the Little Mountain,
and it is eight miles moro to the city.
After descending Little mountain you
strike into Emigration Canon, which
comes out in Salt Lake valley, just in
the rear of Salt Lake City. As you
debouch from the mouth of the canon,
you find yourself on the table land run.
ming along the base of the mountains,
and about four miles in width. Cros-
sing this table land, which is about
200 feet above the level of the valley,
you find the city stretched at your
feet. Its position is very badly cho-
sen in military point of view, for it
is completely commanded by the table
land in the rear, but well selected in
other respects; for it is so situated
that one Of the mountain streams
throws its waters through every street,
which enables the inhabitants to irri-
gate their gardens-the only process,
in fact, by which the land of that re-
glon can be cultivated. The streets
are broad, and at right angles with
each other; each building lot contains
one and quarter acre, which allows
large gardens, from which is obtained
an abundant supply of vegetables for
the entire city" .-