Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-09-09
THE GAZETTE.
FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER Q, 1859.
LIFE IN UTAH.


LIFE IN UTAH.
Horace Greeley, gives US the following &C
count of his observations among the people of
Utah:
These Mormons are in the main an indus
trious, frugal, Woodworking people Few OF
them are habitual idlers; few live by profess
sions or pursuits that require no physical exer-
ton. They make work for but few lawyers
know but four among them-their differences
and disputes are usually settled in and by the
Church; they have no female Outcasts, few
doctors, and pay no salaries to their preach
ers-at least, the leaders say so. But
small portion of them use Tea and Coffee
Formerly they drank little or no Liquor;
but, since the Army came in last year, money
and whiskey have both been more abundant,
and low they drink considerably. More
than thousand barrels of whiskey have been
sold in this city within the last year, at an
average of net less than 50 per gallon, max
ing the total cost to consumers over $780,
600, whereof the Mormons have paid at least
half If they had thrown instead Sl5O,OO0
in hard cash into the deepest part of Salt
Lake, it would have been far better for them.
The appetite they are acquiring ur renewing,
will cling to them after the Army and ITS IN
fux of cash shall have departed; and Saints
who now drink a little, will find themselves 'Is
thirsty as their Valley, before they suspect
that they care anything for liquor:
As yet, / believe, they have few or no
drunkards; but there is nothing more deceit
full than the appetite for liquor. As yet.
Utah has not single export of any kind;
the army supplies her with cash: when that
is gone, her people will see harder times
She ought to manufacture almost everything
she consumes, or foreign debt will over
whelm her. Yet, up to this hour, her
manufacturing energies have been most
unhappily directed. Some 5000, 900 was ex-
pended in preparations for iron-making at a
place called Ceder City; but the ore, though
rich, would not flux. and the enterprise had
to lie totally abandoned, leaving the capt.
tai dead loss. Wool and Flax can grown
here eheaply aud abundantly; yet, owing TO
the troubles last year. no spinning and weav-
ing machinery has yet been put in operation,
believe some is now coming up from st.
Louis. An attempt to grow Cotton is likely
tn prove failure, as might have been predlc-
ted. The winters are long and cold here for
the latitude, and the Saints must make cloth
or SILVER. I trust they will soon be able TO
clothe themselves.
Sugar is another necessary of life which
they have had bad luck with. They can
grown the Beet very well, but it is said to
Weld little or no sugar-because, 1t Is sup
posed, of an excess of alkali in the SOIL
The Sorghum has not yet been turned to
much account, butitis to be. Common Brown
Sugar sells here at Coo. per h.; coffee about
the same; in the newer settlements, they are
of course still higher. AL sorts of imported
goods cost twice to six or eight times their
prices in the States; even Quack Medicines
ESQ called) and yellow covered Novels are
sold at double the prices borne on their labels
or covers. Consider that the people came
hither over thousand miles mainly of desert,
after reaching the Missouri, which was many
hundreds if not thousands Of miles from their
former homes-that they generally reached
these valleys in the Fall, which afforded
them excellen. chances of starvation before
they could raise crop-thst they have been
constantly invested and begged or stolen from
by the Indians whose game they killed or scar
ed away, and who feel that they have a right to
live here so long as there are cattle or crops
to live on--that these valleys are lofty, mar
row, and parched by intense dronth from
Nav to November--that implements and
seeds are scarcely to be obtained short OF
three months journey, and then at an enor
NOUS eost-that they have had one year OF
virtual and costly hostilities with the FEEDER
al Government, in which very little could be
done. and improvement was out OF the ques-
tion-and am amazed that 80 much has
been we'll done here in the way of building,
tilling, fencing, planting trees, &C.. VI
course this city is far ahead of any rival,
being the spiritual me tropolis and the ear
lest settled: but am assured that the valley
of Utah Lake is better cultivated than this,
though Provo, its county seat, 10 far behind
the city, which, with its broad, regular streets
refreshed by rivulets of bright, sparkling,
dancing water, and shaded by rows of young
but thrifty trees, mainly Locust and Bitter
Cottonwood, is already more attractive to the
eve than an average city of like size in the
States. The houses (of adobe or merely sun
dried brick) are uniformly low and generally
too small: but there is seldom more than one
dwelling, and rarely but one dwelling on
lot of an acre and quarter. Inc gardens
are we'll filled with Peach, Apple and other
fruit-trees, whereof the peach already bears
profusely, and the others begin to follow the
example. Apricots and Grapes are grown,
though not yet abundant; so of Strawberries.
Plums are in profusion, and the Mountain
Currants are large, abundant and very good.
Many of the lots are fenced with cobble
stones laid in clay mortar, which seems to
stand very well. That of Brigham Young's
garden and grounds is nine or ten feet high,
three feet thick at the base, and cost SOU per
rod. Undoubtedly this people are steadily
increasing in wealth and comfort. ;,
Still the average life in Utah is q hard
one. Many more days faithful labor are
required to support family here than in
Kansas, or any of the States. The climate
is severe and ca ,ricious-now intensely not
and dry; in winter cold and stormy; and
though cattle are usually allowed to shirk for
themselves in the valleys, they are apt to re,
sent the insult by dying. Crickets and
grasshoppers swarm in myriads, and deVour
all before them. Wood is scarce and poor
Irrigation is laborious and expensive; as yet,
it las not been found practicable to irrigate
one fourth of the arabic land ut all. litl-
mately, the valleys will be generally irrlga-
ted; but this will require very costly dams
and canals. Frost is very destructive here;