New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1859-11-11
NO. Is.
Communicated I
Great Salt Lake CITY.

OsNNb ON'h LhAC .Nuys q,
We have been permitted to make a
few extracts from private letter from
OR fellow townsman Mr.. O. T.
Barber, on his way to California,
date at Salt Lake City Sept. l, 1859.
Mr.. B. says:
"salt Lake is quite pleasant place
but not what expected to see.
GAS you emerge from the mountains
through a narrow pass, just wide
enongh for a road, the city is seen
spread out in full view, we'll ornamented
with shade trees, which add much to
its appearance. I am told that it con-
taines $4,000 inhabitants, among whom
are many gent'les, or, outsiders, from
all parts of the U. S. In this respect
| was much disappointed. I did not
expect to see 81 many smart and intel.
lisent people as there are in the city,
and vicinity. Most of the trades are
we'll represented but there is not much
lemand for tradesmen. The country is
not sufficiently settled to demand them.
Farm wages are from $25 to $40 a
month; but at these prices man would
not make as much as he would in the
States.
The builling material is chiefly un-
burnt-brick, and there are but few good
buildings in the city. a
OH Brighams' plantation is tn, finest
in town, embracing within its limits
about ten acres; around which is stone.
wall about feet high; laid in mortar and
uilt in soil substantial manner, over
his dooris large sign, cut, think, from
stone. lie has one building for house
hold purposes, and one for the acommod-
alton OF hisextra Wives, which cost pile
Of money. Here is a regular shaving
institution, where Mormonism, pure and
unalulterated is inculcated in all its
forms.
Brigham has FIVE dollars for marry
ing and ten for granting divorce. The
cards are so arranged that everything
works irto his hands. We laid by two
days and feasted on melons, green corn
and vegetables of all kinds which grow
here in great profusion. There is some
fruit here but very scarce e-apples are
one dollar per dozel. Peaches are not
ripe.
Salt Like is twelve miles south of
the city, but IN full view. All the peo-
pie have to do for salt is to 90 to the
lake and shovel in what they want, of
the incest quality.
Echo Kanyan, fifty miles east of this,
is where the Mormons made such ex-
trnsive preparations to give battle to
the o.. S. troops. This is a. narrow
pass, through the mountains. just wide
enough for one track and the m m,untains
rise up on each sile hundreds of feet,
almost perpendicularly. Here the saints
began the diabolical work Of erecting
fortifcations upon the top of this moun-
tain, and also by obstructing the pass
below by rolling huge rocks down the
mountainside into the valley below.
But what signifed tt at? The troops
made their way around these obstruc-
tions by another pass.
Fremont Peak, as we'll as many 9th
ers, was covered with snow.
/ was at Chimney Rock, Fort Lara
mie and Devils G .te.
Chimney Rock is about 800 feet
high. Several Of us boys swan the
Platte river, to see the Rock, standing
about two miles from the river, on the
south side The rock is Of a sand stone
formation and is easily ascended to the
heighth Of 200 feet, affording an exten-
81 view Of the country.
I have not seen anything since leav-
ing Iowa that suits me as we'll, all
things considered, as that State.
! OF, B.