Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1864-01-16
Utah and the Mormons.


A correspondent of the Cincinnati Enqxi-
rer says:
Ihave been agreeably surprised at the ap-
pcarance of Salt Lake City, and the deport-
ment of its inhabitants. In the States we
are taught to believe that all Mormons are
thieves, knaves or assassins. Such, find,
is not the case. The people, three-fourths
English, Scotch and Welsh, with an occa-
sional sprinkling of bastard American, are
honest, thrifty, and Industrious, but ignorant.
l have never seen in town Of equal magni-
tude where such universal order prevails.
Every one appears to have business, and at
tends to it without annoying his neighbors.
have seen no loafers, and find there is not
single whisky, gaming or drinking saloon
in the city.
One establishment is licensed to sell whole
sale ardent spirits, but none is drank on the
premises. Women promenade the street az
ter night unescorted, and without fear of
molestation. These things certainly are
crcditable. When man is caught stealing
he is summarily dealt with. An intelligent
citizens informed me that for number Of
years after the settlement Of the valley, Salt
Lake City was infested by band of despe-
radoes, who murdered and pillaged indis-
criminately, but that they hayo long since
been killed or driven off by the peaceful in
habitants. There is at present but little
field here for the operations of sharpers, and
l advise all indolent persons to remain in the
States, where poor-houses are plentiful.
Of the Mormon religion l have learned
but little. I think, however, that barring
their great hobby Of polygamy, the funda-
mental principles are good, though surround
ed by tissue of priestly hocus-pocus, in
tended to deceive and awe the ignorant and
supcrstitious. Every man has as many wives
as he can support, and, judging by the ju-
vcnilc population, all are prolific. sincere
ly pity poor fellow who is afflicted with
more than one, however, if those that ] have
encountered are fair specimen of Mormon
beauty. The only passably fair women that
have sesn are inmates of Brigham's harem.
While driving out, some few days since,
overhauled the modern Solomon, who was
going in the country on a bender, in compa-
ny with a number of his concubines. The
carriages, each drawn by four fine horses,
and accompanied by ou.riders and baggage
wagons, formed train half mile long. l
had a fair view of the stock-horses and
women. The former were magnificent ami
mails the latter from fair to middling.
"Some were fair and some were plain,
And were frightfully on the wane.'
noticed in the party, women of forty and
girls of fourteen. have in vain endeavored
TO ascertain the number of Brigham's wives,
but no one here no knows. doubt if the
old sinner himself can tell Men frequently
marry sisters. The population, with but
few exceptions, consists of unnaturalized for
cigners, who acknowledge no allegiance to
the government of the land in which they
live, and evidently look upon representatives
of the Union as enemies, although they deal
honestly with travellers. A regiment Of
United States soldiers is posted on a hill
commanding the town, and holds the sword
of Damocles" suspended over the heads of
evil-docrs.
Salt Lalsc City is, believe, situated in
latidude three degrees north Of Cincinnati
and in longitude thirty.six west, but owing to
its being on the Pacific slope the climate is
more temperate. The valley, with irrigation,
produces fine crops. Fruit is becoming
plentiful. have seen many fine, thrifty Or
chards of apples, peaches and apricots, and
their delicious freight counted on one
limb, eighteen inches long, forty-eight pretty
developed apples. Flour ranges from three
to four dollars per hundred weight; wheat
one dollar per bushel; oats ninety cents !;
barley one dollar potatoes one dollar. Ba-
con is forty cents per pound; brown sugar
fifty cents; coffee seventy-five cents; sor-
ehum molasses two dollars and fifty cents
Der gallon, etc. The large lake, some twen-
ty miles distant, furnishes q fine article Of
salt in abundance. There are also hot and
cold mineral springs in the vicinity of the
CITY. In one of those which elects hun
dred gallons minute, enjoyed the luxury
of hot sulphur bath. The hills are rich in
ore aud minerals Of all kinds.
The people are energetic, and will ulti-
mately become self-sustaining and wealthy.
But cannot tarry. Destiny hurries me on.
We start this morning for the Nevada range.
TIo! for the land of Ophir! Adieu. sweet
valley of the Saints l depart without a
murmur of regret, although in thy quiet
shades l have enjoyed an exceeding great
tranquility Of mipd and body. But have
failed to discover the purity Of thy creed or
the dazzling beauty Of thy women. have
sought the dark-eyed forest maid, bashful a.
a gazelle and beautiful as an houri, but in
vain. l have caught delicious frogs from out
thy holy Jordan, and upon its bank feasted
with the grand sachcm Of the Utah tribe. l
gave unto him an ancient red shirt. a jack
knife and a fine-tooth comb, and we were
brothers. But after his departure l discov-
cred that the pewter spoon, with which he
had eobbled his soup, had also gone upon
tho "war path" "Lo! the poor Indian
w' The hardest thing to hold is an unruly
tongue. It beats a hot fiat iron Or kicking