Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-05-27
Letter from Salt Lake City.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
-t April 30th, 1864.

occasionally Tor the JOURNAL. nave
been somewhat tardy in fulfilling this
promise, owing mainly, to a reasonable
apprehension that should fail TO make
my correspondence interesting.
Instead of going to Omaha and Fort
Kearney on my way West, as Ioriginal-
ly intended, was induced by the ad-
vice of gentleman connected with the
Overland Line, whom met at Council
Bluffs, to report at Atchison, rs the on
ly course which afforded a possibility OF
my securing an early seat on their
coaches. Travelled all the way from
Iowa City to the place last above mem
toned in company with Hon. y. o.
Patterson, formerly a resident OF . ouI
town, y and notable wag, as had am
pie occasion to verify to the entertain
ment of myself and fellow passengers.
At Atchison we were obliged to part
company, the stage officials declaring
their inability to grant him apreference
over some sixty odd persons whose
names had been registered for 4 through
passage prior to our arrival. I'M my own
ease, an exception to the rule was readi-
ly accorded, in view OF the relation |
bore, prospectively, to the Line, and |
was fortunate enough to be detained but
a single day. | have since learned that
Pat" crossed the Plains in a private
conveyance.
had the pleasureof meeting, at Atch-
son, with the renowned Snowman, Ar
temus Ward, and his business agent,
DR.. Kingston. Both these gentlemen
IN I1toh Ighnrn oc
rording to current newspaper reports,
they had suffered captivity among the
Indians. 1t was not alittle astonishing,
therefore, that, upon my congratulating
them on their safe deliverance, they
manifested considerable more Ignorance
of the circumstances in the case than !
and sundry other newspaper readers
present did For the benefit of those OF
your readers who do not relish a serious
,oke and whose sympathies have been
painfully wrought upon by the plausible
story alluded to, let me say that it had
40 foundation whatever in fact, but was
simply cunningly- y-devised iableh
emanating from the fertile Uranium of
some. enterprising Bohemian (No
reflection on the glass-blowers l make
5his correction for the headditional purpose
Of doing justice to the race represented
by the Imaginary Wapoke," who are
near neighbors Of mine now, and enti-
tied to some praise for conducting them
selves with great propriety towards the
whites The records OF the Overland
Mail service for SO recent period us the
Spring and Summer Of '63 furnish Ia
meutable proof that such an acknowl-
edgment has not always been due them.
Persons who have crossed the
io;, - will tba,,I- NOT otTnnon mi :
ing formal description of them. | am
well aware that it is customary to speak
of this level eXpanse OF country, stretch
ing for hundreds of miles across the con-
tinent, as something very remarkable
and out of the ordinary course of nature.
And so it is, but the simple appelation
given it expresses about as much descrip-
lively as need in this connection be
known. To the outward bound travel
er the almost interminahle succession OF
level vistas, Of silence unbroken FOR
the most part save by the chirp of those
enterprising little quadruped3, the
prairie dogs" and a solitude rendered,
CHASTITY by the parched, mummy-likc
,.arcasses of defunct oxen, which, to
quote irfeverently,
by the roadside fell and pershed
Weary With the march OF life"
is exceedingly irksome and uninterest-
ing.
As the mountains heave into view the
feeling of relief and pleasure is great anu
ruteful. The journey, from that mo-
ment, becomes immensely interesting.
Natures grand and magnificent panora
ma is moving before the enraptured eye
Of the intelligent observer, presenting Il
prolonged series OF ever-varying scenes.
The pencil, and not the pen, will suffice
20 convey anything like an adequate
idea of the wonderful confOrmationsand
comb nations of rock, hill and dale
.bounding along the route OF the Over
land Mail across the Rocky Mountains.
[ shall, upon this occasion, only be en-
abled to offer the general assurance that
The patrons OF this show are always GER
tain OF obtaining the full worth OF their
admittance fee ee-though, to be quite can
Hid, it is somewhat over the standard
rate.
arrived in this city on the night OF
March 23d, after a trip OF fourteen days
md eight hours from Atchison. | have
made but little progress since in the
study of my surroundings, either as re-
CARDS the place or the people. l am
prepared, however, to say that, in my
opinion the beauty of this city and val
ley has not yet been exaggerated in
print. Encircled by rugged and lofty
mountains, the inhabitantso of this valley
are living in a charming little world OF
their Own-baring the officious assump-
Jion of proprietorship on the part OF
Uncle samuel | am not yet assured
10 my own satisfaction that we have
what is called society," here. If there
is such q thing existing among us it is
evidently beset with certain restraints
and fornalities which render it rather
inaccessible. Nor do / much wonder
thereat. A people, who, like this, have
oeen repeatedly the victims of cruel and
relentless persecution, the justification
of which has not in all cases been clearly
established, and who, as they fOndly
hoped and imagined, had withdrawn
themselves from contamination with
the world at large, can scarcely be eX-
pected to manifest towards outsiders that
degree of unreserved, confiding cordiali-
tv which givessociety its best attractions
The most artful discrimination, and the
most potent agents Of h0mogenity-the
interests of business and influence OF
money-are insufficient to allay entirely
the antagonism existing between the
! Mormons and the Gentiles. In individ-
ual eases. and not few III number, the
"oH-IShneSS, as peg leave 10 term 10,
originating from this source, is greatly
modified if not wholly overcome.
You must not infer from this the peo-
pie of this community are churlish and
morose. They are generally quite the
reverse, and have an irrepressible taste
for mirth and amusements. The theatre,
which was in full blast when l first ar
rived here, is an Institution of which ws
are all-saint and sinner-iustly proud.
In point of size, taste and richness OF
embellishments, in wardrobe and scenery,
| it fairly rivals the theatres of New York
and Philadelphia. The acting | have
witnessed here was also of more than
mediocre character. Mr.. and Mrs. r.
win, formerly of Colorado, as "stars, y
elected much deserved applause. The
stock" company consists of amateurs
residents of the city, some of whom give
evidence of high order of theatrical