Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-01
OVERLAND TRIp. 70. CALIFORNIA,



sArr LAKE CfTr, UTkHl
ociober 10. 1864.
Va. Eprrox-The Mormcn Temple. IL com
plete1 In the style commenced. would be the
81 grandest T" building 10 the United States II
IL a massive structure. being built Of granite. OF
sn order peculiar 70 itself But ]; will never be
finished: and IL 10 OF no Importance 10 describe u
10 detail 90 far il has progressed, or is general
plan. This restless military age will DOT PEI NH
The saints 10 inhabit their present homes long
enough to finish their great fame. In some other
more eongcniAi cline they will succeed In erect
ing House OF God upon the magnificent plan
thew cherish. H. the meanwhile. there is trouble
In store for them. Ere long. the Chicago plat
form Of 1860 will be faunted 10 their faces, and
one Of the ." twin relics nust Sight or sue
cumb
Ons plateau extending Up To the foot OF the
mountains, within a few msles OF the city and
overlooking il. is Camp Douglas. Here are
qusrtered troops from calhornia and Nevada,
numbering about eight hundred, with a lev
pieces Of artillery. As Their evident purpose u
IN watch the movements Of the saints in the city
below them. their presence in the vicinity is a
source of cons>rnt irritation. Gen. Conner is
the commsndatt Of the military district, and
seems more disposed to develope silver lodges
and operate his troops IN mines than TO 6ght In
dams or Mormons Rumor is busy circulating
charges sgains, his integrity an officer, 10 the
effect that be is employing United States soldiers
t certain silver mines in Rush valley, instead OF
protecting the emigration and mail route from
Indian outrages.
The fuel Of The city is pine, hauled from the
mountains from eight TO fifteen miles. Coal has
been discovered about forty miles from the city 1.
but il is only as yet used in the shops. There
can be 20 question that coal will be discovered
10 abundance in the valley. Traces OF il are dis
coverable along W cher river in various places.
There are published in the city two daily pa
pers and one weekly. One Of the dsilies, The
'Vidette." 10 published by officers at Camp
Douglas. and il chiefly devoted tn abuse Of dem
ocrats and pusfs of the Rush Valley mines. in
which Gen. Conner il said 20 be deeply inter
ested. The other two mormon. and are
edited with fair ability. Brigham has paper
mill near the city, at which ia manufactured the
paper used BY his organs.
There are circulated among the Mormons q
plumber Of books devoted to their faith. among
Others The Star" sort of serial publication,
originally printed and published in Liverpool,
England and Astounding In controversial essays
exhibiting the highest order of literary genius.
10 truth, there are many able and well educated
men among these people: and Brigham, himself.
is one OF the shrewdts. men of the age. With
keeues, perception of the distinctive features Of
human character. he is COOL deliberate. calcuat.
ing and Of most accurate judgment. His sway
over the saints is omnipotent. and their conn.
dencc in him unlimited.
The great mart OF the city il "Emgrant
Square," consisting OF about ten acres of level,
unenclosed common. where all persons who have
horses, mules, cattle, goods, wares, anything 10
dispose Of. may pitch their tents. corral their
wagons or camp they like. Here congregate
emigrant. miner. hunter. trapper. trader. buyer
and seller. men and women. Any thing sells
So eager are Mormons to get rad of ereenbacks
tina, they will pay e1travsgant prices for anything
they want and fair prices tor everything else.
The lake, though some distance from the city
is visible from the vicinity of Brigham residence
This inland sea IS a curious freak Of nature. and
IS not YET thorough sui JecIed 10 scientific ana
lysis Large streams. one Of them over ave
hundred miles long, empty into i What be
comes Of the water OF course It goes of IS
evaporation But xhy ~ not that ever secur
ring supply OF fresh water (for the finest hst
abound in these s,rea ms and Eone IRE 20 be iOunt
in the lake, destroy the saline SuG alkaline pro
pefties OF The lake water ia time The source
of these salis must be neIhaustable, or the di
lufing process would manifest itself. Ia truth
the whole OF the great basin sbounds 10 alkaline
springs, and plains covered with salts crystal
lied. white and so encrus;ed az to present the ap
pearsnee OF frozen lake. n Ali along the mar
gin OF the lake white foam, dashed by iht
stages At some place the salt is 50 pure a. 10
be TT fos Immediate use. AT Others little boil
ing and evaporation il necessary. Grass grow
up TO abe high water line of the lake, but IL il o
sickly color, aud not good for stock unused e
IL. though herds OF cattle are seen grazing upor
il. The water of the lake Is much more dense
than ordinary fresh water so much 80 that tn.
feeing y very perceptbe 20 one bathing in il
the tendency 10 throw his feet up On coming
out the bather finds HE person coated with sedi-
ment of salt, which, though il may contribute 70
save his bacon, IS 10: very pleasant.
There are q number Of islands 10 the lake in
some of which high nountsius lift their chalk
eolored peaks far up from the bosom Of the wa,
ers about them On several OF these mountains
grass abouuds in the cOrges of the mountains
and In the valleys: aud here numerous herds OF
cattle and sheep. belonging to the Mormon
church, are kept. In some places. these islands
mar be reached By wsding, so shallow is The
water separating them fom the main land; and
in others small water-craft answered for that
purpose What cosy little hiding places these
islands would make for and munitions OF
war sm not TO be understood as limiting tha,
they are used for that purpose. but as Yneyelu
ssggesfins that they might be. What secrets
they might reveal. vha, dark crimes they might
drag up to light il explored is left to conjecture
But there is air OF mystery about them and
The uses 20 which they are osteSsbly put, that Is
90 say the iesst. suspicious.
In the var thai buchanan saged against them
Brigham procured the machinery Tor a small
steamboat 70 ply IN Tie waters Of the lake. WHY
the scheme Was abandoned / cxnoct tell IL IS
understood that Efforts 70 navigate the lake by
stesm craft will be soon renewed
The stage route from Salt Like TO California
proceeds across = range OF mountains by Fish
Spring." roundabout NAV. and scarce Of Va
ter. / determined TO take what the Mormons
call the Granite Rock" route, sbich has more
aud better grass and water along is. and Is st
least sixty miles higher 70 Deep Creek, near
which il intersects the stage route. Wewere
assured that this ..cut- OF vas in every respect
preferable TO the other road. So We proceeded
round range Of mountains, on the margin OF
the lake. for GEAR thirty miles; and thence south
upa valley about tso niles vide. abonnding in
SPRING., some OF which we're alkaline. Others
pure enough for use. The point Of the noun
tain We went round reaches 10 within a mile OF
the lake; and as far round we could see noun
tains pointed toward the lake. leaving in the in
tervas little vslleys or plsirs sometimes fertile
and tiiisbie, at Others mere salt marshes or san
dy wastes.
The streams from the springs .uu scarce
rod before they sink in the sand I; or spreading
out over vide surface OF alkaline SOIL are 40
sorbed. The surface OF the ground wherever
"slkah" exists. except where erystaIized In
lakes. or Oats looks yery much like fresh
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