East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-08-02
FROM SALT LAKE.
How the Mormons have Prospered
there---PolIgamy---A Portrait OF
Brigham Young. tfa fs b-sa.. rs


Brigham Young. tfa iS beso5 b
! Special Correspondence 10 the New York Tribun,
GREAT SALT LAKE CRY, UrAH,
a Monday, jim, 10, 1865, {
1t will be eighteen years on the
24th of July, since the first Mormon,
arrived in this lonely region. Their
prophet killed, themselves exiles from
Missouri and Illinois, after weary
, journey of many months they reached
this basin to struggle with the un.
kindly soil, with Indians, and with
Mexicans. They claim that they left
the Missouri River with no definite
point of settlement that on the route
in vision, Brigham Young saw q
beautiful, mountain guarded valley
which Heaven assuredhim was their
future home; that on coming in view
of Ensign Peak, the Jordan Of the
Great Salt Lake, he instantly ex-
claimed "Here is the spot"
They numbered 143, including four
women. Immediately on their arrival,
they knelt down and thanked God for
His guidance and protection The
! same day they commenced blowing. =
An cd trader, the only white man in
this region, declared he would give a
thousand dollars for the first ear of
corn they could raise from this parched
and barren soil But there is always
a future for settlers who pray and
then go to plowing. How this strange
beginning carries one back to that
other despised band which once landed
at Plymolti on a dreary Decembe T
morning? inf - ia t.uu
Snowy winters and rainless sum-
mers and all devouring grass-hoppers
did not dishearten the Mormons.--
They learned this new agriculture !;
established homes; began to have cat
tie upon thousand hills; contributed
largely from their lean purses to the
church, sending missionaries all over
the word. The great deluge of Cal
ifornia emigration furnished mar
ket for their grain and beef. Even
Johnston's army, sent out to restrain,
and, if needful, to subdue them, pur-
chased their crops and added to their
wealth. Later, the silver mines of
Nevada, and the gold discoveries of
Colorado, Idaho and Montana (the
last among the richest placer diggings
in the worldly have contributed vastly
to their prosperity. How can farmers
fail to grow rich when flour COM
mands $40 per hundred throughout
the year ' t41
Now a population Of 100000 is
claimed for Utah, and 10000 for this
city. Perhaps the last figures are too
large, but already this is the most pop
ulous, as it is the most beautiful town
between st, Louis and San Francisco.
During the year ending June /,
Ben. Holladays Overland Express
took 81, ,6l2, 2,979.67 in gold dust hence
to the States-though only a small
fraction of the gold goes in by express.
Last year single merchant sold up
ward of 100000 worth Of goods,
and paid for freight alone from tho
Missouri River over S150,000. This
is the City of the Future. Here is
the field of agriculture, the focus of
commerce, the pathway of empire.
Indeed, this treeless desert has been
made to blossom as the rose. The
other evening Mormon friend turned
us loose among his delicious straw
berries and juicy cherries. Apricots,
peaches, plums, pears and apples were
all ripening upon his trees Right
beside them, Just beyond his enclosure
the dreary sage bush was growing on
the dry, sandy soil; and four years
ago, what is now his garden, was an
unbroken desert Ike the rest. In his
house the caterpillars were making
silk. The linen Of his coat and pam
falcons were woven in his own dwell
ling, from his own flax, and his un-
derclothing was manufactured in a
factory Of ,Brigam Young's, from cot
ton grown in the southern countries.
On Wednesday we visited the Great
Salt Lake, 20 miles hence. 1t is 100
miles long, containing six or seven
islands, all of rugged mountains. AT
low water three gallons of its fluid
will produce one of fine, clear salt
The fact that while four fresh water
rivers flow in, it has no visible outlet,
gives rise to many theories. We found
it delightful to ewim in, though un-
pleasantly buoyant. 1t is claimed
that one cannot possibly sink, but its
pregnant waters must render strangu-
lation very easy.
The great number Of children in
these streets arouseslwonder until one
reflects that they are the only crop
which does not require irrigation
On Friday, by invitation, ] visited
Brigham Young's school. Its regis
ter contains "a names, two or three of
them his grandchildren, the rest his
children. There were % present,
ranging in age from four years up
ward. They are peculiarly bright
looking, intelligent, and well advanced
in study. With three of tho older
girls--of about III afterwards had
somo conversation. Though little
shy, all used good language and
graceful manness. loa
One is so pretty that do not won
der there is IA great emulation for her
smiles among the young men of tho
city. % Brigham's children exceed fifty,
including many who have sons and
daughters of their own. i also visited
one of the ward schools. Tuition, 81
to $40 per quarter; free schools are
unknown. The forcheads were low
er, and the average intelligence lower,
though in some cases very good.
Tho cordial hospitalties we have
enjoyed have enabled me TO SEQ some
thing of home and family life among
the Mormons. With them there are
no Misters or Esqlliros, everybody is
i'tBrother A." or "Sister b." Tho