The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-08-27
The Growth of Mormonism.

gate from Utah, has recently addressed
an interesting letter to Mr.. John w
Chanler, giving sketch of the growth
OF Utah. He says the Mermons hav,
built up Utah from desert waste, which
twenty years ago was twelve hundred
miles from either settlements or naviga
BILE rivers, to what is now claimed to be {
nourlshlng young state, containing one
hundred thousand inhabitants, with q
territorial extension of seventy five thous
and square miles. There are eighty six
fourishing towns and cities in the terri
tory, with near one hundred postoffice
with her grist and mills, woolen
manufactures and many other branches
OF the mechanic arts equal to those of the
older states. There are one hundred
churches, one hundred and twenty school.
houses and three theatres, which equal
those of the states in size and grandeur.
The Mormons left Missouri in 1S45,
crossing Iowa, then a wilderness. and en-
camped on the banks of the Missouri, in
what was then called the Pottawatomie
country. Here they laid out the town
now known as Council Bluffs. In the
spring of 1917 an advanced guard of one
hundred and fifty men proceeded to Salt
Lake valley, and selected the present site
OF Salt Lake City in July of that year
a few of these pioneers. under the lead
OF President Young, returned to the Mis-
souri, river the same fall, leaving most of
the men at the lake to plough and plant
during the following season.
In 1913 the great bulk of emigration
of that year reached the valley, and found
that much had been raised for sustenance.
The march was attended by many hard
ships. The industry of the emigrants is
shown in the fact that during the tedious
journey of four months duration the
spinning wheel and loom continued their
work, and hundreds of yards of goods
were woven, the heavy wagon and slow
motion of o4-teams giving an opportunity
to spin and weave while the train was in
motion. The first printing press ever tax
en- west of the Missouri was establish ed
by the Mormons at Independence, in the
years 1928.
In 1880 there was not shingle roof
In Salt Lake City, which now contains
twenty thousand inhabitants. Mr.. Hoop
er says that it is remarkable fact that
most of the money which has been made,
and most Of the fortunes which have been
amasscd in the territory of Utah in mer-
camille pursuits previous to 1868, have
been made by those who have not been
Mormons and yet lie has never known
OF farm having been opened, mill
built, and very rarely house erected in
the territory, by any one not Norman.
Mr.. Hooper estimates the Mormon emi-
grafton from Europe, from 1850 inclusive,
at an annual average Oft thousand souls,
or an aggregate of thirty-six thousand
while the emigration from the states dur
ing the same period has been about twen-
tyfour thousand. The estimated cost of
taking these persons to Utah is eight mil
lion three hundred thousand dollars
The emigration from Europe this year is
estimated at four thousand souls but it
will probably be greater.
About one-third of the emigrauts have
paid their own expenses. The remainder
have been taken out by what is styled
'the perpetual emigrating fund.-" which
'oo bSSh III VI SdulLCi SAlSIduCC dUOuI
.wenty years, and is composed of contri-
buttons, tithes, legacies, and funds drawn
rom various sources both in Europe and
The fund is kept up, in fact,
BY those who received its benefits repay
ng when convenient the expense incur
'cd in their emigration, in order that 9TH
,rs may receive a like benefit. During
he present year $4,000 was contribut-
ID in Salt Lake City, alone, to enable
others to reach America.
Mr.. Hooper proves that it is cheaper
% treat the Indians mildly than to fight
hem, by stating that the United States
Government paid only seventy five thous-
md dollars for suppression of Indian hos
ilities in Utah since the organization of
he territory, while the Indian wars in
Oregon and the adjacent states have cost
he Treasury millions.
Mr. Hooper also asserts that Utah has
lone much, directly and indirectly, to de-
7elope California, Nevada, Montana and
daho, enabling the latter territories,
through the supplies drawn from Utah,
o work the gold and silver mines, which |
lave contributed SO largely to the ma