The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-05-18
Gmgtatf4enfer,
From Wheeling TO San Francisco.
Down Utah Mountains to salt Lake
City.


When we left you, we were about To
descend the mountains Of Utah; wc were
surrounded by piles OF ice and snow, and
with the observation car" hitChed on the
rraiu, we start down the Echo Canyon.
You must remember, that we were climb
ing to the top OF the Rocky mountains,
from the time we left Omaha, until we
reached the highest point Of our route
,S,2l2 ieet) ut Sherman. Now our present
elevation is only 400 To 500 feet below that
point, on top OF the WdhSafh range. We
start down u steep grade into u very mar
row and deep gully Down we go,
deeper and deeper, until the very noun.
tain sides appear to close upon US, and
the sun light TO be shut of. You look
M at the massive walls OF rock around,
and above you, bewildered and amazed.
Look away up on your len, stands
great map Of C0nglomGrate rock,
iutling out above aud overhanging
the rest, ut least 800 feet over your head;
this is Pulpit Rock, Soon we are through
Echo Canyon, and we wind slowly around
the mountain side TO enter Weber Canyon;
this is composed of limestone rock, las.
selated, disintegratGd, OVerhanging, cur.
we'd, twisted and perpendicular. Now d
solid wall, 1000 feet high, with the rush.
ing torrent Of Weber RfUer dashlng and
loaming beneath our feet; then winding
around sharp curve, we dash across u
bridge, or trestle.work, TO the opposite
point oil the adjacent mountain tho mar.
row gorge appearing to throw the torrent
ol the river into commissions to get rid Ol
It's Imprisonment. Thus we dash along
Tor several miles, until we are suddenly
ushered into little valley, covered with
grass and flowers, with here and there a
little hut, and cattle grazing around it.
This is called n RdRoht, and furnishes
abundant grass and water for stock. AL
ready the owner has cut and halcd hay
for future use, besides the present grass.
ing, aud expects in another month II cut
his second crop. Just before we reach
the Ranches in the valley, Is curious
looking affair, running from near the top
to the foot Of the mountain. 1t looks like
two fences OF rock about 10 feet high
above the lace OF the mountain, the space
between them about 4 lcet wide, and not
unlike u mammoth wOOd.ChutG on our
hill sides, and is called The DeriTs Slide.
There is no doubt, II His Satanic Majesty
should pounce on any poor sinner through
this slide, no ordinary grace could save
HIM particularly, rs just below tho foot
ol the slide the opposite spurs Of the
mountains approximate so nearly TO.
gethCr rs to shut out oil hope OF
escape through the DsriFS Gate. But q
mcrCirul Providence has allowed us TO
pass safely through the gate, and We are
now laundering through u smiling valley,
the mir fragrant with the peach.blossom
and the Odor Of thousand flowers.
summer is here; the ddOJe houses are
comfortable, surrounded by neatly
matched fences mud well cultivated gar.
cns, vines and fruit trees. These are
Mormon sGttlemenis-tlIe Outposts OF
Brigham YOung's dOminiOns, and surely
in contrast with anything we have found
in this region. The fields OF wheat Arc
beautiful, each neatly fenced, by sticking
into the ground pieces Ofdg,eR WoOi one
inch In diameter and one foot apart, then
matching them like u basket. As we
move along, the valley wIdens into
An extensive fertile plain, traversed by
Weber river. The WahsatCh Mountains
encompass the plain, und as you look up
their sides, vegetation grows more sCanty,
until the eyes reaches the mO0 line. All
above this line, Is eternal snow. How
strange and curious, TO see luXuriant veg.
citation and snOw-iield alongside OF each
other During summer, the gradual melt.
ing of the snow, fills the valleys with
streams and rivuets of the purest water,
and Is the sine qua non Of vegetable
growth. Now, we have arrived at ONieR
where the Union Pacific railroad termi.
mates, and the Central Pacific takes up the
line to Sacramento and san Francisco.
IlCrcalsO, the ttdh Central H. r., running
south, intCrseCts "our party having de-
tetmincd 10 visit Salt Like City, and We
change cars Ogci6n Is near the centre q!
The plains and tho border Of Salt Lake
thtty.seven miles TO Salt Lake City,
All aboard We are Off in n bco.line, and
the ladies shouting, to one another, there's
Salt Lake see the Lake; the setting sur
lighting up its smooth surface like Q
mirror, and the reflection invCrting tile
neighbOring snOw.Clad mountains Fifty
OF sixty miles to the south the mountains
rise like dim and misty clouds; tho pic
ture, to be appreciated, must be seen; nj
words can paint it. The country ia filIet
with MormOns and Mormon improve
ments; cattle, horses, mules and sheet
are scattered over the plains In twt
hours ride we nrC ushGrGd into the city
Of Salt Lake, and the city probably Coveri
twenty square miles, including the lmme
date suburbs. The first thing that strike
your vision IL the Tabernacle OI the Int
ierDay Saints. This building is 15OS2jI
feet, covered entirely by u dome, so fee
high, the dome resting on ~ cOlums
II IS capable of seating $4,000 persons
Inside, Il Is almost surrounded by asal
lery. The vault of the ceiling Onsilcl L
% leet hirh. At the west end Ia the ur
gan, constructed by one Of their faith. |
i said to be the largest In the Unite
States, being As feet high, 80 feet wide
and 80 feet deep. The builder and organ
ist was very obliging to our party, AMI b.
request PLAYED Old Hundred The laE
m0ny Of that good old tune stirred III
onr musical talent, and we joined In eS
temporaneous chorus, making the vail
Of President Ioung's tabernacle ring
After its execution our ladies and gentle
men appeared highly pleased with tn
improved tone and richness Of thel
voices. ...........,5
In front of the organ are three pulpit
one in the rear OF the other; No. l for i
Young; No. 9, state Of lions priests; No
Elders. Still further front isa lopg altal
called the Baptismal Stand, under whicl
are large vessels Of water, which elemen
lsused for both JdptimGl and sacramento
purposes President Young de tacto an
d, iUre represents and personifies th
whole Of MOrmonism emiacnRg 80, eccle'
n'tically, and actually so, civilly. Til
Cly is governed by q regularly electe