The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1871-12-21
BETTER FROM SALT LAKE.

II LETTER FROM SAk1Is lzAAEA 8s
SALT LAKE CRY, December 8, ils7I .pat
TO the Editor Of the Auant Couiisfs y s sssAs
! Your quondam friend is now enjoying
warm sunshiny day in this city Of the Saints.
i Itis city with none like it that know of, !,
and though often described will (at risk of
an erasure from Mr. e. venture to tell you
something of it. / give you the description
/ of another, written over year ago:
SALT LAKE CITY. Mag sg Esss
!. All travellers recognize the admirable skill
with which the Mormon leaders have select
ed the site and developed the plan of their
city. 1t contains population Of nearly
twenty thousand, and is finely situated ia an
angle of the Wahsatch Mountains, stretching
i close TO the,foot of the hills which lie north
4 of it, while the mountains on the east are
between two and three miles distant. The
snowy peaks Of the Wahsatch range are from
ltwelve etoItwentyrigllt to miles. from the city.
| The highest mountains reach an elevation OF
4 over seven thousand feet above the level Of
the valley, and between eleven and twelve
thousand feet above the sea level. The shape
of tile city is something like an L, the longer!
portion of the letter stretching east and west,
the shorter north. h..and south. Its appearance
is altogether unique. The numerous Or
chards which abound, and the thrifty shade
trees which line the streets, give It the air OF
/ an immense number of villas, small cottages,
and residences of every imaginable style of
architectnres buried ain aSnass OF lalxurlant
foliage. The city covers an area Of nine
square miles, aud is laid out in square blocks
of ten acres each,N the streets one hundred
and thirty-two feet in widfh, running fright
iangies to each other, and following the car
Edinal points of the compass. Streams OF
water flow down either side, keeping the
/ shade trees in foliage during tile scorching
! summer months. The streets are named III
| reference to their situation to the Temple
Block, inclosed by wall twelve feet high,
/ and on which stands, besides the old Taber-
Enacle and Endowment House, another lab
ernacle Of immense size and unique construc-
tion: which. completed last year. contains
very fine organ. the work of a Mormon me-
ehanic, and is capable of seating twelve thou-
sand persons. The temple from which the
block receives its name, and to build which
III one of theyprinclpal objects Of the Mormon
ambition. still remains but a foundation. The
Southeast corner 9f Temple Block is the lnl-a
tial point from Which all United States iand
surveys start. gg9 .a
The above is accurate now, with two ex-i
ceptions. First, the population is now 2o,-
! 600 instead of 10000. Second, the CONNER
/ cial importance of the place hassmore man
4 4 lsstfr
i doubled since then, by reason OF the opening
/ of the Utah Central Railroad and the devei-
4 opment of the mining interest Of the Ierrl-
i tory.
il This strange and enthusiastic people upon
4 their religious doctrine OF Latter Day SAINTS
i seem to regret this change and to mourn over
1.-THE destiny Of their loved city. From what
Il they had hoped it should be, ssFhe City OF
Cod y with its temples and tabernacies ae-
voted to His worships and people rejoicing
Ia his favor, they now see the rolling tide OF
Iconnerce and enterprise overwh whelming them
and blasting their fondest hopes. Rut VINO
shall stay it? Heretofore isolated, 1af
7 away from the haunts OF busy comhlerce,
they INDUCED their dream OF repose ana
auiet. and sought to live and worship Goa
under s.their own vine and fig tree. as
have said, there isa change, and that cnange
is progressive. The quiet of the once peace
, frl city is now disturbed by the hum, bustle
and noise OF a. great city. and as time rolls on
The distinctive features of the Mormon city
must pass away, and in lieu thereof q great
commercial centre Of this great Basin, whose
waters find no sea, must spring Up ana nam
tain proud position in rank and character
with the cities of the West. sfsisf
The Presidents message, upon what he has
been pleased to call the utah difficulty
has caused a fiuttering at least among fhe
brethren, and the action OF the District
Court has produced hate and fear for tEe re-
suit Of their peculiar Institutions.
rrhe effect upon this people will be terrible,
i but the fiat has. gone forth that this relic oi
9 barbarisrn must be wiped out. What the old
1 1I6ogies who have 80 long been teaching may
lsay. do not know. That we could boast q
freedom Of religion, freedom of the press,
aaalfreetiom of speech, for certain it is thai
4 the srelic of barharism,' . polygamy, is part
of the Morsnon's creed, and by him believed
: I'd be Of divine origin. do not think fne
Growth. prosperity, aud confentment ct THIS
neople. Ii the resuatof their dogma of polyg-
!. anay--it ii the result ofs Industry, soDrlety,
\ Il aad perserering effort sustained by the 1872
y fhaf tl,ev are peculiarly blessed ain laTine 2
from time TO time revelations rom tne Mos1
High Of duty now and rewards hereaI1ef'
made to the chosen Prophets OF God as e
:. q the olden tbness ss 81 8 sa.asss
81 usne pecnIiar system of tithing giving