The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-05-20
LETTER FROM UTAH.
BINGHAM, L. r., May Sth, 49,


each garden is full of fruit trees. Being
satisfied with the sights which this city pre-
scented, | took the stage for bingham
which is - miles from the starting point.
| was accompanied with six gentlemen,
and in few minutes a great discus
sion arose. An apostate of Brigham
Young's faith, yet a Mormon of the
Josephite creed commenced, and | think
every individual in the stage was of a diff
ferent opinion; for one was a Methodist,
one Spirtualist, another a Mormon,
another an Infidel-that believed in moth
ing whatever, l guess-and the other was
every way. The Mormon desired to cores
pond with me, and also pronounced me to
be the exact image of David Smith, Jr. l
told him l hoped not. My dear young
man, if you knew his morals, you would
not say that" He (the Mormon) is
great DICTATOR, and often opposes Brigham.
After some time we arrived at and crossed
the Jordan, which flows into the lake; so
either you or am son the other side of
jordan Finally we arrived at the foot
of the Bingham Canon, pronounced kan
yon) which is a little valley between the
mountains; some places only 90 feet others
100 feet wide. Proceeding up this canon,
we first observed gold placer mining; then
we came to where the hills, or rather
mountains, were penetrated on either side
with adits, (tunnels) some driven in the
vein or lode of silver or galena; some were
cross cuts, to intersect the vein at an
anticipated point. A Chicago Company
has just commenced to extend a cross cut
5000 feet into the mountains, hoping,
thereby, to intersect different veins, which
will produce profitable results. There
are great many good silver and galena
mines in this canon, remunerating the
proprietors handsomely. The gold placers
alone have produced great deal over
81, 000,0 since its commencement, six
years ago. Silver mining is in its infancy,
and it is the sanguine opinion of prac
teal men that those veins, when better
developed, will not be transient, but per-
manent, for the characteristics of the strata
in which they are imbedded, and the
naturally unerring underlay or declination
of the viens is sufficient indication to war;
rant the prosecution of those mines to a
topic; every person is a miner, or has put
on the semblancc of one, and since the
excitement many have backslid from Nor
monism who, short time since, used to
keep three Or four wives, in full assurance
of gaining favor from on high, are now
behind the counter of mineral specimens,
with a title of "moving engineer" as the
Mormons say, serving the devil like unto
all the Gentiles. Prospecting for veins is
all the go; and many poor son of Adam,
in a few months, has made S25, 200. But
IN this vicinity every projecting rock is, by
the inexperienced, taken up as a g claim -
and recorded. l hear there are 10000
veins in Utah: now it is certain all are
not productive. have seen many that l
would not give one cent per mile for, yet
the holder anticipates a reward. Never
also those mines can be operated very
cheaply, although wages are somewhat
high, (but not rs high as they will be-
because the excavation will be done for
years, above the water level, so that no
pumping apparatus will be needed. This
District is somewhere about 5000 or 1000
feet above the level of the sea. l was, last
week, on some hills, where | walked over
snow six feet deep, which, in the middle of
the day, it is very fatiguing to climb.
Every now and then down we would 90;
but never any further than the junction.
Oh, would not the boy Of the East like to
come up here and slide down! l tried it
once, accidentally, by the breaking of a
bush. I slid, how far, know not, but
finally found myself against a tree, with a
big cash in my hand, and the blood pro-
fusely flowing. don't try it again, boys,
only by accident. On the tops of those
hills, at present, are drifts of snow 100 feet
deep, yet flowers nestle close to the SNOW.
going up those mounts, one ought to be
able to walk tight rope and leap from
rock to rock, like the mountain goats. On
the peaks how pure the air, how clear the
sky, and yonder, on the SUBMITS, far away,
we see the snow dazzling with the rays of
the sun; and yonder, too, seemingly so
near is the city of the Latter Day Saints,
while beneath our feet are the homes of
about 500 souls, whose occupations are
such as frequent these exciteme nts, and
are the characteristic of civilization, drink
ing, cursing, gambling, and all other kinds
of snares. THOMAS STEPHENS.