The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-08-26
SALT LAKE CITY.

and flowers and every yard is full
of fruit trees that now arc full of
fruit. Along the streets and by
every sidewalk grow shade trees,
while rippiing streams of the
purest water flows everywhere
that taste and utility could sug-
gest. AS I lie in my room at
night, I can hear the murmur of
these streams flowing over their
pebbled bottoms, while the odor
of flowers comes in at the open
window, reminding me OF the
stories Of the East and "climes of
the Sun"
A MORMON HOTEL.
On reaching here went to the
American, an excellent first class
hotel, kept by Col. Little, Il very
courteous and intelligent gentle
man with only three wives.
These three wives seemed some
what past the "fair fat and forty"
period of life, and SO far as /
could observe, by seeing them
several times at table and in the
parlor were very excellent ladies
and seemed to get along swim
mingly. The children, l didn't
count, but there was plenty of
them, and all looked neat, clean
and quiet.
SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECT OF
MORN1ONIsN.
There is no drunkenness among
the Mormons and one never hears
from them an oath or indecent
word. They simply ask to be al
lowed to enjoy a religion for
which they have gone through
the fires Of persecution. Vet to
this people comes the arch hypo-
critic Parson Newman and his
confreres, preaching ruin and
strife. If one should meet Belize
bub, the arch fiend, on such an
expedition, one might expect as
much resultant good.
1 see no poverty and rags, no
beggars, but everything seeming
ly self supporting and business
like. There are no brothels. A
house Of that kind has heretofore
been torn down and burned and
its inmates driven away.
The Mormons are not an cn-
feebled and ignorant people as
they arc generally represented.
They are as hardy and strong as
the mountains which surround
them; every one that I have con-
vcrsed with is intelligent and will
ling to communicate to any one,
who is willing to hear the truth
whatever it may be, their views
and their reasons for the faith
that is in them. The Mormons
are not all polygamists by any
mcsns.
BRIGHAM YOUNG'S HOUSE.
1 intended calling upon Brig
ham Young, or the President, as
he is called, through the kindness
of mine host, but he left two
days ago to visit some colonies
Of Nformons situated South Of
this place. ] saw his immense
property i'll the city which is the
whole of II large block, containing
two or three large residences and
every conceivable outbuilding
and convenience, the whole sur
rounded by II wall of stone ten
feet high having several entrances
closed by strong gates. I asked
the gentleman who accompanied
me why the president was so
strongly fortified. He said, that
it was not intended as Il means
of defence but only us an inclo
sure; that stone fences were
about as cheap as any other on
account of tue scarcity of timber.
| did not believe all this. I am
satisfied that Brigham meant bus
mess when he put up that strong g
wall ten feet high and broad
enough Oh top for two men to
walk abreast. Every other resi-
dencc in tue city is surrounded
with wooden or iron fences OF
ordinary dimensions. When B.
Y. built it he evidently was pre-
pairing for Il time when, with a
faithful few he might have to de-
fend himself against his own peo,
pie; or when his own people as.
sembled there might have to de
fcnd themselves against the "Gen.
tiles The wall could in a few
minutes be knocked to pieces
with cannon, but it would offcl
cffectu3f resi- tn f,,,,,e -; =