Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-06-24
TOWARD SUNSET.
Great Salt Lake City and There.
abOufS.

aDOutS.
AT first glance, viewed from the hotel and
principal business streets, Salt Lake City is no
longer the place it was before the Pacific rail-
roads were opened to travel. 1t has changed
greatly, as well in character as in appearance,
in the short three years which have passed since
that event. Ii is no longer exclusively an abode
Of the saints. The sons Of Belial and the wor.
shippers OF Mammon have come in, and their
marks are everywhere. From being a pecn-
larry quiet city, 10 the last degree rural in ap
pearance and sentiment where sill was unas-
su, ning industry and frugal thrift, il has taken
on nearly all the leading characteristics of a
noisy and ambitious mining town,-alI, may
say, save the conventional tents of canvas and
booths Of withered boughs. In lieu of these we
have In the main solid aud sizable buildings of
adobe and frame, although truth compels the
admission that an undue proportion of the new
buildings in course of erection on the business
streets are small in size and doubtful ia the
matter of durability. There are unnatural and
unexpected signs Of fash to be Seen o.. nearly
every nah AM Dlg snow windows have come lrso
high colors. Snowy women, loud as to dress
and easy as to department, are plentier than
they used to be on the streets. Sharp looking
men are occupying the sidewalks and door
and discussing the value of this and that sample
of ore, or comparing notes as 20 the probable
development of this and that mining claim.
in the first half hour after getting the dust
brushed from his clothes taken to one side by
half dozen capitalists of large pretensions and
limited means, and confidentially posted as TO
where he can be certain of a fortune running
anywhere from fifty thouss nd to three million
dollars in amount by investing only few hun
bred. Like the Evil One o. old, they are ready
to take you to the top OF high mountain and
cell You illimitabe wealth in the shape of unde-
veloped mines for q mere song,-only a trifie,
to enable them to develope other equally rich
ineyhanSflhla danAaitC ara
the fortunate possessOrs-albeit Ii is a matter of
grave doubt whether any OF them own or have
face o. the earth. But if they can find a man
with little ready money who wants to make a
slight venture, they can easily find one who Is
ready to sell, and thus they hope TO turn an hon
est penny by bringing demand and supply face
to face.
UTAH's STREAK OF SILVER.
As the reader has already OWNED, these
changes are due to the recently discovered veins
Of rich silver ores in the vicinity of the city
These lie in all or almost all the canons or
gorges in the mountains along the valley on
both sides, for nearly its whole length, but the
richest of them vary in distance from only ff
teen to forty miles from the city. Much to my
allow eng nee 10 vst sn mot ~ faf a
was still lying from ten to thirty feet deep in
nearly all the gorges where mines have been
parole testimony, botS as to the extent 0 and
richness of the deposits. 1 am free to say, how
ever that from the character of the persons upon
whom relied for information on the subject
1 have no reason to doubt that as q rule the
mines are all they have been represented, and
think it more than likely that Utah will yet
est in the United States. or course, worthless
and perhaps fraudulent mines will be put upon
the market here, as in other mining sections,
and much money will doubtless be lost in deyel-
| oping non-paying leads, but that the general
business will ultimately become profitable can
hardly be questioned by any one who has been
| quainted with the facts. But, whatever the flu
ture of the mines is to be, 1t is certain that the
discovery has brought much capital and many
enterprising persons to the territory, and that
very great impetus has been given TO business
and Improvement in the city. among other old
acquaintance drawn hither by the discoveries
Of mineral wealth, had the pleasure of meet
ing MIR. Edmund Wilkes, formerly OF Washing
ton,-son of the gallant Admin al. MIR. Wilkes
who is an experienced civil and mining engi-
neer, is engaged in the practice of his profes-
sion, as superintendent of the well known Mil
Ter mine, Or, more properly speaking. Of the
extensive and costly property known as the
Aspinwall purchase, which includes, l believe
TWO or three valuable mines. AT present he If
busily at work with Large force building q
narrow gauge railway up the American Fork
canon to the Miller mine, in or der that its pro-
ducts may be brought more cheaply and expe-
ditiousy to the smelling WORKS and to market.
He is equally sanguine with the most hop eful
as to the mineral wealth Of Utah, and her ulti-
mate high destiny.
PRovEMENTs.
But aside from the mining excitement, many
and unmistakable evidences Of progress and
prosperity are to be seen on every hand through
out the city,-many of them due no doubt, di-
rectly or indirectly to the new discoveries, but
many more to the natural growth and develop
ment OF country following the opening of rail-
ways in the territory. The most marked i'm
provements Of public character which strike
the eye are a fine new hotel building, now in
nv WIS ILL tyarti
firm Of Walker Brothers, and a line of street
railway, upon which the cars will be running in
| few weeks. 1t runs from the railway depo, :,
west OF Temple square, up to the corner of that
square, thence south to the Townsend House
block, thence east through the principal BUSH
ness street running east and west, past the thea
| ter, and out towards Camp Douglass as far a.
business will justify. Iobserved that the tracks
are used with heavy rail, of the T pattern, such
as is laid on steam railways, except lighter, and
Oh inquiriDg why rail 50 costly and substantial
was chosen for a horse-car track, was informed
| that it is to be freight as well as passenger
road; In other words, it Is intended to run
freight trucks over it from the depot to the
temple, for the purpose o. carrying 10 that
structure the granite TO be used in its oonstruc
ton. This material is quarried down the valley,
about twenty miles from the city and is TO be
brought up over the Utah Southern road,
thence by the street-car track TO the building.
| BRIGHAM YoUEG's TEMPLE.
The temple, may add, has not progressed
much since my last VISIT mainly on account o.
the cost and delay or ransportating the Granite
from the quarry. With increased facilities in
this direction it Is intended to now push il for
ward more rapidly, and observed quite q force
OF stone cutters at work in the yard getting the
material into shape. The tabernacle has been
improved considerably in the last three years,
its seating capacity having been much increased
by the erection or Q spacious gallery 1t will
now comfortably seat fifteen thousand persons.
The immense organ in the tabernacle is still un-
completed, but vorkmen are busily engaged
upon It.
PRIVATE RESIDENCES.
In those quarters Of the city devoted to private
residences, particularly on the high ground in
the northeastern part, q decided Improvement
is noticeable, not only in the size but also in the
architectural appearance Of the houses. MANY
o. the new buildings make very respectable pre-
tenstens In this regard, and as better models in
architecture and brighter colors in painting are
adopted the effect upon the eye Is far more pleas
ing than the old monotonous rows OF adobe
houoees which, though comfortable enough, and
decidedly croditable, considering the origiusl
circumstances and surroundines Of the people,
were not impressive or pleasing In appearance
A. marked indication6 Of the new order OF
things In this respect, may say that praspec-
dvo Senator Fitch has recently built orite
large and handsome residence; M Game az ti,s
Sdtf Lake Herald. has also lately completed ana