Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-05-06
LETTER EROM UTAH.

DEAR FRIEND Il seat myself this !
evening to fulfill a promise made long
ago, that | would write to you. and as
the girls appear to have disowned Inc al
most entirely, l avail myself of this 81
lence and write to you for the news
You will see by this Gf you were not
aware before that am in Utah, among
the Mormons, and as | have no news to
write of myself suppose little descrip-
ton of this country and what have seen
will interest you more than anything else
| can write.
This territory lies entirely within the
"Great Basin between the Sierra Neva-
das and Wasatch ranges, being complete
ly hemmed In by lofty mountains on ev-
cry side. 1t is about six hundred miles
in length from north to south, and three
hundred in width. The land is natural
ly barren and sandy, while large por-
ton of the whole is dry sandy desert,
with no water for miles around. Near
the Great Salt Lake and its tributaries
the land is filled with allcali so it is not
tillable.
Throughout the whole country there
is no rainfall from early spring until
late in the fall, SO that the ground gets
completely parched and burned up except
where it is irrigated, and nothing can be
raised here without constant supply of
running water in small streams, to keep
the ground moist all over it.
The climate differs according to the
portion of the territory you are in and IN
a much greater degree than at home
The northern part of the territory has
similar climate to Vermont. perhaps not
quite so cold in winter if anything. but
more liable to frosts in summer, owing
to the close proximity of the mountains
which are covered with snow the year
round.
They raise about the same kinds of
grain and vegetables that you do when
ever the grasshoppers don't eat every
thing up, which is about once in ten
years, | should judge, by the looks of
the country.
, Great Salt Lake and Utah valleys,
near the middle of the territory, have a
climate not far from that of New Jersey.
: There is seldom any sunshine, and the
people pillow and sow all winter At the
: time of writing this they have their crops
t all in, with the exception of corn and
: late potatoes. They raise plenty OF
/ grapes, watermelons, peaches, and all
: kinds of fruit that are raised in the Mid.
: die States, while in the southern portion
of the territory they grow cotton, tobacco
figs, &C.. and all kinds of produce grown
t in the Southern States. 1t is dry here
: in the summer season, and the sun pour,
S down so hot that it forms crust all owe
z the land where it is not irrigated anc
t the roads are horrible. A single horse
man will raise more dust than drove
of cattle at home the dryest season yo1
y ever saw. Travelling, then, is no amuse
e ment, for half hours ride will be amp
: ly sufficient to give any one good half
S inch of coating outside. and not small
: quantity within if he opens his mouth
The settlements are all built alon!
some stream for the purpose of irrigation
y and as the streams are few and far be
e tween, and generally small at that, tn
l. consequence is that the country is no
o very thickly settled.
!. The people here are of all kinds an,
u classes, drawn from all parts of tn
/ old world and every portion of the new
/ and present a perfect mass of Ignorance
u superstition and bigotry unequaled any
Il where on this continent. Brigham Youn
has his missionaries out all over tn
world, but mostly in Europe, where h
l. draws his believers and followers fror
the lowest orders of society, and the
: gladly emigrate to this country as lon
as their expenses are paid over. The
y swallow, without salt or pepper, every
i thing their elders and bishops teac
+ them, and believe them to be instructe
d direct from God
Is Great Salt Lake City of so much re
IL nown, is situated near the southeastern
y end of the Great Salt Lake and on tn
river Jordan, and has population G
about fifteen thousand. The city is reg
ularly laid out in squares, and has wild
l. streets with shade trees on each side
III so thick that at distance it looks NOR
y like forest than city. The house
for the greater part are built of ''adobes
or sun-dried brick; but there are fe,
II good buildings, including the theatre
u city hall, tabernacle, and one or tw
wholesale stores, though since the adven
\. of the railroad they are putting up bette
IT buildings.
~ The Mormons have railroad tina
= connects with the Central Pacific at Oe
den, forty miles north of the city; also
: they are building one to connect wit
- the Southern Pacific, near the Arizon
: line. 1t is already built twenty mile
" south from the city.
The mines here are of great extern