Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-10-09
THE A4ERICAN DEADsbEA.

THE AMERICAN DEAD,sEA.
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Correspondence of tho N. Y. Sun.
SALT LAKE CRY, August 28.-Yester
day visited the Great Salt Lake,. But
few strangers 60 to it. A tourist might
spend a month in the city before he
would find out how to reach it. Prob
ably half of the residents of the Nor
mon capital have never stood upon the
shores OF this great inland sea. Black
and Profile Rocks, the main points OF
interest, are twenty miles from the city.
Accompanied by the Hon. Standish
Rood, formerly of Milwaukee, and q
party OF ladies, 1 left Salt Lake City al
3 a. m. We had a fine span of horses.
kunning out of town through :shady
street turning at the Tabernacle, we
struck for a mountain iutting INTO the
lake apparently but three miles away,
Its true distance is 10 miles. The at.
mosphere is 80 clear that it is one vast
field of glass, making the mountains
appear much nearer than they really
are. At times they seem to be within
rifle range. Occasionally, however, the
valley grows hazy and the dark, rocky
peaks loom up above the .smoke-like
island cliffs above the ocean.
THE SACRED RIVER.
The road to the lake is intersected
by irrigating bitches and the river
Jordan. With these exceptions it is ae
level as floor. For short distance il
is bordered by fields of grain. There are
but few fences. The most of the land
is desert. Even the hardy sage brush
refuses tosgrow. The soil is so strongly
impregnated with alkali that in manJ
places 1T looks as though somebody
had sprinkled it with pulverized lime,
The Jordan is q quiet stream, several
rods wide. The water Is clear and
pure. There are no trees upon ite
banks. The Mormons look upon il
very much as the Crusaders regarded
the original Jordan in Palestine. In
their eyes it is sacred river. They
declare that the spirit Of Joe
Smith appeared to Brigham Young
upon one of the mountains back of the
city, and pointed out to him the Jordan
as it wound its way over the valley like
a narrow silver ribbon. Joseph told
Brigham that the Great Salt Lake was
the promised land. He selected the
site of tho city of Zion, and ordered
the erection Of the temple upon chosen
spot.
THE GREAT SALT LAKEMARsHEs.
A dozen miles from the city we an
preached the marshes fringing the
Great Salt AXE. They are miles in
extent, and were covered with large
herds of fat cattle. These grazing
herds are owned by the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The real foundation of this church is
its tithing system. Under this system
each saint turns over one-tenth of all
his earnings for the benefit of the
church. Many Of the Mormons pay
their tithes in cattle. The church herd
is said to include over q million head
of stock. It is source of never fail
ing revenue, for the beeves are of the
choicest kind, and command the best
prices. The herders are appointed by
the dignitaries of the church, and the
Bishops keep i careful account of the
stock.
The marshes of the Great Salt Lake
are the resort of thousands of vile
fowl. They present a splendid field
for sportsmen. Among the ducks and
snipe we saw large white swan pad,
ding up a little lagoon. The grasses
are said to be very nutritious. Acres
of wild beans are scattered over the
marshes. The stalks: grow to. the
height of three or four feet, and bear
fragrant pink flowers as large AS balls
of cotton just bursted from their pods.
THE GREAT SALT LAKE.
As we neared the mountains; a thin
blue streak appeared beyond the
marshes: It was the Great Salt Lake.
Gradually the streak expanded, until
the surface of the sea was spread before
us. A strong wind came up from the
northwest, and caps of foam danced
upon the bosom of the waters. They
were of dazzling whiteness. The lake,
however, was as blue as indigo. In
some places it was streaked with green,
phur water. We drove along the base
of the mountains, which throw theil
rocky spars to the shore line. Looking
to the north, nothing could be seen bui
the water heaving against a clear sky
1t was like gazing upon the Ocean al
Long Branch. The lake stretches
toward the Central Pacific Road over s
hundred and twenty-five miles. FIT,
miles west it washes the borders of tn,
Great American Desert. It is larg,
body of water. Delaware and Rhod,
Island might be thrown into it's depths
and there, would still be room for
slice of New Jersey. On our right wa
Church Island, mountain etched will
sparkling springs and green valley
nearly thirty miles long. A simila
island arose on the left. The lake i
dotted with those mountain islands.
THE SHORES OF THE LAKE.
Profile Rock is cliff which project
into the lake about twenty miles iron
the Tabernacle. Black Rock rears it
head from the water several hundre,
feet from the foot of the cliff. TIL
waves dashed against these rocks witt
great fury, creating noise not unlik
the roar Of the ocean surf. The beacl
is white sand, though in some place
it is ridged with pebbles of variegate'
colors. Along the marshes the actiol
OF the water has thrown up breast
works of white sand, which liue tn
shore for miles. All the stories abou
men riding down to the shores of til
the lake, and shoveling up bushels o
clear salt are false. The sand beyon'
the reach of the breakers has coatin,
of salt, but it is as thin Ms sheet q
foolscap. Parties, however, go to til
beach and boil down the water in larg
kettles, getting about 80 per cent. o
salt; but it can he used only for tn
curing Of beef and pork. It mustsb
refined before it is fit for table use
The water tastes like spoiled brine, ::an'
smells like the seaweed Of Long Islau'
Sound at low tide.
THE BLACK SEA GULLs.
Breakers dashed upon the beach il
triple lines like the breakers at Cone
Island. They rolled in from ten t.
twelve feet. Within half an hour on
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