Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-06-01
VISIT TO M0RMONDOM.

VISIT TO M0RMONDOM.
What a Former Knoxville Lady Thinks of
Salt Lake City and the MOrmOns.
We are permitted to make extracts from
a private letter of late date from a Knox
vile lady now on the Pacific cost: = = ,
How can spare time for letter writing?
So much to see and so short a time to see it
| in, (Only year. But let me hurry it off
| and-off myself. 49, ~
| addressed my last letter from the City
of the Saints and now it is my pleasure
to write you from the city of the Heather
| Chinee."
promised to tell you about Mormon
| dom, but how can n My readings in re-
lation to Salt Lake City, not only tended
to prejudices me against the people, but
place also. Now, whatever view 1 may
entertain as to the saints, can not but
write you that the city is garden home. =
| We arrived there Friday night. Saturday
morning we drove about the city, return
| ing full of admiration and wonder. 1t
| numbers about $4,000 inhabitants, %, 900
of whom are Mormons. The streets are
regularly arranged, broad avenues, luxuri-
ant shade trees, OH either side with
running streams from the mountains, adj
ding to its beauty, not little. This sys-
tenn of irrigation, with which you are
familiar, is admirable. - Many fine
dwellings are to be seen, spacious
taverns, fine orchards and flowers
in endless profusion meet the eye every
where. The business portion of the city
presented an animated scene. 1t was
filled with horses and wagons and the bus
tie and hurry reminded me of our own
busy Eastern cities. In the afternoon we
visited several business houses, houses
which would be a credit to a city of greater
pretensions. / saw there all the latest
styles in bOnnets and dress goods, &c. The
sights impress you with the feeling that
| you are in an Eastern city. They have
| city ways, manners and customs in fact,
| they seem to have all their hearts can wish
| for. Who could have more? From our
| elegant rooms at the walker House. we
| looked out upon the mountains, white with
perpetual snow, while the hot sun came
| teeming down upon us, making our travel
| ling attire uncomfortable. Across the
street we could see California strawber-
| ries, cherries, green peas, oranges, ban
nanas exposed for sale, all of which pre-
sented an interesting sight which your
city can not afford.
Call Salt Lake Valley desert or a will
derness, if you please. Salt Lake City with
its thousands of trees and rich green
foliage, its sparkling waters and its beauti-
full homes, is an oasis teeming with life
and progression. OF course, we went to the
tabernacle and through ii, and what a monu-
ment of religious enthusiasm or fanaticism,
costing half million of dollars! The
building is oblong, having length of $50
feet by $50 in width. Forty.siX six columns
support the roof. In one end of this build
ing is the organ, second in size in Ameri-
ca. This one immense room will seat 1O,-
600 people. The temple now in course Of
construction is to cost $4,000 900, nothing
but the foundation as yet appears, yet 81
600, 600 have been expended. 1t is TO be
built of granite, the money is raised by
tithing, one tenth of all earnings is do
mated to their 'doTy.
We visited the menagerie, saw a fine col
lection of Utah minerals, old Indian relics,
few stuffed and still fewer live animals
We heard more than we saw, as the keep
er was Saint and we interviewed HIM.
He said he had two wives and having
married the last from religious principle
he was happy. At night we attended
Brigham's theatre, a dilapidated but very
large building well adapted for the pur-
pose. We saw Brigham's seat, also his
families. The President was absent and
his family was represented by only 10
blooming daughters, the greater portion
was detained at home. Brigham was out
of town. Ex-Governor Clafiin of Mass. was
his guest and he was showing him the val
ley,so we missed seeing the great mogul. |
However, the Gentiles may regard Brig
ham Young's religious belief, they do not
question his business integrity or ability,
and are only too anxious to associate their
monied interests with his. Brigham
Young is a wonderful man, as Salt Lake
City attests. Mormonism is fixed fact.
The President has resigned his trusteeship
of the church, but it signifies nothing. It
is but preparatory for his final leave that
the church may not suffer by his depar-
ture. ,re,e -
Sunday, we went to the Tabernacle
and listened to discourses from Brothers
Nicholson and Orson Pratt, and what
congregation what motley crowd :, Is 4
this MOrmonism? Are these Mormons? |
was not surprised that these people should
advocate polygamy, the only wonder was
where they found room to marry them,
but a glance at the females settled the |
question. believe in Mormonism for
these people. They were intended for
each other. Leave them alone, am sure |
their affinities exist nowhere else
AS we were leaving, at the depot Doctor
met an old Saint with whom he discussed
his peculiar doctrine. To the question,
now many wives have you," he replied
-FOUR" "Do you all live harmoniously ?'
He replied, that depends on temperament
and disposition. Some men, you know,
can not live happily with one. Now, L
have four. One is sickly, the other three |
cooperate with me in caring for the wants |
of all. We live happily together, each dis
charging her respective duties." If his |
wives are as happy as he seems to be they
are "the happy family but are they |