Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-01-13
Utah and the Mormons.

1 L TOOK the OllSOn Toll fOau at
. White Pine in April, 1870, for
. EiIlo. l sold my piebald mus
tang pony, and then got on
board the cars bound for Og-
: den, Utah. The country needs
} no description from me between
EIko and Ogden, for salt mar
, shes, sage brush, prairies and al
} kali deserts constitute most of
the scenery. The G. p. cars
run in sight Of the Great Salt
Lake before the traveller ar
J rives at Ogden. The country
on the north and east side of
Salt Lake is very fertile; but on
thesouth and west, it is moth
} ing but white and weary des-
, ert. Ogden is at the junction
Of the G. p. and q. ?. Rail-
roads. The town contains six
thousand inhabitants, mostly
Mormons. Brigham's road, on
the Utah Central Railroad, ex-
tends from Ogden to Salt Lake
city, a distance Of forty miles.
The Utah Central runs on the
eastern side OF the Lake, al
mo t due south TO Salt Lake
cily-the WaSatch range OF
mountains extend north and
south, parallel with the Railroad
and east Of the Lake. The
prairie between the Lake and
the Mountains is green and
grassy most of the year, giving
the country a fine appearance.
Salt Lake City is situated on
the beautiful prairie about four
miles from the base Of Wasatch
mountainS-Great Salt Lake,
tle Dead Sea of America, lies
twelve miles west of the city.
The streets Of the city are we'll
laid out, very wide, and run
ming at right angles. Beauti-
fui shade trees are planted a.
long the sidewalks, and clean
streams of water go dancing
and ripping and gurgling a.
way to the Jordan, over yellow
cobble stones. The houses are
built most generally of adobes,
or sun dried bricks, while the
front yard is ornamented with
1 shade trees and currant bushes;
flowers, fruit trees and shrub
berry can also be seen. | took
rooms at the Salt Lake House,
while | remained in the city,
which was six weeks. and Jared
well, although the Hotel was
owned by Brigham Young
Lee and Benedict's minstrel
troupe Of Philadelphia were
playing at Brigham's theater--
the British Blondes were also
engaged. Geo. Francis Train
was lecturing in the city and
your correspondent did not die
Of ennui. Brigham's two ha-
rems-the Lion and the Bee
Hive are situated on East Tenn
pie St. The yard is surround
ed with a high, cobble store
wall--an eagle, carved and gilded
keeps guard at the gate, while
wooden lion lies couchant at
the front door step Of the Lion
House. The new Tabernacle is
one of the most conspicuous build
ings in the city. 1t will a commo-
date an audience of ten tht u1and
persons, The roof is shaped
like the she'll of a turtle-the
windows are not stained-there is
no pulpit, hut a raised floor, stage,
supplies the place of one. Five
or seven gilded horns, Il forget
which, are placed over the altar.
DR.. Newman. Chaplain of the U.
S Senate. challenged Brigham
Young for a debate, while | was
residing in the city. Brigham
would pot debate with him,
but matched the DR.. with Orson
Pratt. The debate continued
three days and created intense ex-
citement. Orson Pratt went to
school but thirteen days, but he Is
an Impressive and forcible speak
eI. He has hammered his way
through somesix or eight q, ad Ian
guages. He is the author of a work
on Astronomy, as well as one on
Philosophy. He is Brigham's
chief of Apostles and is consid-
cred the Usman of the Mormon
faith. Pratt defeated Newman
badly, and the adherents of Brig
ham were greatly exalted over
lit. The debate is published aud
for sale by the editor of the Salt
Lake Tribune, price % cents.
Subject debated-"Does the Old
Testament teach Polygamy?" Pratt
taking the Observation-Disclosures
the negative. While boarding at
a Mormon Hotel, read the Nor
mon Bible, the Book of Doctrine
and Coven ants and several others,