Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-11-11

great tabernacle. In case of a seCon
deluge, by turning the Tabernacle W
side down, 1t would make an excellen
ark for large Mormon family. Brig
hams contempt for style and desire fo
room were again eXemplified il its con
structlon. The grounds surroundin,
the Tabernacle are girt in by higi
stone wall, built precisely after tn,
manner of walls | have seen in Eng
land which enclosed the parks Q
noblemen.
The Tabernacle wall was uNdoubted
ly built by English workmen. Within
Its Enclosure is also very handsome
Gothic church, constructed of granite
and barely finished. There is also Z
vast temple going up there, which vii
stand for ages. 1t has been building fol
twenty-seven years, and hopes are en-
tertained that it will be completed
five years hence Its material is cut
granite of the most enduring quality
which is brought from some mountain
twenty or thirty miles distant. Before
the railroad to Ogden was built the
granite blocks had to be transported by
OK teams, but they now come by rail.
Evidently the Mormons have strong
faith III the future of their religion.
The great temple is not to be used for
ordinary theological purposes but for
solemn and awful ceremOnials, of which
degraded outside barbarians are not to
be permitted any knowledge of. 1t is
known, however, that the faithful are
to be annointed within its sacred con-
fines, or "greased," as the gentiIes
term it. | did not start out to write a
stereotyped article on Salt Lake City,
but merely to lightly refer to its most
conspicuous object that attracted my
attention. There is one thing about
the Mormon women which is COM
mendable. They dress plainly and
mOdestly, and have none of the ''catch
me if you can" airs which gentle wo-
men exhibit on the streets of every
city in the United States, with the sole
exception of San Francisco. They do
not tllrt-at least, not in the public.
Nearly every one | saw who looked
like married woman had baby in
her arms. [ saw large pasetboard
card hanging in the hotel labeled
'Utah's best crop" Being in search of
information, and presuming that [
might learn something to my advan-
tage, turned the card over. On the
opposite side were the photographs in
miniature of about 800 babies. There
is no humbug about the matter. From
center to circumference Utah has ba-
bies. The Mormons differ from out
3lders on various religious points, and
are lied about as a matter of course.
1t Is claimed that the Mormon wo-
men carry a look of blank despair be-
cause of the existence of polygamy in
his territory. That statement has
Mormon women are not as intelligent,
l class, as the women of Ameri-
;an States and territories, for the
of them, outside of Salt Lake
;lty, are poor European emigrants or
heir descendants. The country is not
developed, and educational advantages
ire not what they should be. .TheMormon
women are cheerful, however, Just as
cheerful as any mOnOgamic wife who
)uts her husbands salary on her back
very month and sails down to the
matinee. Ithas also been claimed that
lormon babies are not up to the
entile standard-that they look weak, |
'uny and spiritless. That is another
mere invention. The race of people |
n the Salt Lake Valley may some day |
lot be so vigorous as the people of |
ONE other distant sections, but the dis
lnctiOn will need to be attributed to |
he mildness of the climate and not to |
'olygamy. [ am no friend to the pc
uliar institution; abhor it;but don't |
eleve it can ever be extinguished by
wing.
As [ was taking a stroll one evening
overlook two saints earnestly chat
ing at a street corner. "To |
hink of going back to one lady!" was
he indignant exclamation of one of the
'olygamic pair. They appeared to re-
ard with horror the idea of tying a
nan down to one wife. A man was
ointed out to me on the street as the
wner of one wife and three brevet
ives. No. 4 was a blooming girl Of
6. The owner of these four women
ras man fully 80 years of age a
ative of the state of New York and
ducated and intelligent. In Salt Lake
ity, and in most portions of Utha, wo-
len are spoken of as "Iadies." A
lan's wife is his "lady," and his
ives are his "ladies." Many Of the
ry goods clerks in Salt Lake city have
lree wives apiece. ''How the deuce
0 these fellows support SO many
ives? In California man who sup
orts one does amazingly we'll" This
lid to an old resident. "WelI," he
eplied, Sin Il multitude of cases it's
le women who support men. Old ]
righam used to preach to the women ]
lat they must make themselves use !
Il as well as ornamental. They sew,
Ike in washing and work generally. If
ley like it, what business is it to peo- I
e thousand miles away?" l have {
en much of polygamy; [ have so /
urned with thoroughly married men
with men who have as many wives as '
any mOnogamic wife has devoted t
ascullne admirers; [ have mingled '
lth MormOns in every part of the ter t
tory; have partaken of hospitality,
liked and fraternized with them; | !;
i've seen their virtues and defects !
I'd know their aspirations and absurd :
)litical dreams. 1t is impossible, .
'wever, to get the whole thing into E
le article.
Labor Garipe q