Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-05-20
FROM UTAH.
Special Correspondence INDEpESDExr

"hASO- NlhSOO Ah0ooobSOk RNSSSo ShS
prophet, Brigham Young, on the
shoulder and said: Build here a
home for thy distressed and perse
cuted people"
Mr.. Young said that he would
think about it, and at once set about
to reconnoitre the locality.
He found the location to be stu
ated at the west base of a spur of
Wahsatch Mountains, two miles
east of the river Jordan and twelve
miles southeast of Great Salt Lake
an having an elevation of 1920 feet
above the level of the sea-a little
higher than he liked, nevertheless
he soon fell in with the messengers
suggestion. Two days later, with
square and scratchawl, Mr.. Young
commenced laying out the city, and
to-day one remarkable feature is its
regularity.
The streets are each 12S feet wide
and on either side is ditch through
which flows stream of living water,
brought from City Greek and carried
to al parts of the city.
Along the edges of the sidewalks
(which for the convenience of mar
ried men are twenty feet in width)
and the bitches stand numerous
shade trees which make the streets
cool and lovely.
The city covers an area of two
hundred and sixty blocks. each con-
tanning ten acres. Each block is
divided into eight lots, every one
of which i, 10x20 rods and contains
farm of II acres. The dwellings
are built principally of sundried
brick, and are generally low, small,
ordinary buildings and of one story.
They much resemble many of the
houses found upon southern planta-
tions, but with this exception, the
sides and not the ends front the
street. Those occupied by polygam-
lists have separate entrance for
each wife. "There is always policy
in war"
In case the proprietor takes to his
arms another celestial, an addi-
tiOnal structure is at once attached
to one end or the other of his humble
dwelling, and in case he again feels
disposed, &c, &C.,
Nearly every lot has an orchard
of apple, pear, peach, plum and april
cot trees, together with grapes and
all kinds of small fruit; garden of
onions, beets, turnips, cabbage, to
matoeS and potatoes, and small
field of corn. AT d distance the city
looks like one vast orchard, nearer
it looks like thickly settled farm
ing community.
The residence of the late Brigham
Young, Esq, is a two story struc-
ture, adorned with a cupola and
surrounded on two sides by two
story veranda. 1t is barren of all
artistic beauty, but any number of
natural beauties may be seen on the
fence, round the corners III the
doors, through the windows and
even peeping over the roof of the
house. Altogether the building has
much the appearance of the com
mon hotel. This, with its many
structures attached and its many
dwellings standing apart, occupies
an entire block, called Brigham
Young's block. The latter is sur
rounded, not by loose picket fence,
but by huge stone wall, some fifteen
feet in height, studded every few
rods by enormous stone pillars and
cut through 10y arched driveways
and footpaths, capable of being
closed aud bolted.
The general appearance of the
Reverend's institution is that of
young States prison.
About one half of the business
places are one-story buildings, long,
low and poorly lighted They bear
Enthusiastically the Mormon stamp.
The other half are much better,
having two stories, better light and
and yankee appearance. In fact
it is the gentle yankee that gives
Salt Lake City its business and en-
terprise.
The city is divided into twenty
blocks, each under the control of a
bishop, while the government of the
city at large is vested in mayor
and common council. But the
mayor and common council are
really under the control of the Press
ident of the Mormon Church; there
fore the President has the control of
the people, 1000 of which-one. third
of the entire populatlon-areg entiles
or apOState mOrmOnS.
The schools that are provided by
law and supported by tax, and the
teachers employed therein, are Nor
mons, and more, the law provides
that the pupils shall be assiduously
and regularly taught the sectarian
catechism affirming the revelation of
Joseph Smith. There are also many
good private schools. The principal
ones are the University of Desert,
(Mormon) the Roman Catholic Nun
merry, st. Marks School. (Episcopal)
and the Presbyterian and Methodist
schools. For its public library the