The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-06-07
(Corroepondoncc Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

(Corroepondoncc Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH,}
May %, 1882.
The strip OF land which divides the At
iantic and Pacific oceans being somewhat
wider and more diversified than the telc-
graph would impress YOU with when II
tells YOU to-day on the Atlantic what trans
pired Yesterday on the Pacific shore. and
one who travels over it and tries to note
what he sees is embarrassed by the thought
that the compass 81 a newspaper letter viii
not admit Of his doing justice 10 his sub
iect or meeting the expectation Of his
friends. II has been said OF Bismarck
that he knew how and when 10 be silent
in six languages. The only point OF re-
sembance when your correspondent claims
between himself and the great Minister OF
State is seli-willcd determination. lie de-
termined TO be silent with = wealth OF We
hicles to convey his thoughts, and de-
termine TO be garrulous, using my mother
tongue indincrcntly Us the only vehicle at
command for airing my thoughts.
FROM DENVER,
where | last wrote you, to this place, you
pass for "A long way down the river Platte,
where there are many large ranches en-
closed by wire fences, extensive irrigation,
and large area devoted TO the cereals !;
but after YOU leave the Platte you see but
few marks Of the plOughshare until You get a
long way down on the Pacific slope. The
ascent after you cross the Platte is contin-
uous. and before we got TO Cheyenne we
reached region where it was showing by
fits and staItS-frozcn April showers in
MAY. and dthemountains in the distance were
white with snow. After leaving Chey-
cnnc YOU get on the Laramie plainS,' n
vast cxpanse OF prairie. You pass Fort
Wallace and reach "Shcrman Station" the
highest point on the road (S,0O0feet, before
nightial. Here huge rough stone monu-
ment, very much ip appearance like the
Confederate monument at Hollywood. 10
being erected to Oakes Ames. The whole
Of this part of the Rocky Mountains Is
covered with gigantic boulders or scanned
with wall-like lcdges Of what appeared TO
be yellowiSh sandstone.
After passing Sherman, down You go un-
til night shuts out the scene. When day
light came we were speeding along down
AMONG THE ALKALINE HILLS,
and along the valley Of the "bitter wa
tcrs." For hours we travelled through a
region where there was nothing for man or
beast to feed upon, and where the scant
water TO be found is said TO he en-
tirely unfit for use, nothing but scat
tered tufts OF sagc-hruSh and huge fam
tastically-shapcd boulderS OF yellowish
clay being visible. In rainy seasons this
clay is said 10 get OF the consistency
Of soft soap. We got our breakfast about
10 o'clock at a station where coal Is mined
on large scale, and where all the water
used for culinary or drinking purposes has
10 be brought by rail from outside this
desert. The labor is done entirely by CHI
nese. We got dinner at station near n
river, and things began to improve rapid
". At one point we passed " flume "
twenty-five miles long, which is used for
floating wood from the mountains. About
O'Clock we entered the celebrated
WEBER CANTON.
This CANYON j. about twenty-five miles
long, and has river running through il
about twenty yards in width, looks deep,
and is very swift. For the first few miles
having taken my position on the rear plat
form Of the hindmost car so rs to have a
full view Of both sides Of the road-l won
dered and admired; but soon the grand,
the awful, the sublime, the beautiful,
crowded upon me so fast that "threw
up the SPONGE" and abandoned myself to
spiritual imaginingS, if not to spiritual
guidance. We reached Ogden at Gt p. NJ,
which is town OF 6.000 inhabitants, and
is situated on the edge OF
THE "GREAT sALT-LAKE VALLEY
There we took another train for this city
OF the "Saints,' distant 81 miles. The
lake is 40 miles long and 30 miles wide,
and contains no living thing except small
insect. which | understand TO be about
three quarters OF an inch long. On the
east and southeast side is a beautiful valley,
walled in by mountains that are snow-clad,
and containing a population OF some
1j0,0 900. Well-cultiyated farms, neat cot
tages, and general appearance OF thrift
characterize a large portion OF what have
seen OF the valley. On the opposite side
of the lake is Il desert for 80 miles, where
nothing lives because there is Il total alb.
scnce Of water.
SALT LAKE CITY.
This city is prettily situated, regularly
laid of with unusually wide streets, anC
has all the appliances and improvements o.
fine eastern city-strcet-cars, parks anC
drives, electric lights, &c.-and it is the
residence Of the president, apostles, and
saints that stand at the head Of the Norman
faith. Ii is pretty spot they have chosen
and il let alone their industry, thiift, anc
apparent harmony could make it, no doubt
TO them, an earthly paradise. On yesterday
In company with gentleman from st
Louis and another from England, l visited
the Tabernacle, the unfinished temple, ant
other prominent places, including Brigham
Young's former residence, and then w
called on
PRESIDENT TAYLOR.
We first called at his dweling-a fine struc
ture--and sent up our cards. and the re
sponse was TO walk over TO the Office anC
the President would be there In a few
minutes. We found wel-arranged apart
ment, with number Of diyans and chairs
for the accommodation Of visitors, ant
three aged gentlemen who appeared TO b.
clerks. The walls were adorned with life
size portraits of their twelve apostles o.
saints; and there were also some photo
graphs and maps scattered around oil In
walls. when the President came in ~
gave us very civil reception, and intro
duced the conversation by telling pleasant
nnecdote, inspired by the longitude OF one
OF our party.
ON THE MORMON QUESTION.