Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-15
THE MORMON METROPOLIS.
Sketches Of Passing Events
and the Shadows Of
Others.
Innumerable Legal Contests
Growing out Of Polyg-
amous Practices,
6 nd the Attempt OF Congress ia
Regulate Morals and Creed,
Statistics of Last Years Progress in
Utah.


Correspondence OF TINS ERE.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, February
10.-In theae days of telegraphs the
news of every important circumstance
is "wired" far and wide over the con-
tinent for The immediate perusal of the
vast host of newspaper readers, leav-
Ing to the ordinary correspondent only
matters of detail, or the recital of sf-
fairs that do not come prominently to
the front. Utah matters seem, how.
ever, to have q certain facinati, IN, not
presented by ordinary news. Our loca-
ton is peculiar, our sociology unique,
our local contests more than usually
bitter. Just now, however, there Is a
lull In the strife. The fight Is waging
more fercely In Washington than at
home. The Mormons are hopeful, the
Gentlles somewhat wearied. Messrs
Cannon and Caine, the late and pres.
emit delegates, assisted by Judge Jerry
Black, Of Pennsylvania, are making a
strong effort to ward off any more
legislation for Utah during this session,
and it seems with every probability of
success, as Congress has enough to do
apparently with tinkering with the
tariff to regard the calls made upon 1t
for yet more repressive measures than
those contained in the Poland and
Edmunds laws, and it is somewhat re.
markable how little effect the disfran.
chisement of the polygamists has had.
True there were a rather larger num-
Der of business failures last year than
is usual In this territory, but even with
this increase neither In number or
liabilities did they approach the gen.
eral average of the whole country.
Bankruptcies and failures J ave been
remarkably few In the commercial his
tory Of Utah, Politically nothing has
been 80 far accomplished by the late
legislation. The coming august cleo.
tions may show some difference, but
without the oms suffrage act is re.
pealed, the non-M ormons cannot hope
10 carry more than three counter, they
may not carry one. If that law be
annulled, of which there is at present
little prospect, then 1t ia possible three
or four more counties might be won
yer to the Gentile cause, but all this
Is problematical, for the act which
would disfranohise Mormon onogamic
women (the sisters in polygamy are
already disfranchised by the Edmunds
billy, would alEo throw out the votes of
the non-M Mormon ladies, and 1t Is yet
very uncertain how large a factor their
vote forms in the election returns of
the "liberal" party.
Possibly to those inguiring about
Utah o few statistics may not be out
of place:
This territory has some 5000 miles
of common roadway, and 1,006 OF
railroad, 2O5 of which latter were
built in 1882. We possess $3.50 miles
Of telegraph line and 600miles of tele.
phone wire, with $50 instruments.
Our manufactures are now estimated
at Sc, 600, QUO annually with about
2 900 manufacturing establishments,
large and small, not including In either
of the above estimates reduction and
smelling works and their output. Our
principal manufactured productions
are -four, meal, cheese, salt, molsst es,
sugar "a small quantity leather, boots,
shoes, harness, saddles, wooden goods,
blankets, hosiery, brick, lime, char
coal, lumber, machinery, furniture,
paper, soap, e~arthenware, brooms,
candy and crackers. Many other arti-
Giles might be mentioned that are pro-
duced on Q smaller scale.
Last year 1t was demonstrated by
Mr.. Arthur Stagner, of Pennington,
that good sugar can be made in the
Salt Lake valley from cane grown in
the neighborhood. The samples
sho wn by MIR. Stsgner are equal to
the best O sugar, of which ne has
made several tons.
Our mineral productions include the
following: Gold, silver, lead. copper,
iron, coal, sulphur, antimony, mica,
salt, alum, arsenic, cinnabar, bismuth,
gypsum, slste, marble, granite, sand
stone, limestone, oohres, mineral
wax, kasolin, clays, ETC., and some
kinds of gems.
There are now published In Utah
eight daily, nine semi-weekly, five
weekly and three semi.monthly papers
and three magazines.
We have $50, 900 acres of land under
fence. Our grain crop is equal, on an
average yield of 5000, 600 bushels.
There are over 10, eco 600 acres of the
public domain. We own $50, coo
sheep, shearing 2,70O,OOO pounds Of
wool.
Our mineral product last year
gold, silver, copper and lead, was
worth $40, 312, 9O2 90. Since the
opening of the mines their outpu,
has amounted to $50, COO, 900.
To-day a decision was given In the
territorial supreme court comforting
the Judgment Of the United States
district court in the probate judge
ship contest. This Is a victory for
the governors nominees, an empty
one, perhaps, rs the case has been APP
peaied to the supreme court of the
United States. The contest was over
the wording of the Hoar amendment
to the last appropriation bill, giving
the governor power to fill vacancies.
The present incumbent held there wal
no vacancy, the contestant that there
was, because he was q polygamist. He
answered that under the law he was
not a polygamist, as he had never
taken q wife since the passage of the
anti. polygamy bill of 1862. Two OF
the Judges have decided that he Is