The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1888-01-26
FROM SALT LAKE.
An Ex.CantOnlte DiscOurses Upon
Both the Pleasant and Unpleasant
Features Of Utah and the Great Salt
Lake.

| Lake.
DR.. J. I. Taylor, who is now general
agent for the Iowa Mason's Benevolent
society, writes THE ADVOCATE from
Salt Lake City, where he passed few
days of interesting sightseeing. He
promises in a few days to give q de-
scription Of California as he sees it.
His letter on NIormonism is as follows:
EDITOR ADvoCATE:-According to
agreement | send you notes ny the
way of my trip in wonder land" which
NAV be of some interest to your many
readers. On Thursday we went aboard
the "Overland Flyer at Omaha and
steamed out through the valley of the
Platte, passing by cities, towns, farms
| and rural homes for hundreds Of miles.
The world widens out into one grand
plain, till the bluffs and peaks begin
| to rise in the distance. Then from
valley to mountain top, and you soon
reach Sherman, the highest point, be-
ing some eight thousand feet above the
level of the sea. A ringing sound is in
our ears, and we soon discovered that
it takes q great deal Of air TO do little
breathing. The rugged heights are
tumbled thickly with gray granite and
sprinkled with dwarf pines and cover
ed with sage brush. On we go, plung-
ing into Echo canon, passing Eagle
Rock, doubling Cape Horn and, with
whirl, pass the Thousand Mile Tree.
Then, through deep gorges Ogden is
reached, making the distance of one
thousand miles in thirty-six hours At
Ogden we left the main line for Salt
Lake City, q distance of thirty miles,
and arriving at the city OF the Saints"
At two in the morning our SlumberS
were short and sweet.
After our morning repaSt we placed
oursef in the care of a tOnsorial artist
80 as to be presentable to the sanity
wives and daughters Of this modern
Zion. Whilst patiently waiting l in
advertently remarked to tha man of
soap and ra2ors, who is pOlander, and
whose color was shade lighter than
Geo. Webb's and religious proclivities
more positive about the curse of Nor
monism on his city, and soon saw his
displeasure when he remarked that
that was his church. and knowing the
advantage he had by position | dried
IN. The bootblacks who salute you
with "shine. mister?' are all spiritual
oifsprings Of polygamous parents. The
cigar vender, who sells you two cigars
for two bits, pays one-tenth into the
''tithcing" house. In fact, all trades
and businesses and even strangers are
tithed to support the church. We first
visited the temple. q fine structure,
whose walls are Of cut granite one hun
ared feet high and the area at the base
one hundred and fifty feet by three
hundred. We next visited Assembly
Hail." another magnificent ediiice, the
interior being beautifully adorned with
2rescoes and paintings. The one most
to be admired IS on the west end, repre-
senting the angel "Aleroni' showing
Joe Smith where to find the book of
Mormons. We then went to the taber-
naclc, a large circular building, seating
some ten thousand persons. The ac-
cOustic properties are grand. l stood
in front Of the altar, near the great Or
gal2, and 2 Mormon elder dropped a pin
in the furthermGst part from me, and
the noise Of the fall upon the floor
could be distinctly heard where stood.
| We then went TO the endowment house,
but was not allowed to enter, being Il
Gentle and having no young virgins
to be sealed to.
\ short strol! along BrIgham street
brought us in front Of Brigham
Yonng's castle, now owned by his fav
orite wife, Amelia. Directly in front
;,nA ac1oss The street ara several resi-
dences OF moro modest rretansions.
These are occupied by his other wives.
4 solid wall Of masonry ten feet high
surrounds them to keep off all persons
and eavesdroppers, and to protect their
virtue. Many other interesting points
were visited, but space will not permit
us to write about them in this letter.
Salt Lake City is beautiful place,
nicely situated and having many nat
E:gl advantages, and i it were not for
Mormonism it would become the lsrg-
est and most attractive city in the
west, j. !, TAYLOR,
Salt Lake City, December 81, 1887.