Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
AMONG THE MORMONS.


AMONG THE MORMONS.
In the City of Latter Day Saints of
course the chief interest centers In the
Mormons and their institutions. In fact
the Mormon influence is felt immediately.
The fight between the Gentilesi and the
Mormons has been a bitter one; it forms
the only political issue-the Liberals YER
sus the People. The Zion Cooperative
Mercantile Association owns and controls
the largest business institutions In the
city and are supported by almost the en-
tire Mormon population. The Mormons
patronize the Mormons, and the Gentiles
the Gentiles Naturally this state of af-
fairs has depressing influence upon trade
and enterprise. The city has two theaters
one for each party The Gentiles seem
to have a natural aversion to anything
Mormon, and therefore do not patronize
the Mormon theater, and the Mormons
studiously avoid attending the Gentle
theater.
The vigorous measures adopted by the
United States Government have entirely
destroyed the practice of polygamy, and
that in connection with the great confsca-
ton of property has undoubtedly greatly
weakened the church.
The visit to the Temple and Tabernacle
is always of great interest to the stranger
On approaching Salt Lake City, for many
miles your attention has been attracted to
a great granite structure situated in the
center of the city. This is the Mormon
Temple, built of large blocks of granite
and commenced, as the inscription on the
building tells you, in the year A. d. 1858.
1t is not completed yet, and the way the
work is dragging at the present time re-
minds one of the progress of a government
building 1t is said to have already cost
$4,000, 900. The massiveness of the build
ing is its only especial feature. The tow
ers, though not yet completed, afford an
excellent view of the city.
The Temple. Tabernacle and Assembly
Hall are situated in the Temple Square,
which is surrounded by heavy stone wall
twelve feet high. The Tabernacle is
A WONDERFUL BUILDING
In its way The roof Is one large self
supporting dome The building is in the
form of an eclipse Its dimensions are $50
by $50 by so feet. The building, owing
to its shape and roof, is a famous whisper
ing gallery. If the visitor stands at one
extremity of the building he can distinctly
hear a whisper or the falling of a pin at
the other, over 200 feet distant. The
Tabernacle will seat 5000 people, and, as
it contains twenty-eight doors, the entire
building can be emptied in very few
minutes. 1t is said that the appearance of
the inside of the vast dome was not pleas
ant to the eye, and this has been remedied
by draping the interior with long stream
ers of evergreen and colored paper The
great organ of the Tabernacle is an instru-
ment of remarkable power and sweetness.
This organ is an object of considerable in
terest, as it is of home manufacture and
contains 2.64S pipes. Itcost 100000. The
services ON Sunday afternoon are always
well attended The auditorium was not
filled entirely on the occasion the writer
was there, only about 5000 people being
present The acoustic properties of the
building are perfect; every word of the
sermon can be distinctly understood even
if you are 200 feet from the speaker. The
sermon was long and rambling, inter-
spersed every minute with some remark
on the persecution of the government. The
Desert News, the leading Mormon paper,
had Stenographer present, and Monday
published what purported to be a verbatim
report of the service, but the writer
noticed that some very careful editing had
been done. and all reference to the govern
ment quietly dropped The choir is large
and well trained, and, with the mellow
tones of the organ, the effect is excellent
The Lion House, the Bee Hive House,
the Amelia Palace, Eagle Gate and Brig
ham Youmgs grave are also objects of great
interest to the stranger.
The city itself is beautifully situated and
well laid out The principal streets are re
markably broad-130 feet-and lined with
heavy shade trees Whatever opinion one
may have of the MormonS as a religious
sect, the Mormons individually, be it said to
their credit. are kind-hearted and generous
people, who by their thrift and perseverance
have truly made the valley blossom like
the rose.
BATHING IN THE GREAT SALT LAKE
Is am experience so unique, so delightful
and exhilarating, that 1t can never be for
gotten. There Is probably nothing like it
in the world. 1t differs entirely from or
binary salt water bathing. The water of
the lake is so extremely heavy (being near
Iy 20 per cent. salt that a person cannot
sink 1t is really a strange sensation to one
who is not accustomed to bathing In this
water to walk out into the lake. You I'M
mediately feel yourself growing lighter
and lighter as you advance, until you seem
to weigh nothing, and it is with the great
est difficulty that you can keep on your feet.
The feet being lighter ordinarily than
ones head show such a decided determine
ton to come to the surface that one is rather
startled, and you immediately picture to
yourself the dire calamity of your feet In the
air and your head under the water. But