Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-06-12
wALHAILA, soUTII5 CAROLINA, JUNE -, 1890.

ll IL, 1900. AZ
above the sea level, (more than
eight times -hs high as Stump
House Momtain,) tic highest point
in that section. The air Mt this ele.
vation is soApure and peculiar and
1.-THE lungs become so rapidly filed
that one feels like s,iffffooating, With
some it causes hemorrlages from the
nose. The bodies of dead animals
do not decomposo as with us, but
remain formonths without any sign
of putrcfaction.
The gradegof the railroad up the
mountain to this pass is two hundred
and seventeen feet to the milo, rem
dering Unnecessary for two engines
to draw the cars. So circuitous is
the route that four trains of cars
(thrce besides the ono in which we
were) could be seen descending on
the same track Mt the same time.
Along this route IL is necessary to
hay y snow sheds to prevent the
snow from filling in and sliding on
the track. Where the road runs
through the plains it is necessary to
protect the tracks from. snow drifts
by plank fences, built somewhat on
the plan of a plank water dam. At
the foot of the mountains is the
Utah Valley, which is one hundred
and fifty miles long and from thirty
to fifty miles wide. The crops in
this valley are kept fresh by irriga-
tion, which is under the control Of
irrigat;ng companies, who rent out
the water to the farmers. In the
course of time the whole valley will
be like a garden. All along the
route through this valley arc thriv-
ing towns, where all kinds of mining
1 (such as gold, silver, copper and
irony arc carried on.
Salt Lake City, "thc Mormon Me-
tropolis," is a beautiful city, laid out
like Columbia, S. O., with double
row of trees. Along each side walk
flows a stream of fresh water, which
is used for irrigating the town. In
this city are some beautiful and
costly buildings. "Thc Tabernacle,
in which the Mormons preach, is
clliptical in shape, $50 feet long by
$50 feet wide, and 70 feet in height
from the floor to the ceiling at its
highest point, and 80 feet from tho
floor to Tie top Of the .rool. The
interior of the building presents an
oval arch without any centre sup
port, tho largest sclf-supporting arcl,
| in America, with the exception of
that of the Central Depot, Tcw
York, and probably the largest in
the world constructed wholly OF
wood. The entire building has a
seating capacity of about 10000.
The organ in the Tabernacle is
second to none in the United States
in appearance and sweetness of tone
and is excclled in size by but ones
The acoustic properties of the Taber-
nacle arc wonderful. A pin drop
ped or the rubbing Of the hands
together can be distinctly heard
across the building. The unfinished
Temple has already cost five million
dollars and when completed will be
22O feet high.
The entrance to Brigham Young's
former residences was through what
is known as the Eagle Gate. The
grounds arc surrounded by thick
wall about ten feet high, the whole
SO constructed as to resist the attack
of enemies. In several houses
within the enclosure fourteen wives
of Brigham Young still live. In a
simple iron enclosure, about 15C
yards from his former residences, is
the grave of Brigham Young, which
is covered by simple marble slab
without inscription, and near by arc
the graves of five of his wives, OH each
slab of which is the inscription
"Mrs. Young" On the gate
is the monogram "B. Y"
Among the buildings (too hume.
rous to mcntiom is the general tith.
ing store house. "It is the custom oil
tho Mormons to pay their tithes and
donations to the church in kind
y Consequently at the tithing
store is gathered most complica.
ted assortment of products--grain
vegetables, merchandise, cattle al
| mtnit,,m." There is, also, com
bination store, "Iion's Co-Opcrative
Mercantile Institution," familiarly
known as "Big Coop" which is car.
ricd on by the Mormans and docs q