The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-04

Desirable as it might be to have the
words APRIL THE 9Th, 1882, let into the
blank space, it is hardly probable, SO the
architect MIR. Young, thinks, that il can
be done. April 9th, 1894, would be nearer
10 MIR. 1oung's estimate.
HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE.
The Temple block was the first piece of
ground laid out in the settlement of Salt
Lake city. Brigham Young and the other
founders Of the city, entered the Salt lake
valley, July "a, 1S47. The location of the
Temple block is thus described in Bishop
Whitney's forthcoming HISTORY OF UTAH,
some advance chapters Of which we have
been permitted to see by the author
Describing the first explorations of the
pioneers after they entered the valley, he
says:
The land passed over for about ten miles
was barren and devoid Of water A few
miles south OF point where they stopped
Tor noon, Orson Pratt, ascending a high
ridge, saw for the first time Utah lake. of
which the river they had forded was the
outlet. Goats, sheep and antelope were
seen at various points, playing about and
among the hills. Crossing the valley east
ward, the party returned to the banks of
City creek, fully convinced from all they
had yet seen, that the most eligible site for
their city lay in that locality. Accord
ingly that evening President Young. ac-
companied by the apostles, proceeded to q
spot between and a little below the forks of
City creek, and striking his cane in the
earth said: Here will be the temple of our
God. Here are the forty acres for the
temple. The city can be laid out perfectly
square, north and south, east and west. %
II was then and there decided that the
building of the city should begin at that
place; the temple block TO contain forty
off
contain ten acres each, exclusive of the
streets. The smaller blocks We're to be
sub-dlylded into lots of ten rods by twenty
giving one and quarter acres 10 each lot.
The streets were to be eight rods wide.
lntersecung at right angles with sidewalks
twenty feet In width on either hand The
houses should stand in the centers of the
lots. twenty feet back from the front. Four
city blocks were reserved for public
squares. Such was the plan adopted bv
these city building Apostles in council. At
S p. N. the entire body of pioneer settlers
convened at the Temple grounds, and rati-
fed by unanimous vote the action taken by
their leaders. The Apostles were appoint
go committee TO superintend the laying
out OF the city. Thus was Salt Lake City,
the Mormon metropolis planned and locat-
ed; the date of the event being Wednesday,
July Is, 1S47. Some notifications were
subsequently made in the original plan,
such as reducing the size of the Temple
block from forty TO ten acres as being
more convenient and as the city grew
up over the foothills or benches, 4" the for
mauon OF blocks Of five acres in lieu of ten.
Some OF them were Irregular, also, instead
OF perfectly square, ewing to the peculiar
lay OF the land" But in general the or
iginai plan remained unchanged.
LAYING OF THE CORNER STONES.
The laying Of the corner stones of the
Temple, which took place April 6. 1853 was
notable event long remem bered nv the
pioneers. The excavation and the WORT, OF
building the adobe walls which still sur-
round the block, had been commenced SOME
time before. and when the Conference al
April, 1858, came around, there was an inn
mense gathering Of people from ali over
Utah In attendance to witness the cera-
monies. An old-time, battered copy of the
Deseret NelUs contains the following accom-,
OF the exercises that attended the event
They will be re-read with equal in terest bv
old and new timers.
Wednesday, April 6, 1853, could no,
have dawned more lovely day. or hars