The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-25

balance was taken in adobes, lumber,
apple trees, flour, meat orders, tithing,
etc., all of which, with many other pro-
ducts, was then the currency of the terri
tory.
SYRUP AND SUGAR.
For lack of chemical ability, and under
the more intricate processes of sugar-mak-
ing at that date, 1S52-34-5, an expenditure
of a quarter Of million had failed to ma
terialize, but sweetening was important
with sugar at 81 per pound, and so beet
molasses and some syrup were made from
carrots, squash and from the sugar dew on
box-elder trees. OH if we had but
known of sorghum then, what boon
1t would have been to UTAH After
wards it became an important product, for
thousands of gallons were made every year,
and after experience in boiling with evap-
orators, it was and is to-day preferred by
many TO the imported syrup, good deal of
which is only glucose and without sweeten-
ing power or flavor at the best. The growth
of cane, such as the Amber variety.
should be increased among our farmers,
for it possesses crystallizing qualities, as
was proved in many barrel, before the
experiences of Bishop Madsen, of Gunni-
son, or the still more practical results of
Arthur Stayner's perseverance, and of
course long before Kansas sugar factories
for sorghum were established, or the gov
eminent Fort Scott experiments had paved
the way. If even the Utah demand for
syrup were supplied from this direction it
is likely that the present or future home
beet-sugar factories may see their way to
utilize the cane, and so extend the working
season of their expensive plants
Cleanliness, being considered next to
Goodness, made soap very precious COM
modify in those scheming days, particu-
larly when the mountain ranges began to
exhibit their feeding qualities on the in
creasing stock of the country. Some per-
sons once or twice year killed "a critter''
or two and others hog Families buying
from the butcher would accumulate fat,
desirable both for soap and candles, the
making of which was really leading item
of housewifery and domestic economy.
Lye was precious thing-75 cents to 81
a box-but then wood was the only fuel,
and every family had the leach-box in the
yard. Here the western woman prided
herself on her success, and if thrifty stacks
of drying soap were its ever present
testimony, she had it. The poor
soul from the ''old country" could
not always make it come" and to
her the homemade candle or piece of rag
in grease for her light was sore vexa-
ton.
AS the consumption of meat and the in
crease Of butchers followed the growing
population, there were those who aimed to
be professional soap-makers. One, VIM.
Foster, was among the pioneers. Then
came j. B. Mahben and others, but it was
amusing to see some of their soap. 1t
would shrink round and endways; it would
curl and twist and sparkle with alkali,
but from the time it was made to the time
it was dissolved, it was ever getting
smaller by degrees and beautifully less"
DR.. VIM. France was another of those
primitive soap men. He, though, was
an educated man and had some knowledge
of chemical affinities," but was almost
''as poor as Jobs turkey" and so with
out the ability to experiment much
nevertheless, he did finally turn out, in a
partnership with W. G. Staines and Coray,
some good samples, both of washing and
toilet soaps, and put down the price of do
nestle TO 80 cents per bar. Long after
ward G. H. Smell undertook this manu-
facture on large scale, selling out to the
Nineteenth Ward company.
NAILS.
With nails at from 75c. to 81 per pound,
and building continuous, there were many
attempts at nail-making. Andrews and
Cuthbert were both in this line but their
nails were wrought and included both
horse and oX-nails. A nail-cutting ma
chine was a miracle. Sabin, If the
writer mistakes not, was the manufacturer,
who afterward associated himself with the
late President John Taylor. Old iron
was abundant. Prairie schooners were al
most made of it, and the plains, east, west
and north were covered with abandoned
wagons, all of which were finally gathered,
till tire on the prairie now is about as
scarce as the once uncountable buffalo
Squire Wells, on Canon Creek, long
worked his factory to good purpose, and
at Nephi there was factory Wrought
nails of extra grade came from
President Young's blacksmith shop
until the imported supply was fair,
and old iron was beyond the reach of the
manufacturers.
Sabin, already referred to, was much of
genius in other directions, and many an
unsafe revolver was made in his shop and
sported by certain of our youth, who con-
sidered themselves fully rugged only when
dressed in a bead or silk-embroidered
buckskin suit with fringed seams, an In
dian pony, nearly covered with Spanish
saddle and macheers, all stamped and
ornamental; then with leather leggings,
and depidaros to cover the wooden stirrups,
an immense pair of Spanish spurs on the
heels, lariat on the horn of the saddle. a
in, 10 holt opd borrio 70 IN l.,