Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-24
BEAR LAKE STAKE.
Oulte Fund OF Information Furnished
BY Elder Andrew Jensen.


,he goth Of October following, after
travelling $50 miles, Visiting twenty.
nine settlements OF the Saints in the
interest OF Church history, and preach
ing thlrty.six times. OF the settle
ments visited twenty.seven were In
the Bear Lake Stake, and two, namely
. Amy and Evanston, Wyoming, In
tbe summit stake. Almost without ex-
ception was well received and cared
frby the presiding officers aud lead.
ING men Of the different settlements,
who nearly all seemed to understand
the Importance OF improving the
method OF keeping ward reco rds, and
promised to act upon the suggestions
given In this regard.
Among the places visited were Star
Valley and Salt River Valley.
Most readers OF the News un'
doubtedly know something about Star
Valley, Wyoming whore five Hour
ishing settlements OF the Saints consti'
tu,o an important part OF the Bear
LAKE Stake OF Zion; but there are per-
haps many who have never heard
much OF Salt River Valley, lying i'm
mcdlately north Of tho former, partly
In Wyoming aud partly in Idaho. In
order TO reach this valley from Au-
burn, or Grover, the traveller passes
through canyon following The
ciuiso VI Salt river, which here II both
ueop and wide In places, aud has to bc
foried twice. Formerly the road
crossed the mountain. Emerging from
this canyon,a broad and attractive val.
ley greets the gaze OF the traveller, ANA
on the different streams which put into
Salt river from the snOw.capped
IA untains on the east, number
Of ranches and farms, recently opened,
conyInces the stranger that ne IN still
on the borders OF civilization. These
scattered settlers constitute the newly
organized Glencoe ward. over which
John w. Titonsor prcsides a. Bishop
with Hans j. Emmert anu Sidney Al
len as Couuaelnr-. The numerical
strength OF this ward, which was nfst
organized June IL, 1881, is 81 families,
or 100 souls. The centre Of the ward,
or the point whrfc the meeting house
stands, In section -, township 81 north
OF range ll0 west, Is on the east side OF
Salt river, about eighteen miles north
west OF A ton. In Star Valley.
Freedom L. tn. other settlement In
Salt River Valley. The tOwnHite Of that
name Il on the state line OF Wyoming
aud Idaho, and centers at mile post
No. Ias. IL Ia surveyed into blocks OF
ten acres each, with streets elk rods
wide. which cross each other ut right
angles. Each block contains four lots.
The east half oi the town Is In WyO'
ming aud thu west hnlf In Idaho, nut
only few families reside on the town.
site, NJ the majority 81 the settlers still
live where they first located In scat
tered condition on their ranches anu
farms, which on the west side OF salt
River extend up anu down for dis
iauce OF about eight miles. There are
also u number Of settlers ON tue east
side. Those Oh tho west side irrigate
their lands principally from Thu Cup
creek and Jack II nife creek, two streams
which nut into Salt River from the
mountain range on the west. The
towuaite OF Freedom N about twenty.
five miles northwest of Alton, In Star
Enlley, twelve miles southeast OF the
point where salt river umpties into
Snake river, and sixty five miles by u
trail or rough mountain road northeast
of soda Springs. The Freedom ward,
which consists Of about thirty families,
or 1850 souls, embraces the more central
part Of Salt River Valley aud contains
thousands upon thousands OF good level
and fertile land, with splendid water
facilities and other natural advantages;
hot II will require years " patient toll
aud labor 10 wfcst the country from its
present wild aud desolate state, Rnd
iuTn It Into well cultivated fields. |
am, however, Of the opinion that this
valley possesses IA many attractions
aud natural facilities for the formation
of new settlements as any Ia The west.
ern part OF Wyoming
Tie salt River Valley, formerly
called the lower salt River Valley, to
distinguish II from tho upper Salt
River Valley, not called Star Valley,
Is about twenty miles long from south.
east to northwest. reaching from the
low mountain ridge which separates II
from Star Valley, on the south, to the
uOInt where salt River cmptics into
the snake on the north. Ito width
varies all the way from two TO eight
Tuiles, the widest part being near the
center, where Freedom IL situated, ON
the west side Of the river. The noun
tains on the east anu northeast are
lofty and their summits and shady
sides are covered with snow great,
portion Of the year, which makes water
plentiful, ami the mountain atteams
putting into Salt river from both sides
are numerous and some Of them quite
large; the Watcr IL also good and clear
and the climate not too warm or sultry.
Hence | do not hesitate TO recon-
mend this valley TO the kind
attention Of latter-day Saiuls who
are seeking for homes ana are
not afraid 10 brave the dangers OF tho
mountain wilds and pioneer life gem
orally. In fact, this valley II capable
Of giving the settlers who choose 10
locate within It's borders nearly all the
experience that the Utah Pioneers
passed through over forty years ago.
Here, indeed, Il still an opportunity TO
XII snakes aud build bridges, and to
achieve the glory and fame connected
with being the iirst--the pioneers.
There IN no doubt but what Salt
River Valley In some future day will
TEEN with thousands Of families aud
be dotted with towns and Villages
throughout its entire length. And when
the Lord shall have tempered the Gle.
ments here to the extent that He has
In many other parts " the great inter.
mountain region (where the Lutter-lRy
Saints In former years have com
menced their settlements under the