Omaha daily bee., 1892-02-29
zion TODAY AND YESTERDAY
The Revelation" of Brigham Fulfilled by
Gentle Energy.
THE OLD AND NEW SALT LAKE CITY
Marvellous Transformation Wrought In the
Paradise of shorn Saints "A Fav-
ored Region Fairly
Sketched.

trip around the world-"the grand tour'-
generally concede that the Mormon capital Is
the loveliost city on earth. II has been
described time and again by writers whose
very prose is poetry, but there is always
rising generation who like to hear OF the
features which make 1t distinct in character
whom compared with other municipalities in
the nation.
TO begin with, IL Is located in q valley OF
wondrous beauty aud fertility, at the wost-
ern base of the Wasatch range of mountains
and eighteen miles from the shores Of Great
Salt Lake. Its elevation is 1850 feet above
sea level. Ensign peak stands sentinel over
Zion" on the north; on the east rises the
precipitous slope of the Wasatch, whose
summit in midsummer, with its cleaning
white panoply formed by the eternal SHOWS,
seems literally TO overhang the city; to the
southward stretches the long valley with It's
rich farms and smelters; TO the west loom up
the bold and rugged sides of the Oqu;rrh.
range, yielding half of this boundary to the
lake itself. The limits of the city proper
are, speaking in round numbers, about SIX
miles square, The squares" originally laid
out by Brigham Young on plan revealed to
him directly from the Lord, embrace ten
acres each, and no mention was made in the
divine message of any alleys, but the center
OF each block was utilized as n court or walk,
that was planted with trees and was free to
nil the residents on that block. Shade trees
were set out along every street and on either
side Of every thoroughfare ditch was cut
through which, from spring until winter,
flowed stream OF sparkling water from the
mountains, coming down through "City
Creek" canon. The surplus water, at one
time of considerable volume, was, and still
is, conducted to the lake by means of canal,
very wide aud deep, the bottom and sides
lined with granite boulders. This canal is
eighteen miles in length and as straight US all
arrow. After q spring freshct may
stand at its head and watch the tossing crys-
tal waves until they unite with the waters of
the lake-when the sun is shining stream
OF molten silver that ends in Il silver thread
AT this season, too, one may stand at slight
elevation on the base of Ensign peak and the
whole city Is brought within his range of
vision, Then it looks like vast park, the
dense foliage almost concealing the buildings
in a mantle of bright emerald. The Almighty
was, perhaps, never ashamed at being cred
tied as the designer of this home of tine Lat
ter Day Saints.
A Walled City.
In the early days, when King Brigham's
power was as absolute as that of the en-
peror of Morocco, he caused the city to be
surrounded by massive adobe wall, twenty
feet high and correspondingy thick, sections
of which may sJill be seen standing on the
hillside northeast OF town, and reminding
one of the great wall of China. The squares
ON which were erected those structures de-
signed exclusively for church purposes, and
which are three in number, were similarly
enclosed, and these walls have never been
disturbed, nor ever should be.
The most remarkable street laid out under
inspiration is State street. broad driveway
which, touching the base of Ensign Peak,
runs "as the crow fiies'' clear down the val
ley to the mountains that form its southern
boundary-thirty miles away. AT the head
Of this magnificent avenue, barring the
entrance to that portion passing between TWO
Of the church blocks, is ono of the land
marks of Zion, an archway known Us Eagle
Gate" familiar to and admired by everyone
who has ever visited the city
The old wooden pillars rotted
and were recently torn down,
but in their place have been erected four
massive columns OF granite, above which the
emblem of American freedom will hereafter
stand with outstretched wlngs, as If prepar-
ing for fight from place where American
liberty was so long an unknown factor.
Meantime the old bird, sadly demoralized by
remaining in his uncomfortable position so
long, has been sent east to oe gilded and
will scarcely recognize himself when he
again gets on his perch
Temple Block.
All the structures on the block referred to
above are curious, old fashioned affairs
with the exception of the temple and assem-
bley hall, and they are of modern style of
architecture. The three enclosures front on
street running due east and west and the
buildings all face the south. In the first en-
closure are the tabernacle temple and assem-
bly, hall. The first named, called by the uu-
godly "the turtle back" is 233 feet long,
1873 feet wide and 20 feet nigh, and possesses
the enormous seating capacity Of IL, 600 It's
acoustic powers are the marvel of the world
and its organ has but one rival in America
On the occasion OF the semi annual confer
sa laI
when the audience is dismissed veritable
army marches forth from Its DOORS
The temple Is the most glorious work of
the builders who have followed the designs
OF President Young, and 1t is doubtful if
there is more imposing mass OF granite In
the world. The corner stone was laid April
IL, 1853, aud at least two years more will be
required for Its completion. For nearly
forty years the toilers have hewn and cut
and squared the great blocks of stone, anu
with infinite patience and labor put
them together. For thirty wears
the massive walls presented a homely, un-
slightly appearance, their only apparent merit
being their marvellous thickness and strength
They will endure us long as the pyramids of
Egypt But the tale of 1.-The Ugly Duck
ling" which developed into the graceful and
stately swan, Is illustrated in this temple
The towers, which rise at tne north and
south end OF the building have been com
pleted ana other ornamentation added, ana so
far as exterior appearance is concerned 1t Is
practically finished Its beauty now is be-
yond descrirtion-''the end crowns the
work" 1t is like an architects dream and
no Oriental mosque or temple. with dome
and spire and minaret, is more delicate in its
outlines, more imposing or more awe iuspir-
ing. Gentle told me it was an exact re-
production of KING Solomon's temple
minus the roof of gold. II
might have had that Ii Brig
ham had turned the attention OF
his subjects more to mining than to ''increas-
Ing, multiplying and replenishing the earthn
This temple Is not, as many suppose a house
OF worship for the SAINTS, but will be de-
voted to the celebration of tho rites OF the
priesthood which 1t Is shrewdly suspected
were stolen from a certain branch of the Ma
sonic order that has its headq quarters in Scot
land. IT Is 200xl00 feet in size, with walls
100 feet high. The middle towers on either
end are 200 feet high. The total cost up TO
date Is 81, 100000, which sum has been raised
by constant levies Of burdensome taxes on
the people.
Bee Hive and Lion House.
The second enclosure devoted to church
euifices is occupied by row of adobe build
ings remarkable chiefly as relics OF the palm
Ter days OF the "Kingdom Of Brigham"
when the ''State OF Desert" was sImperium
in lmperio," and Uncle Sans authority was
nil There Is first the tithing house, or gen