The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-07

have again fallen under the displsasure
OF their neighbora They were charged
with all sorts of crimes and misdemeanors,
though none OF them ever seem to have been
Aormons to Justice for their alleged crimes.
though the laws and the powers were all in the
hands OF their accusera Their leader and
prophet, Joseph Smith, was thrown into prison,
and while under the protection Of the law was
M0bbed and shot to death. Such men - Stephen
4. Douglas advised the Normons to seek home
beyond the boundaries Of the United ststea
February, lS4A Though Il was midWtnter, they
crossed the Aississippi on the ice and faced the
hardshipt OF journey across the bleak. wind
swept praires OF lows territory.
It was July a. 1Sl7, nearly eighteen months
after the exodus from Nauvoo. that band Of
l46. the advance guard Of the Mormon people.
under the leadership Of Brigham Young, who
had succesded Joseph Smith . president OF the
church, came through Emigrant pass, In the
Wshsatch range. and behsld below them the
great inland sea, salt Lake, and the sun-scorched
hills Of the wide valley rolling down to its blue
waters.
On the shoulder of foothill putting out from
the Wahsatch, In the most commanding spot.
Brigham Young. - he smote the ground with
his cane, said: "Here will We build the temple
Of our God" They were then In Mexican terri
shortly afterward BY the terms of the settle
ments OF the question that had caused the Mex
lean war.
The Mormons had come to the valley very
poor The first question was to live They
were In the midst of . desert. but they went
bravely and patiently to work. digging bitches
to bring the streams that flowed down the
mountains. fed by the eternal SHOWS OF the high
ranges. and turn their waters into tho parched
earth. The touch Of water was like that of .
magic wand on this thirsty soil, making it won
derfully productive
Across the long marches, 1,50o miles from
their old home on the east bank of the Missis-
sippi, in their pinching poverty. came the stray
Cling Mormona They settled ON the desert
lands; grain, vegetables aud fruit sprung up -
II BY magic, and under the matchless executive
ability Of Brigham Young, though isolated from
all communities they became prosperous aud
self-sustaining.
Itwas the 14th Of February, 1853 that the be-
ginning was made ON the temple suggested by
President Young, and on April 6. 1858. the cor.
ner stone was laid With impressive ceremonies.
At that time the building material most used
was ''adooes" (sun dried bricksl At Red Butte
canyon, close 70 the city, red sandstone wss
found, and OF this and "sdobes'' II was decided
70 build the temple: but before the foundation
was begun very desirable stone, . gray gran
lite, was discovered at CottOnwood canyon,
twenty miles south Of Salt Lake City, aud this
stone was chosen. The work has proceeded
slowly and steadily for over forty years. OF
late years, since railway was built southwark
from Salt Lake, the work has been more rapid.
Previous to the building of the road each Of the
great blocks Of granite had 70 be hauled twenty
miles with oxen and carts, and it often re-
Quirsd four days to get one stone from the quar-
ries to the temple Four, ak or eight oxen
drawing cart undor which was swinging .
block of granite weighing many tons was q ia
miliar sight on the streets Of Salt Lake City for
over quarter Of . century, turing which time
the work necessarily proceeded very slowly. but
1t did proceed with few Interruptions.
In 1857, when Gen. Albert sidney Johnston's
army was approaching Salt Lake for the alleged
purpose OF subduing traitorous insubordna-
ton to the government ON the part Of the Nor.