Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-04-22
From Our Special Correspondent.
To the Editor Of the WORLD:
SALT LAKE, UTAH, April 8, 1893.

OALT LAKE, UTAH, hpIll Us 1000
I have just returned from my tri
through southern Utah in time to Wi
ness as much as any nom Mormon IN
sanity sinner can OF the services attend
ing the dedication of the great Mormo
temple of this city.
Forty years ago to-day Brigham
Young removed the first shovel full o
dirt where the temple as completed nov
stands. This bit of muscular exertiol
was the first energy displayed toward
the construction of the magnificent edi
fee. And now in exactly the same
period, according to mixture of histor,
tradition and speculation, which was re
p quired to build the temple OF that I'M
rivaled poIygamist and tyraut-SoIomor
this Salt Lake temple stands finished
The whole length of this building il
1867 feet and the width SO feet. The
main building is abont 120 feet high and
the towers about 240 feet high. The
walls are from to s feet thick. The
building is said to be magnifcently and
gorgeously finished on the inside. The
material used is granite. The estimated
cost is 100000.
The Mormcns point out the many and
remarkably interesting points of this
structure as cogent reasons for believing
in all their nonsense about their being
the peculiar and chosen people OF God.
Many of the Mormons really believe that
no one but an inspired Mormon, and one
having direct aid frequent intercourse
with the Almighty himself, could ever
have conceived so original and unique an
idea.
And yet in cost, in size, in height and
in architectural beauty, there are many
buildings that far excel it. AS cost near
ly always involves these other points, it
is merely necessary in illustrating to
mention our own capitol building at
Washington, d. c., that cost $13,O00,0O0:
the house of parliament, London, $15,-
100000; the palace Of justice, Brussels,
$10,OO0,000; crytal palace Sydenham,
near London, $15,000,000; Windsor cas-
tie, England, one of the residences of the
queen, $4500,O00; Grand opera house,
Paris, $7,OOO,OOO; st. Peters church,
Rome, $50, 100000. These figures merely
give some idea of the comparative insig-
niicance of this edi6ce which is locally
regarded as so wonderful. In fact it is
not to be seriously compared with either
the cathedral of Milan, church of St.
Marks, Venice, cathedral Of Cologne, the
cathedral of Ostankino, Moscam or the
mosque of st. Sophia, Constsntinople,
and many, many others.
So far as the forty years in which the
building was In course OF construction.
being an interesting coincidence, it is
nothing. The building has been dragged
along for years so as to make it cover
this period of time.
The Equitable Life Insurance COM
pany could, if desiring to make an invest
ment, have an actual counterpart CT the
Salt Lake temple ready for occupancy in
twelve months from the time the contract
was let in any important rushing city like
Denver or Wa-Keeney. !
Both Smith and Young. the only real
leaders the Mormon church have ever
had, seemed determined to follow the |
course OF Solomon and Zerubbabel and
Heral in building temples.
The first Mormon temple built at Kirk
land, Ohio, was commenced July %,
1888, in accordance with command Jo-
seph Smith alleged to have received from
God month or so previous. The saiuts
then were very few IN number and ex-
ceeding poor in circumstances, but by
untiring and sacrificing efforts worthy a
much grander purpose they finally dedi-
Gated the temple on March q, 1886, be-
ing less than three years in construction.
1t was in the course of the ceremonies
this event that Moses, Elijah,
Elias and Christ appeared so Mormon
history records to Sydney Rigdon, Joseph
Smith and Brigham Young. At this
event Brigham Young spoke in tongues
David w. Patten interpreted. Angels
we're subsequently seen within the sacred
walls and pillar of light resting on the
roof.
This building was S0x60 feet. The
walls so feet high and the tower 10. AZ.
ter the saints were driven ont of Ohio
and later compelled to abandon their
homes in Jackson, Clay and Calhoun
Missouri, they settled at Navou,
county, Illinois. Here on April
5, 1871, they commenced another temple,
which was finally completed and dedicat-