Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-02-08
OGDEN VALLEY.
The "yrwsv Correspondent Tells Of lis
People and characteristics.
Editor Dessret Nevs

Utah summer resorts which ia the
winter season Is seldom visited by per-
sons whose homes arc situated In
warmer clImes. Often, In past seasons,
when the roads IN the valley below
would be dry and dusty, snow would
cover the ground in this more elevated
valley to the depth Of several feet. This
winter, however, has 80 far been an
exception TO the general ruie, ms there
Is barely snow enough here at present
TO afford comfortable sleigh ride. In
driving up from Ogden the 2ist inst. I
found the road dry aud almost dusty
I'm places until reached the mouth Of
the canyon; thence for the next three
miles IL was slippery and hard With
frost, until the snow limits were
reached near the point where tho
"Hermitage," a favorite summer re-
sort for ogdenites, stands In tho shade
Of a romantic mountain. From there
aud until Ogden valley Is reached the
snow was somewhat deep, aud the
wind, which blew as passed
COiu anu but Oh
reaching the open valley the atmOs.
phere nj once became milder, and the
landscape at the same time quite
attractive. OF the thirteen miles
which intervene between Ogden and
Huntsville there 10 about about eight
miles Of canyon road proper,as tho dis
lance from Ogden to the mouth OF the
canyon In nearly three miles, and
Huntsville 10 situated about two miles
above tho head Of tho canyon. The
road only crosses tho river twice.
Ogden Valley is about fifteen miles
long, extending from northwest to
southeast, and has an average width OF
about four miles; Its mean altitude
above sea level Ia about 5000 feet, or
nearly 40 feet above tbs Great Salt
Lake; consequently only the harder
kinds Of fruit, grain and vegetables
can be raised successfully. The surface
OF the valley Ia considerably broken
by the three main forks Of the Ogden
river and their smaller tributaries
which cut through tho country. These
three main streams respectively
known ms the South, Middle and North
forks fora the Ogden river proper i'm.
mediately above the head OF the
canyon where thoy oil come to-
gether 10 form ono main channel,
which during the long centuries past
has cut Its way through the main
range OF the Wasatch mountains, In
order to send the waters from the
melting SHOWS In tho mountain sys.
TENS farther east into the great inland
sea, wnich from the enormous Lake
Bonneville finally confined Itself to
the present boundaries OF the Great
Bait Lake. The Ogden river drains
an extensive mountain country lying
east and northeast OF the valley OF the
same name. This latter was undoubt.
edly formed In prehistoric times by
the actions Of the vast amount OF
waters which must have acoumul lated
here before an unobstructoi channel
was cut through the mountains west.
ward.
Huntsville, the principal settlement
In Ogden Valley, 10 beautifully situ-
atod ON Gn elevated bench lying be.
tween the South Fork and Spring
creek. TEs 'own Ia laid out In regular
eight acre blocks, the streets crossing
each other at right angles. Facing the
public square from the north stands
the Huntsville Westinghouse, q fac
brick structure with a lofty aud finely
shaped tower on the south end. I'm
mediatoly east Of this lies u recently
erected two story brick schoolhousc.
one OF the finest country school build
ings In the county, and ives, OF tho
public square stands the old rock
Westinghouse which was used for
many years for meetings, school anu
social purposes. There are quite q
number OF handsome and com mod ious
dwellings In Huntsville, and nearly
every settler has large ana comfortable
stables and barns, which indeed are
necessary considering the hard winters
generally experienced In this high
altitude. The place has n population
Of about one thousand people,oi whom
b0@ souls, or 1857 families, are Latter.
day Saints, constituting the largest
ward In the Weber stake Of Zion
butsido OF Ogden Oily. About three.
Iourths OF the people are OF Scandina.
Wan origin. Huntville has perhaps
furnished NJ many missionaries for for
eign fields As any other settlement OF the
Saints In the mou ntains; and during
the recent prosecution OF suspected or
real transgressors OF the Edmunjs
law, Huntsville seemed to be n favor
Ito rendezvous for the United States
deputy msrshals, who were "untiriug
IN Their zeaP TO uphold the majesty
OF tue law" Their adventures, how.
N'''s WIZ hot WWhyh ifOukut WIN
success, IA the "tricky descendants OF
tho old Vlkiugs OF the far north" often
became invislble just a. the represen.
th'ives OF the law, after having en-.
countered the storms and snows Of the
canyon at night, made their appeara noe
In the streets OF the slumbering. village.
These experiences, however, now be-
long to the past. rs the good people OF
ogden valley are complying with the
law, and tho nightly raids OF marshals
aud their deputies belong to the histo.
nc bygone. The Bishop OF Huntsville
"a our genial and hospitablo frlend-
David Mckay, OF Scottish mission
lame, and HIS counselors are Soren L..
PETERSEN and Z. II. Schade, who have
Doth performed successful missions to
'heir native land. p. q. Gretsen,
extensively known from his long mis-.
s'onary career In Denmark, also
resides at this place.
Eden IL the next settlement of I'm.
Poflance In Ogden valley; unlike
huntsville, where most. OF the people
hVu on the townsite, most oil. the people
VI INC Eden ward reside In a scattered
condition on their fatms, and only
small per centage Of them occupy a
custer OF houses surrounding the pub.
no square which constitute the village
Eien, where the school house, the
.Inny bubble building In the place, is