Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-09-05

rame down TO lifcular Quay TO see
riends on, the only one Tor whom had
any special interest was Elder Jedediah
Goa, who kept me company to the last.
had pleasant passage to Melbourne.
Victoria, distance OF nearly six hun.
cred miles, where we arrived In the
afternoon Of Wednesday the 9th, The
next day found Elder Joseph Stephen.
son, who had been laborng alone In the
colony Of Victoria since Elder George
w. Lewis, his former companion, lel, a
short time ago. Elder Stephenson has
been suffering with weak eyes ior many
months, which has been great annoy
nnce to him; but he appears to belong
TO that class OF Elder, who would rather
sacrifice life itself than make failure OF
his mission; and consequently he has
taken a stand which could hardly Justify
the president OF the mission to release
him on account OF ~ health. His time,
however, has now nearly expired, and
he will be able to return home with hon.
or to himself and family. Elder ed
ward A. Carr, who Is to be his com.
panlon for a short time, arrived in Mel.
bourne on the Sih, and made the suburb
OF Footscray his temporary home.
Brother Stephenson himself occupies
rented room in North Melbourne, where
most Of his labors during the last few
months have been directed
During my three days sojourn In Mel
bourne ! made myself very busy IN Gull
Ing from the old branch records, and
proving up historical dates from old files
OF newspapers at the public library.
Elder John Murdoch was the FIRST OF our
Elders who brought the fulness Of the
Gospel to the colony Of Victoria. He
arrived In Melbourne in December, 1881;
but unable to obtain a footing, he soon
afterwards returned TO Sydney. The
next year Elder Charles W. Wandell
came. and, after diligent labors, sue
cceded In raising up branch OF the
Church In Melbourne. Other Elders
followed, and other branches came into
eNiStance, among which one ut Bendigo
a mining town about one hundred miles
inland, which fiourished for a short time
only, as most OF the members emigraied
to zion. From Melbourne the work al
so spread to South Australia and Tas.
mania; but the calling home OF the
Elders In 1857 and 1888, stopped the
further progress OF missionary work Tor
many years. In 1855 the late Elder
John l.. Blythe reopencd the field, as
sisted by the Elders. he reorganized the
Melbourne branch, and raised up a new
branch at Harrow, far the northwest,
which had an organized Cxlstance TIL
last year when the president OF the
branch brother Cox emigrated to
Zion with his family, aud there Is now
only one family belonging to the Church
IN that locality. The present branch in
Melbourne is small, but regular cottage
meetings are held and the prospects are
iaif for a further growth An old Elder
Robert ID. Beluchamp who never re-
turned 10 Utah, from whence he was
sent as missionary about 1869, died In
a benevolent institution. at Gcelong,
September 9TH, 1890. Geelong Is city
situated on Port Phillip Bay about forty
live miles southwest OF Melbourne.
Elder Samuel Charlton is now the local
president OF the Melbourne branch.
Melbourne Is the metropolis and seat
OF government OF the colony Of Victoria.
its center lies IN 81 40 So" south laii-
~
bourne Is so named alter Lord Mel.
bourne. who was Premier Of Great
Britain at the time Il was founded. In
1880 the present site OF Melbourne was
known as Beargrass or Bearputt and on
the 18th Of June Of that year Il com.
prised thirteen buildings The growth
OF the town during the past half cen.
fury has been most extraordinary hav.
Ing developed from an unknown ex-
treme corner OF the British possessions
with handful OF settlers TO one Of the
large cities Of the world, having an area
of 5000 acres and population Of nearly
hall a million, and property Of the neat
value oil nearly LJgoo, 600. Melbourne
contains some OF the finest buildings |
have ever seen, and a number OF very
large business establishments Among
the latter is the so-called Coles Arcade,
which is supposed to be the largest book
store In the world. Besides the million
books on rs numerous shelves, a very
large assortment OF general stationary
stock Is kept ON hand, and sold both nj
wholesale and retail. The streets OF
Melbourne. generally speaking, are
wide, straight and regular and cross lis
other at right angles; though only part
Of them, and that particularly those In
the suburbs, are made to conform to the
cardinal points OF the Compass. The
extensive government buildings, beauti-
iul parks, excellent training system,
electric light works, public Institutions,
etc. are features OF great attraction to
the stranger who visits the city. A most
excellent library connected with an ex.
iensive museum and a fine art gallery,
all collected and artifcially arranged IN
one large building situated on Swanston
Street speaks volumes Of praise In be-
half Of an enterprsing community. The
municipality Of Melbourne only embraces
q small portion Of the metropolis, Like
sydney the majority Of the inhabitants
live in suburban towns, which have
separate town or municipal governments.
The town proper is distant about three
miles from Port Melbourne on Hobson's
bay. where all the large steamers tie up.
Some OF the smaller vessels 20 up the
Harra river to points cluser 10 the city
centre.
The colony of Victoria, Of which Mel
bourne is the capital, Is situated at the
southeast of the continent OF Australia,
and lies between the parallels Of 34o and
80 south latitude, ani meridians i4i9
and 1902 east longitude. The largest
river In Australia is the Murray, which
separates Victoria from the colony OF
New South Wales. The extreme length
Of the colony FROM east TO west is about
40 miles; its greatest breadth about $50
miles, and its area S7,8s4 miles, or So,
2Ag. Thn arfeq uhirh 40 about Tho do. IA