Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-07-24
PUBLIC ENTERPRISES.

PUBLIC ENTERPRISES.
1t always has been the aim Of the
Latter-dav Saints to produce and
manufacture everything they need,
so far as it is practicable, and no
sooner had the people commenced a
settlement than steps were taken to
supply the needs OF the community.
When Washington was first settled
a grist mill was put up, and in
founding St. George a grist mill was
soon constructed. The mill at Santa
Clara, which had been built for some
time, was washed away in the flood
Of 1862.
Leather was made at St. George
in 1862 by Lorenzo Clark, who had
erected tanncry there.
About the middle of January,
1907, the Descrct Telegraph line
was completed to St. George, thus
connecting the southern part of
Utah with Salt Lake City and the
settlements in Cache valley. Hon.
r. c. Lund was the first operator
at St, George and A. X. Whitehead
at Washington.
Early in 1903. the first number of
Our Dixie Times, small weekly
edited and published by Joseph 4.
Johnson, was issued at St. George.
The following May the name was
changed to the Rio Nirgen Times.
1t was afterwards discontinued, and
later on the ST. George Union was
published by Joseph Carpenter. For
some time it was supposed to issue
monthly, but later became a weekly
paper as it is at present.
The Cooperative store at St.
George was established in 1868 in
the southeast basement rooms Of
Erastus Shows residence, known as
the "big house" 1t was afterwards
removed to a building on the north
side OF the big house facing the
street. where it remained until the
stone building it now occupies was
erected in 1874.
In early days hat factory was
started by Robert Goddard, and a
few hats were made.
The Washington flour mill, which
was built when Dixie was first settled,
was, about the year 1870, washed
away by a flood, the parts being
scattered along the Virgen all the
way to Heberville, or Price, as it is
now called. 1t was Immediately re-
built on the opposite side of the
creek from the old site.
Not far from this mill is located
the Washington factory, which was
built about 1869 or 10. Here the
cotton which was raised in the coun-
try was worked up into cloth, and
was great blessing to the people
there. Machinery for working up
silk has recently been added and
efforts are being made with consider
able success to establish the silk in
dustry in that section.
A tanncry was located at St.
George for many years, but was
torn down several years ago and
they have been without one until re-
Gently new tannery was erected.
The tabernacle at St. George is an
imposing building, of red sandstone,
and its erection at a time when the
people were very poor was indeed
wonderful achievement. The cor
ner stones were laid June I, 1868,
and it was completed eight years
later, at a cost Of STIo, 900.
No sooner was the tabernacle
completed than the work of building
a Temple was begun, and on March
10, 1873, tine corner stones Of that
magnificent structure were laid.
The site selected for this Temple was
on a gently rising flat or bench Just
southeast Of the city. The iounda-
ton was Of black volcanic rock, and
rests on a footing made by driving
rocks into the ground to a consider
able depth, This precauton was
deemed necessary on account of the
nature of the ground in that valley.
The walls of the Temple were of red
sandstone cemcnted and whitcned.
The dimensions are I4G2j by 93I5
feet; the main building is 81 feet
high and the towers $50 feet high.
This building was so far completed
as to be used by the Gst of
January, 1877, on which day the
finished part was dedicated by Presi-
dent Brigham Young, On April
9th following, the General Con
ference was held in the St. George
Temple, which was attended by
President Young, his counselors,
eleven OF the Twelve Apostles, the
Patriarch and Presiding Bishop.
The prayer completing the dedica-