Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-07-15
PREslD..T w RUFF 10 "llig
WORLD"

Az stated In the NEWS OF Wedpes'
day evening, ths New York Woriu OF
Sunday had a statement Oh the cub
jeciof "Filty Years OF MoImoniim In
America, II occupies one page OF
that paper, giving n skeich OF inc
Mormons In Utah from non-Mormon
standpoint, as well as the items named
In tue announcement we maus yes
terday. The letter from Elder Brig
ham Young, to which is given the
title, "What the Church has done 10
develop Utah and make Its citizens
prosperous,n 10 n succinct statement OF
the work Of the Mormons inopening up
and settling this State, OF the business,
educational and social operations
carried on, and gives comprehen-
slve idea OF the part the Mormon
people took in bringing the great West
under the influence OF civilization
The Illustrations on the page give
portraits OF the late President Brig
ham Young, OF President Wilford
Woodruff, Elder Brigham Young and
Miss Louise Savage daughter Of
Elder G. II. Savage OF this city); also
pictures OF the Eagle Gate, Temple
Block, interior OF the Tabernacle, and
grave Of President Young.
The leading place Is given to the
letter OF President Woodruff, sent at
the reques. OF The World received
hero on July lst. Tho New York
paper announces that "Wilord Wood
ruff, President OF the Church. writes
for tho World. in his ninety.first year,
OF the achievements and destiny Of
the Mormons," and gives the letter as
follows:
was one OF the original Pioneers.
entered Salt Lake Valley on the oath Of
July, lSi7. was born March ], 1907, in
Farrninglon, now called Avon, Hartford
county, Conn. l am, therefore, ninety
years of nge.
Brigham Young entered Salt Lake
Valley In my carriage. He was sick,
and had been for several days, and my
carriage was tho only one with bod
In it.
When we arrived at the spot where we
could have good view OF tho valley no
wished me to turn the carriage, which l
did, so that he could look without OBJ
struction whom the door was opened on
the side. After gazing ON the valley tor
a while he said: "Hhat will do, drive
on; this is the place. have seen this
valley before IN vision"
A lew of the Pioneers had gone ahead
~. al -. a a..
grove, and, after reachine the valley,
commenced to break ground, but
it. was so very dry and parched
that 1t could not be ploughed
until IL was watered. / had in my car
riage one bushel OF potatoes, and had do
termined that l would not eat or drink
until those potatoes were planted in the
earth. With some assistance planted
those potatoes, and they, with some
others that had been brought along,
were the beginnings of the potato crop
in Utah, which afterwards became ia
nous.
We were on Mexican soil, but We
raised the American flag, which SEQ of
our picked men were defending in the
war with Mexico. We went to work at
once and enclosed ten-acre plot on
three sides with ten-foot adobe wall,
forming the remaining side with log
Indians. We also proceeded to dig
bitches and bring out water from small
mountain stream TO irrigate the parched
and thirsty soil.
Scarcely anything else was growing on
the land but sagebrush, and there was
hardly white mans house within
thousand miles of us.
President Brigham Young went to
work with othora to lay out Salt Lake
City. / assisted in the work. With our
surveyors cham and compass we laid il
out according TO his plan, with streets
1872 feet wide and crossing at right angles.
and the beautiful city OF Salt Lake az it
stands today is the result of those plans
carried out as he directed. God has
blessed the land, and this arid and
barren deseft has been made to blossom
and bear fruit and 10 produce all things
necessary for the susten9nce OF man aud
beast We have been able 10 build up
pleasant homes aud make desirable ref
uge tor tho people OF our faith from
every land and cline. Natives of ali
the civilized nations, and of some coun-
tries yet considered uncivilized, have
been gathered into these noun, aims, and
after much misunderstanding of our
aims and motives and Of the work which
we have been called OF God 10 do, we
and our fellow citizens of different faiths
and parties have been admitted into the
greal Union of States and permitted to
take part In the affairs of our country
which we love, and to help sustain that
glorious Constitution which, We believe,
WAS Inspired by Almighty God.
have made my home for fifty years
OF my life in the valleys Of the Rocky
Mountains. and have passed through all
tho difficulties and trials incident to a
newly settled region and "A territorial
Iofss II government. 1 desire that the
Esiaciplos OF liberty Tor which my an
testors fought shall prevail not only in
Utah but throughout this broad contl-
gent.
am full baloyor in the divine
mission OF tho Prophet Joseph Smith. |
heard him say before large assemhlago
in Illinois that II he were the emperor
Of the world and had control over tho
human family, he would maintain the
liberty OF mankind, and would sustain
svery man, woman and child in tho en-
loyment OF their religious freedom, no
matter what their opinions might he.
These are my sentiments today. In the
providence OF God 1 have Travelled MANY