Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-05-16

Inc townsite was finally made unani-
mons bishop Brough, to whom the
choice was surprise, explained with
tears I'm his eyes, that he had become
very much attached to his homestead.
having selected II seven years ago. nf-
ter spending four days travelling over
the land for the purpose OF locating a
homestead for his family and he cx-
pialned that nothing but the advice and
desire Of the Apostles could now Induce
him to part with II. For the benefit
Of the people, however. he would let u
10 freely; but refused to put a price
on II. This he would leave for the
brethren 10 do. Consequently COM
nittce Of three. consisting Of Joseph
q. wall. Charles Rollins and Henry
Buemel. were appointed 10 npprnisc the
land. to have " surveyed and sell the
lots to the people. The best Of feel
mrs prevailed In the meeting. and be.
re- II adjourned. everybody seemed
p,snsed and many were very much
edatcd nj what they considered u wise
choice and most fortunate selection.
II now appears that Elders Baxter
aud Sessions Of the stake presidency
In visiting the same grounds last year
had come 20 the conclusion that Biahop
Hrough'H quaftersection was the best
place on the whole land for n town.
site. but for fear OF doing the Bishop
an injustice and reluctant In asking
him 60 make the sacrifice, they had
suppressed their preference. and had
partly decided with the people on n
nciRhbofing locality for the townslte.
The now townsite II about Ave miles
east ~ old Fort iiridKcr. nearly cigh-
teen miles northeast Of old Fort sup
ply, and 10 miles south southeast %
Carter station. on the q, y. railroad.
II r. about two miles from Black Fork
and four miles from the nearest point
On Smiths Fork.
owen ward which was organized
June \. iSnS. by Elders John ~. Smith
Hchcr j. Grant and Abraham o. Wood
run. embraces all the Saints tat pres
rnt over ono hundred familicsD living
In scattered condition on and ada
cent 10 tho Ho-cnilcd Bridgcr bench
lying between blacks Fork and Smiths
Fork. II Includes the sites 81 old Fort
Bridvcr. Fort supply aud Mllicrsyillc.
and also n ncighborhood known ms
referred 10 Il also locally known na
the upper and lower bench. The
former slopes toward Smiths Fork on
tho southeast and the latter toward
BLACK Fork on the southwest. The
former IL by far the most extensive.
being morv than % miles long from
southwest 10 northeast. with an aver
WNF MANAil VI MNNMN NV filllfNa u NJ 10
the south the majestic and snowclad
Ulntah mountains present u most beau.
tiful appearance. The nfidgcr bench
Il also n complete contrast to the sur
rounding country. which II known as
bad lands" While these consist
II broken unfcftilc and dcsolatc
regions, the iifldgcr bench II. no q rule,
level and fertile. The water brought
onto II comes through canal which
taps Blacks Fork about nftocn miles
above the new townnlte. The upper
bench slopes gently toward Smiths
Fork. possessing the requisite fall Tor
Systematic Irrigation. There II still
room FOR thousands ~ settlers. The
climate In this region " country IL cx.
cccdingly healthy. though the west
winds, which Mt times assume con.
siderable velocity. make Il quite dis
agreeable. but the brethren. who have
spent several years there say that the
winds aud climate generally have mod.
Grated considerably since thoy nrsi
came. The elevation OF the nrldFcf
bench II about $500 feet above sea
level.
AZ the close 81 the townnitc meet.
inR referred 10. nice lunch was served
In the meeting house. after which u
general meeting was held In the after.
aeon. ~ this meeting the Apostles
spoke very cnc0uraHinsiy 60 the Saints
and nj the close Elder Lyman In n fer.
vent prayer. Invoked the blessings oi
the lsnrd on the land and It's inhabi.
tnntH.
The visiting brethren then left nfter a
genuine Latter-day Saint hnndahak
Ing all around. and considerable cx,
preston Of JOY AMI good feelings, ~
/ VOL aH appreciation Of n pleasant
visit, ny way Of Fort nrldEer the visit,
Ing brethren were conveyed BY Eldci
| jarmnn IN n light vehicle To Piedmont
on the Union Pacific railway, "a diatanc,
% nhodi twenty-five miles. where 4
special meeting was held In the even
inE, according Ia previous appoint
mcnt. The speakers were Elder. len,
son. Woodruff and Lyman. only on,
family Of Saints iirother GuildD renld,
herci but nearly all the other inhabl
tnnta turned out 10 tho meeting an,
nllcd the little school house. a goo,
meeting the visiting brethren boardc,
the weHtbound train and returned /,
their respective homon.
on our journey from Fort nrldgcr I,
| Piedmont, we Travelled Tor some dls
lance over the old Pioneer read. whlcl
was located aud frst travelled by tn
| Utah Pioneers ~ ikf7. This called fortl
many remcmhrances OF the past an,
gave occasion 20 pleasant conversation
as We Travelled along, We also lngorel
short time on the ute 81 old For
iirldror. nud found o piece of old wal
which Il supposed % have been built b
| Captain Jainqs nridEor at an earl
day. Fort ilrldger. which was made
/ T. T. military port soon after III
Johnston army episode. was nbandonc,
az nuch IN 1890, ana the few remainlnl
l buildings Of the once famous post ar
/ fast dccnyinF aud going Into ruins Tn
renowned Fort Scott, the winter quar-
tiers ~ tho Utah army IN 1857 nnd 1855
was situated about two miles nbov
Fort lirldger. The ground on which |
stood, and whore the dugouts OF tn
soldiers are ftill seen, u now owned an
occupied by Brother ioul &. Larsen,
late resident Of Mantl. sanpote county
! Utah, who recently made his home Il
the lirldFor country.
I.atter-day Saints who are looking D.
homes and who are not afraid To fac
the hardHhinH Of pioneer life IN n some
what cold country, would perhaps 4
well 10 east glance beyond the easter
boundary of Utah, and look upon m
country which the late President BRIG
ham Young purchased ~ old CAPITAL
lirldger. and on which he located IN
famous Fort supply. settlement q
Saints, which undoubtedly would hav
grown To place Of Importance ut al
early day, had the Johnston army com
plications not put an end 10 the enter
prise. Later the selection Of that local
ny Tor "a military reservation made set
| tloment impossible: but now all thea
obstacles have been removed. the c0un
Try IL open for settlement. and the ~
rllitleH are ample TO justify Eide
charles Kingston. member of IN
Woodruff stake presidency, In predict
Ink that the iiridgor country AZ som
future day VIII contain one Of IN