The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-28


he would see from beginning to end the
plenary fulfillment of his prediction
"Our land shall never cease to ad-
vance
II was fifty-two years ago that the
great coIonizer offered such encour-
agement to his little band. Five years
later the first ranch in famous Dixie
was located. It was owned by John ID.
Lee of Mountain Meadow notoriety,
who was the first settler in Washing
ton county, and out of his secluded Ash
creek habitation arose Fort Harmony,
today a prosperous and peaceful viii
lage-ever synonymous with its grace
full name. In 1861 colonistS from all
parts of the state were sent to
strengthen Washington county, then
the least favored of the states boun-
teous lands, and how well they per-
formed their work is a pre-eminent fea-
ture of the recorded annals of Utah
and her progress. Brigham Young did
not live to see the county in all its
beauty-nor is it likely that he expected
to-but his successors have witnessed
the never ceasing advancement" and
have been gratified beyond expression.
It has been thirteen years, however,
since a president of the church has
visited Dixie and the surrounding re-
gion, and the fruits of the pioneers en-
ergetic labor today command the graf
itude and admiration of his leader more
than ever before.
President Lorenzo Snow has filed the
hearts of the people with delight in Wis
iting the isolated parts of his ecclesi-
astic domain. His trip ended yester-
day. when, after a delightful reception
at Nephi, he and his party of seven
teen stepped from the railroad cars
into heavy rainstorm, the first en-
countered since leaving Salt Lake
twelve days ago. In all the party trav-
eled 3S5 miles by rail and about SO
by team, total of $50 miles, with
stops of from two hours to two days
at every town or hamlet on the route.
Most of the travel by team was over a
rough and unframed country, and not
one day elapsed that the company did
not travel at least thirty miles. Yet
President Snow, now in his seth year.
declares that he is in better health
than before the journey; that its eff
feet was positively refreshing. Presi-
dent F. D. Richards, the next Oldest
member of the party, is nine years the
younger of the two. He stood the trip
remarkably well, though suffering from
a severe cold, contracted before leav-
ing the city. The success of the tour
has led President Snow to hope that
before many weeks the northern set
have received the same attention as
those of the south, and it snay be that
the presidents visits will become regu-
lar annual occurrences in nearly all the
stakes of the church.
Fifteen years ago the people of those
little towns scattered throughout the
counties of Willard, Beaver, Washing
ton and Iron, many miles from the
great iron horse, lived in genuine log
cabins, the typical border abode. Their
living, from culinary standpoint, was
no better. Fresh meat and even eggs
were articles of subsistence positively
unknown, and the housewife consid-
cred 1t rare stroke of good luck if
she were able to serve bacon at her
table. No signs of vegetation. beyond
a few of the absolute necessities of life,
shriVeled and unhealthy, for want of
water; not a single tree to adorn the re-
gion so Internally hot at seasons, but
sagebrush everywhere. The change is
remarkable. True, fresh meat is still
far from the railroad, but who would
care for beef in preference to chicken?
And on the last named the people live
All the good things known to man are
now produced in Dixie. At st. George
every street is shaded with stately
poplarS and spreading NAPLES. Every
body is comfortable, and many hand
some residences have been built. The
The recollection of former trials and
hardships binds them together, and the
memories have been handed down to
their children, who have long since
learned to cherish and appreciate them.
To the visitor the latch string is al
ways out. A more hospitable people
never lived.
Dixie is fair example of the entire
south, as far as these matters are con-
cerned, but there is a noticeable con-
trast between those towns sixty miles
from a railroad and those but twenty.
1t is more apparent in the modern con-
veniences of the household, but for "a
that and a that the spirit of welcome
and genuine love of home is greater, by
far, in the more distant settlements.
Visited Sixteen Towns.
President Snow and his accompany
ing counselors held about twenty-five
meetings during the tour, in which the
following towns were included: st.
George, Washington, Leeds, Toquer-
Vile, Kanarra, Cedar City, Summit.
Parowan, Beaver Kanosh. Meadow,
Fillmore, Holden. Scipio, Juab and Ne
phi-sixteen in all. In these places the
president shook hands with 1888 people,
nine-tenths of whom were Sunday
school children under the age of Is. /
This number he greeted during the
public demonstrations in which they
took part. Adding 1,5OO for old friends |
and new acquaintance which number |
is none too liberal, President Snow |
shook hands with no less than 4,493 |
people, or more than the combined |
population of the three largest towns |
visited, Nephi excepted. The company |
listened to 100 sermons from ten speak |
ers, and eighty-three hymns from sew |
enteen choirs, or about 400 voices.
But for all the spiritual proceedings, |
a merrier crowd never got together, and |
President Snow was not by any means |
the least cheerful. His juVenility |
cropped out on more than one occasion. |
but never more Interestingly than dur |
ing the drive from Cove Creek fort to |
Fillmore. Everybody was in the best |
of spirits, the day being fine, and Pres
ident Snow, as was the custom, led the |
procession of eight or ten conveyances.
with spanking team of blacks, the |
best in the outfit, shipped from Salt |
Lake. As rule the party had some 1
difhculty in maintaining the pace, but /
upon this occasion the presidents car
T1aSe was jogging along at a most COM
Portable rate. President Joseph f. |
Smith, who was second in line. drove
alongside the president and suggested:
Perhaps it would be as well to go a
trifie faster over these good roads.
President Snow"
Very well,' was the answer, Just
follow u.s."
Race Over Plains.
President Snow gave his teamster a
knowing nudge, and in another minute
both teams were on a forty-mile gait,
over sagebrush and bitches, and those
behind saw only a cloud of dust, with
49,. Iii. i