Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1899-07-13
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE
GREAT MORMON TEMPLE
BY EDITOR WHITE.
CITY OF THE SANCYIFIED SAINTS.
The Followers Of Brigham Young
are a Kindly People Many Re-
Iigions Besides the Mormon
Flourish in Salt Lake
City, Utah.

Editorial Correspondence OF the Ledger.
ON BOARD UNION PACIFIC TRAIN,
NEAR SALT LAKE CITY, July s.--some
of the poorest lands I have seen on
two contitents is In Wyoming. You
ride miles and miles without seeing a
blade Of grass. Why, the farmers
could not even raise row In parts OF
that state. In Utah we find some good
land and Salt Lake City is quite a
town and greatly interests all tourists.
SALT LAKE CITY.
Since the fret pioneer trod the val
leys OF what is now the new State Of
Utah, Salt Lake City has been her
commercial and social center. To the
last syllable of recorded time, under
whatever conditions, Salt Lake City
will continue to be the commercial
and social center OF the state. Many
reasons conspire to confirm this as
q fact.
The city has population of 5000,
situated at the base OF the Wasatch
Mountains, and twelve miles from
Salt Lake, and has an elevation Of
4, 1856 feet above sea level. 1t has been
described many times, and Its gem
eral features are familiar even to
those who have never seen the "City
of the Saints.n The soft air, the blue
skies, the beautiful, shady walks,
make 1t q city of rest for the traveller.
Using IL Is a central point, let us
sum up the points Of interest to be
seen by a family tourist party. In
the first place then, Salt Lake City
was founded by the Mormons July
"a, 1S47. The temple was commenced
In 1858, the foundation being laid on
April Of that year. 1t Is built of
beautiful creamy-white granite, and
its massive proportions are 90 by 1871
feet; the walls are 16716 feet. high,
and the towers are 2221 feet in
heighth. Over $4,000, 900 was expend-
cd on the temple; this majestic build
ing was completed April 8, 1898.
The spacious tabernacle, where the
services OF the Mormon church are
held, Is so feet In heighth, and $50 by
loo feet. It's seating capacity is ia
900 and here may be heard what is
claimed to be the finest organ in the
world. The assembly hall is 120 by
6s feet, and win seat 5000; it cost
100000. The Bee Hive, Lion and
Gardo House were old-tirne residenc-
90 of Brigham Young. At the head
of Main Street stands zion's cooper
ative mercantile Institution, a ''store"
which does se,O0O,OOo worth of busi-
ness q year.
One peculiar fact will strike the
visitor-that lie, the number of old
people one meets. The majority have
been, and very many still are, agri-
culturists. They have found a sec
ond youth In the scent OF the clover
fields and in the breaths of snow that
blow from the Wasatch Range. They
have led temperate, frugal lives and
the sap and strength OF the soil have
become part Of their systems, leav-
ing them tan old age-frosty, but
kindly" A recent report to the
tithing office from the different wards
Of the city revealed an astounding
number of old people still alert and
active, who had long passed the allot-
cd "threeseore years and ten" There
were ten people 80 years Of age, six
aged 81, eleven aged So, four aged 49,
eight aged 81, three aged s5, tive aged
So, three aged 81, one aged sS, two
aged 50, two aged 30, and one aged
s7.
In q recent publication the Secre-
tary of the Chamber of Commerce
says OF Salt Lake City:
"There are many who look on the
citizens OF onr city and state as a
bastard branch of human family whose
strange ideas and uncouth customs
unfit them for affiliation with civilized
communities. How absurd and un-
just are these notions is well under
stood by those who have visited us
There Is no community of its size. in
America that can boast Of greater
peace than Salt lake, no people
amongst whom greater love Of or
der prevails. The offenders against
our municipal regulations are few
fewer by far than In much smaller
communities, Notwithstanding the
numerous mining camps by which VIC
are surrounded on every side, and
from which we daily receive many
visitors. There are no thieves Of
burglars amongst us; the ssnd-bae
and the sllng-shot are unheard of
seldom, II ever, is citizen who pre-
tends to respectability seen stagger-
ing through the streets under the in
fiuence OF liquor. Industry and hon
eaty are characteristic Of our people
and God is worshiped in accordance
with the free dictates Of each one'i
conscience. The Catholic, the Pres
bvterian, the Baptist, the Methodist