Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-09-21
THM ENsIGN RAISED.


here we viii build a city and tenn
pie 10 our God,
THE ENSIGN RAISED,
II has often been said. and with truth
enough 10 substantate II almost Ut
orally, that the first act Of the Mormon
colonizers in the valley Of the Great
Salt Lake was to plant the Stars ana
Stripes on Ensign peak In reality
their frst act was to plant potatoes
on the banks OF city creek, and lrrlgate
them with the waters OF that stream
II was late In July, remember when
the pioneers reached this point, the
planting season was virtually past and
there was no time 10 lose II they hoped
for even a meager harvest In the au-
tumn. They were n thousand miles
from civilization with no base Of sup
plies nearer than ST. Louis or san
Francisco. with no railroads or tele-
graphs as means of communication,
and the seeds brought with them in
their wagons from the far of IRON
tier, with the scant stors OF provisions
still on hand. were their sole depend
ence and only bulwark, barring Gods
miraculous providence, IN the face at
impending starvation. That was no
peaks--such things could walt but the
planting OF their crops couldntlcit was
measure Of imminent necessity, and
had 10 be done at once II was not n
question Of potatoes versus patriotism
The patriotism was there Just the
same; "Old Glory was lifted In due
season, and the nations birthday,
with the birthday OF Utah and OF irrl-
cation, celebrated again and again un-
der It's broad protecting folds. But
never ut any time did the founders OF
Utah however sentimental allow the
wild steers Of enthusiasm TO stampede
with the wagon OF common sense. They
first raised or prepared to raise a crop,
and raised the good old flag after
wards
FIRST IRRIGATION DITCH
According to the historian already
quoted the first two OF the pioneers 20
enter the Salt Lake valley were Orson
Pratt and Erastus Snow This was on
the 2lst day Of July. TIE next day
George A. Smith and others followed
them, and on the morning OF the 23rd,
az their camp on the south branch OF
city Creek, near the present city and
county building, n meeting was called,
various committees appointed, and
preparations made for putting In crops.
The land having been dedicated to the
Lord, ground was broken short dis
lance from camp, now in the very bust
ness heart Of salt Lake city, and three
plows were kept going during the re-
mainder of the day. George W Brown,
William Carter and Shadrach Roundy
are said to have turned the first fur
rows. Owing 10 the extreme dryness
ftN hn MI.
difficult and more than one plowshare
was broken in the hard, sun baked, al
kallne soll-almost impenetrable, IN
places as limestone. II was not until
a dam had been placed In the creek.
and the surrounding soil well Hooded
that the work OF blowing could proceed
TO advantage, Planting began on the
morning OF the Gath Having seeded a
few acres, the farmers turned the
mountain waters upon their Ittle field
ana gave the ground a thorough soak
ing And this was the beginning the
very beginning Of irrigation In Utah.
COMING or THE VANGUARD.
Late in the afternoon Of that memoir
able day-July President Young who
had fallen sick NJ Green River with
mountain fever and from Echo canyon
had sent Orson Pratt and vanguard
on before, emerged with the rear wag-
ons OF the pioneers from the mouth OF
Emigration canyon. MILFORD Woodruff.
In whose carriage the convalesclng
leader was reclining says: after gaz-
ing a while upon this scenery-the
grandest view we had beheld u" TO that
moment-wc moved four miles across
the table land to the encampment OF
our brethren, who had arrived two
days before us, They had pitched upon
the banks Of two small streams Of pure
water aud had commenced blowing ON
our arrival they had broken Ave acres
of land, and had begun planting pota-
toes IN the valley Of the Great salt
Lake"
CONTINUED TO PLANT.
The next day was the Sabbath. II
was religiously observed, as usual, by
the Pioneers. who rested from their la
bors and worshiped God In solemn as