Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-19

Manu is one of the first localities in
Utah to have the dignity of town at
tached to 1t,
A PLEASING INCIDENT.
Early in the month OF June, 1S49, some
of the Indians, then comprising the pop
ulaton Of sanpete county conceived the
idea of enlisting the cooperation Of the
whites in educating them in the art OF
home building and farming, With this
end in view. a delegation of Utes led
by Chief Walker visited President Brig
ham Young at Salt Lake city on June
H. lS49, and filed with him request
that he send down a colony Of settlers
TO teach them how TO build homes and
till the soil.
In compliance with this request Pres
ident Young sent an exploration party
consisting of d. b. Huntington, Joseph
Horne, Ira Wiles and w. w. Phelps,
led by Indian Chief Walker.
The company entered the valley by
way of Salt Creek canyon, and reached
the site on which Manti is now located
on the Goth day of August 1919, They
were royalty entertained by the savages,
who seemed, at this time, earnestly de-
sirous of embibing new ideas of farm
ing and oivilizlng influences.
The dele cation returned to Salt Lake
City and reported an excellent outlook
for founding a city.
Late that fan a colony of between
so and go families left Salt Lake city
under the leadership Of Messrs. Isaac
Morley, Seth Taft and Charles Shum-
way, representing the Church and Mr..
Nelson Higgins the military authority.
A HARD WINTER,
The company Travelled via Nephi and
Salt Creek canyon, arriving In Manti on
the evening Of Nov 20, 1919. They We're,
of course, without houses to live In, and
as O further encouragement a heavy
fall OF snow was the reception accorded
them. Some members OF the company
improvlsed houses with their wagon
boxes and covers, others had tents and
many made dugout homes I'm the south
side Of Temple hill, which then afforded
the only natural protection against the
rigorous winter that ensued.
After varying experiences Incident to
pioneer life, including raids Of the In
dams, grasshopper ravages, short sea-
sons, droughts. etc, they built city,
During the month OF August Of 1850
President Brigham Young visited the
town and gave 1t the name Of Manti
a CITY BUILT,
As soon as the Indian raids and other
dsquieting agencies were suppressed
sufficiently, schools, church buildings
and other clvillzng agencies were Insti-
tuted. The fact that enough grain was
soon raised IN the county to supply
more than local demands. earned for
Mant the title of the "granary Of
Utah"
THE CITY INCORPORATED.
The act Of Congress, organizing Utah
territory Wcs approved Sept. ., 1850
and shortly after a provisional govern
ment was instituted. The first Legisla-
ture met in Salt Lake City when an
act was passed and on Feb s, 1861 APP
proved. Incorporating the cities Of Man-
Ii, Provo and ogden, the first named
thus being among the earliest Of in
corporated cities In the state.
THE HOME OF REFUGEES,
Indian troubles continued with sur
fcient regularity to prevent very per-
manent improvements except as TO for
tincations, for Manu was the point TO
which most OF tho settlers fled for safe
ty from the Sewer valley and from the
northern part of Sanpeto,
CONNECTED BY TELEGRAPH.
In 1865 the grasshoppers entered
| their famous raid and thereby caused
renewed privation hunger and retro
gresslon, but I'm the year 1866 Manu was
connected with Salt Lake city by the
Deseret Telegraph line which at once
placed the municipality IN the process
cfon for ono az the biQ unrmnnput off
les of the state. Many Of tie early set.
tiers were heavy stockholders In the
new enterprise.
Ten years after the connection with
the outside world BY telegraph the town
became OF sufficient Importance 60 COM
mence construction Of a stake meeting
house. The ground was cleared and pre-
pared for the commencement Of operas
lions on the rock foundations. In the
year following, 1875, the stake meeting