Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-21
OREGON A LAND
Of MUCH PROMISE
President Smith Says the Saints
There Are Prosperous and
Happy
ARE BUILDING A TABERNACLE.
Residents Of La Grande and Vicinity
Have Friendly Feeling Towards
The "MOfmons."

President Joseph r Smith ana party
returned from ten days trip to ore
gon on Sunday lag' whittier they went
for the purpose of attending confer
ence Of the Union stake. The party
left here June 10 and wont direct to
La Grande, where they arrived the
morning OF the 1lth. The conference
convened that morning at 10 o'clock,
with a large attendance, which con-
tinued during the two days session.
The fact that the hall was entirely TOO
small TO accommodate the vast assem-
blage, emphasized strongly the nccd of
a commodious meeting place, ana before
the conference adjourned those present
expressed themselves in favor Of push
ing th new tabernacle, now In course Of
erection, TO a speedy completion, The
foundation is now In and represents an
expenditure of $1,000 10 complete the
structure will require from $4,000 to
$4,000.
The meetings of the conference We're
addressed by a number Of the Bishops,
the presidency of the stake, Elder Sey-
i. Smith The reports given by local
officers showed very encouraging con-
dition of affairs. The people, for the
most part, were prosperous and were
hard at work building up the waste
places and redeeming the desert from
its sterile state.
FRIENDLY FEELING EXISTS
A pleasing feature Of the meetings
was the large number Of nom" Nor
mons" in attendance, and the friendly
shirt manifested by all Those pres
ent gave excellent attention and the
business Of the conference was transact
ed by unanimous vote The La Grande
papers gave good accounts of the meet
ngs calling attention TO the fact that
It was the largest conference ever held
by the Lattcr-day Saints in Oregonand
to the great need for the early compile
ton Of the new tabernacle.
The Union stake Is presided over by
Elders T.. S. BramWel G. w Nlbley
and l.. j. Jordan, who are thoroughly
united IN their labors and have the en-
tire confidence and good Will OF the peo-
ple. That the people We're interested
in the conference, rs evident from the
fact that some came from Indian VAL
lev ward and the payette country In
Idaho. some 200 miles distant, to at
tend the meetings Mutual Improve
ment conference was held on sunday
evening
VISIT TO PORTLAND.
on Tuesday President Smith and
party took drive Of II miles To the
| south end Of the valley and attended q
meeting Of the Union ward at Union
| unuI recently the county seat me
meeting was addres sed by Elders BRAN
well and Nibley Of the stake preslden-
CIV Elder Seymour B. Young, and Pres
| ident Smith After the meeting the
| marty went TO Hood River and thence
| by steamer to Portland sailing through
! the lochs. the construction Of which
was superintended by Willard Young
! The day I'm Portland was spent visiting
| the park, cemetery and other places
! Of interest, the party while IN the PARK
| standing ON an eminence ana SetuhB u
| beautiful view of Mount Hood, Mount
81 Adams and Mount st. Helens or
| dinnrilv such view is not had In Port
land but fortunately for the visitors
| II was clear day and afforded then
this rare opportunity, which was mucr
| appreciated. They left Portland lol
home Friday evening,
OREGON NEVER BETTER.
President Smith has visited Oregon
number of times, but says he has
| never seen the country as II looks To-
day. There Is an air Of prosperity IL
| all sections visited, and the people are
| thoroughly satisfied with the prospecu
before them. I'm La Gande there Is
friendly feeling on the part of bust
ness men toward the Latter day samt'
and their relations are OF the mos
agreeable character The sugar works
are ON the outskirts of the city and tn,
beet fields surrounding them neVe
looked moro promising than they dc
at present I'm a recent election ii
Grandc won the county seat from I'm
ion an older but much smaller town
but il is said that the election VIII DE-
contested os the people OF Union &c
not propose 20 submit Willingly TO th'
change The visitors had most De
lghtful time and return home wei
pleased with conditions In that section
REPORT or CONFERENCE,
AS evidence Of the friendly feeling
existing toward the "Mormons' I'm ina
locality. the following report OF the con
ference is reproduced from Il recent Is
sue Of the La Grande Observer:
The quarterly conference of the Uniol
stake OF the Lattor-day Saints wa
held I'm the l.. y. $. Westinghouse OF
Saturday and Sunday nth and 18th
sessions being held at 10 a. m. and
and 1880 p. m OF each day. This CONFER
ence was the largest ever held by tn
Latter-day Saints In oregon and CAV
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