The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-09

How Ihey Haue rlofehce AhetE rtrsN
 cnmp After They Were Driven Away
 From Nauvoo.
 When President Joseph F. Smith and Elders Francis M. Lyman and Joseph A. West, of the Mormon Church. ac- companied by President Smiths son, Hyram W. Smith, were in Omaha a few days ago on their way home from Washington, whither they had been called as witnesses in the Shoot case, writes a correspondent of the St. Louis Globe-D Democrat, they took street car ride up to Florence, the little village just beyond the northern outskirts of the city where in 1S46 the Mormons un- der President Brigham Young went in- to winter quarters, when driven from Nauvoo they were journeying west ward in quest of the promised land"
 Florence was the first general camp established by the Mormons after they were driven from Nauvoo. There they built houses, sowed crops and made their home for several years, and there nearly 800 saints died and were buried. They crossed the Missouri river at old '.Sarpy Point" where now stands Bel levue, on ferryboat operated by Peter A. Sarpy, the celebrated Indian trader of pioneer days, and went into winter quarters at Florence because the high hills to the north of the site afforded excellent protection from wind and storm, and because the soil in the val ley was rich and productive and would yield food for themselves and their horses and cattle.
 President Smith and Elder Lyman were mere boys at that time, and as they looked over the historic ground re- gently flood Of memories rushed over them and for several minutes they were silent.
 Standing in the center of the little park in the village is a missive old cot tonwood tree, which was painted by Brigham Young when the Mormons were in camp there. This tree has been pointed out to tourists for many years as the Brigham Young tree, and no Mormon ever comes to Omaha that de does not go there to see it. President Smith heard the history of the tree and inquired the way to it. The tree is the 1dTRGSL .OflG OL It's hlilQ III lIllo lCS lCll and would be noticeable for its size alone if no historical associations clustered around it. President Smith gazed upon it steadily for some time and then measured it's spread, which he found to be approximately 90 feet. When standing beneath it's shelter President Smith and his companions were photographed.
 Over the brow of the hill to the west of the village is the old cemetery, where between 400 and 800 Mormons who died in Florence were buried. No tone of the graves of the saints who sleep there is marked by even so much as a tbet, and the little burying ground looks lonely and neglected. The grass grows tall and rank there in summer and branmbles abound. Sunken graves appear here and there, while over all spreads green plant brought from Nauvoo--a miniature evergreen which dies down in the autumn and takes life and color and blossoms in the spring and summer time.
 Leaving the big cottonwood three in the little park President Smith and two elders and the son of the president di- rected their steps to this little ceme- tery.
 "Over there to the west" said Elder Lyman, Ifs the Elkhorn river. It was there that I was baptised."
 The little party entered the cemetery through a rickety old turnstile. Slowly the old man and revently the young one passed over the ground. My sister lies buried here" said Elder Lyman, glanc- ing about in search of the grave he was most anxious to find. "but I fear it will be impossible to find the exact spot, recall that marker was put up to the grave, but it no doubt long since rotted away
 My grandfather and my gpsnd- mother were both buried here,'' said Elder West. But he failed to find their graves. ~--
 Standing in the midst of the ffssglect- ed graves of nearly 300 saints. Presi- dent Smith said a monument should be reared in the little cemetery to mark their last resting place and that he should take steps to that end as soon as he could confer about the matter with the other officials of the church. He talked with the officials of Florence before he left the village and they as- sured him that if the monument was erected they would see to it that the cemetery was kept in good condition. President Smiths idea is to put the monument upon a knoll in the burying ground-the most commanding site in the village-Where it may be seen for miles in every direction.
 Leaving the cemetery, President Smith looked cut upon the valley that skirts the Missouri river and said:
 Down in that valley is where our people raised most of their grain and vegetables. Many a day have worked there. I was only a stripling of a boy then, but we all worked for the com mon good. We had to endure many hardships and privations in those days, but we were happy because we were battling for the principle of religious liberty and expected soon to come to the promised land"
 In the valley still live several Mor- mon families, who did mot go West when the great body of Mormons push eG on toward the setting sun. The head of one ofsthese families is an old Englishman, who calls his little farm his paradise. Several old houses built by the Mormons nearly three score years ago are still standing and were recognized by President Smith. The old postoffice was built by them, and though time has put it's stamp up-