The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-07
FALSE RUMORS
KEPT MANY AWAY
Principal Reason Why There Was No
Rush at Provo.
TALK With APPLICANTS
EXPECTED THE MORMoNS TO
GRAB THE LAND.
Especial to The Herald.l

tSpec1ai to The Herald-)
Provo, Aug. 6.-The slight but grad
ual increase each day in the number OF
applicants for Uintah lands at the
Provo office seems to support the theory
Of men now here who have attended
other openings, viz, that the last days
OF the registration viii be the heaviest,
for the reason that many people from
distance who want TO attend the
drawing viii defer coming as long as
they can and still be able to register so
as not to be compelled TO wait any
longer than necessary between the time
or their registration and the drawing.
HaIf-Fare Excursions.
There is a movement on foot with the
railroad companies, which it is expect
ed VIII be successful. 1t is to run half
fare excursions from all parts of the
state, commencing on the 10th. tickets
good to return for ten days. This will
give Utah people who may desire to
register and also to remain for the
drawing an opportunity to come here
at reduced rates and the ten-ddy limit
will give them the necessary time. 1t
Is also expected that the Rio Grande
Western viii run an excursion from
Grand Junction and other points east
TO Provo at the time of the drawing.
which Will bring many more people than
If an excursion was run. Many who
would content themselves with staying
at home and waiting for the official
notification of the drawing to be mailed,
II they had to pay full fare, will come
here to be present at the drawing If
a half fare rate is given.
Will Remain For the Drawing.
A greater percentage of those now
arriving to register are remaining than
2 h
registration. They will remain for the
drawing. many Of them going into the
reservation to spy out the land and
returning in time for the drawing. If
they draw a number< they will then be
prepared to select their land inteIIi-
gently and push right on to Vernal to
make their entry at the land office
there. The list of lands subject to
entry published in this mornings Her
aid is appreciated by the homeseekers,
as that used in connection with a map
OF the reservation viii be a great aid
in making selections Of land for entry.
Some Were Fooled.
While the number of persons who
have come to register has so far been
below the estimate OF those who read
or registrations at other openings and
based their estimate of the number who
would register for this opening on that,
the registration has done Provo and
Utah great deal of good. The people
who have come here from outside
states with the idea that a non-Mormon
would have no chance in the opening,
and would barely have a chance for
his life while here-and there are many
such, thanks to enterprising 90 jour
nails ana journalists (?)-are thorough
" satisfied with the manner in which
the registration is being conducted,
and profuse in their praise of the city
and of the people and the reception
given them by the citizens One gen.
tleman here from Kansas tells Of cir
cUmstance which illustrates the way
people have been fooled. a man in his
home town came TO him with a Kansas
City paper which contained a lengthy
article Of how the MormonS We're go
ing to gobble all the land; that Gem
tiles would have no show whatever
and advising them to stay away.
DO you believe THAR" asked the
man who is now here.
Yes" replied the other man. This
is a reliable paper. II / didn't believe
it I would go, but I shall not go now"
We'll" said the first man. IT don't
believe a word OF IL. I was through
that country in 1882, when a boy. and
am going out, anyway, and I Will
write you the facts when L get there"
The man who came has written his
friend that the article was all rot
without a word of truth in it, as he
suspected.
Came and Saw.
A young man is here who did not
want to come further than Grand
believing that Utah and the
Mormons were good TO stay away from.
He was persuaded by a friend, who had
been here before, to take the risk, and
as he was out for a vacation, anyway
and at the age when adventure with
a spice of danger appeals to. the aver
.4G.1
come. But as a precautionary meas
ure he suggested to his friend that it
would be the safer policy for them not
to tell where they came from. The
friend said he did not suppose they
would need TO do this unless they
by the way, is an intelligent, educated
and exemplary young man OF good
family-is so pleased with the country
that he wants 10 stay His friend who
persuaded him to enter the state has
had to caution him not to express him
self in letters to his. mother in such
glowing language as he uses to his
friend and others here. because his
mother is a very religious lady, with
orthodox ideas about Utah, and sse
would surely become seriously fright
ened that her son had lost his mind,
taken to drink. or Joined the Mormon
church either of which calamities
would cause the devoted mother great
mental distress, and IL is not so. When
the boy returns he VIII probably have
a hard time to make his mother believe
that his former character for truth and
veracity has not been damaged by his
trip to Utah.
Both Virqinians.
A lady accompanied by her son
approached City Marshal Henry at the
depot the other day to ask some ques-
ton. After few moments CONVERSE
ton, in which she told Mr.. Henry that
she and her son were on their way
to Portland and stopped of to regis
ter and to see the town, she said:
~ GU. We're. not born here. were your
Mr.. Henry answered in the negative.
You are a southern man." said the
lady. This Mr.. Henry is always proud
10 admit and admitted il on this occa-
sion. 1t was found that they were
both from the same state, Virginia.
This tended TO mutual interest and
confidence, and the lady asked Mr.
Henry if he was "a Mormon or had
ever been. and how long he had been
I'm the state. The first two questions
were answered negatively, and the lat
ter by giving the time as twenty-five
years.
well. this is a Mormon town, is it
not?" asked the lady.
Yes"
And you, being from the south are
a Democrat, of course" This was also
answered with pride by Mr.. Henry.
And this is a Republican town is