The Tupelo journal., 1906-08-24
Letter from California.
(For the Children.

(For the Children.)
Los Angeles, Cal. Aug, 8, 1906.
For the sake of brevity omit
ted in my last letter some inn
portant facts that | wish you to
know about the Mormon build
ing at Salt Lake City. A rock
wall about 10 #. square encloses
q square Of ground in which are
several large buildings.
The corner stone Of the Tenn
ple was laid by Brigham Young
in 1852 and was Al years being
constructed, the foundation walls
being 13 feet thick, and the cost
of the building more than $5OO0,-
600. 90. The expense of the Tab
ernacle was So, 600, 600. 90. It
contains one Of the finest or
gans in the world. The con-
struction of this building is so
perfect that we were able to
hear a whisper and a pin fall at
a distance Of more than 200 feet.
One of our party inquired of the
guide, who was not q Mormon,
how they accounted for such
perfect construction, and his re-
ply was that they believed Tom
Edison was an inspired electri-
clan, and that Brigham Young
was an inspired architect.
The roof of the Tabernacle is
10 it. thick, wooden pins and
rawhide being used as a substi.
tute for nails.
Another large building was
the Assembly Hall, which is used
by the State Priesthood as an
oyerfiow meeting house. Near
this square we found the Pioneer
Monument, the statue Of Brig
ham Young on the top of a pic
neer on one side and an 1ndiar
on the other. Fifteen miles west
of Salt Lake City is Saltair Beach
Utah's world famed watering
place. In considering immense
structures I will not forget K
tell you that we crossed the Bay
at San Francisco on the Salina
the largest ferry boat in the
world.
The chief interest ror the tour
list at Santa Barbara centers
about the old Franciscan Mission
and the Potter Hotel, which fac
es the Pacific, the one the work
of the crudest implements in the
unskilled hands Of Indians. the
other recenely built by modern
architects at a cost of a million
and a half dollars by the South
ern Pacific R. R. Co.
There is naturally a sameness
about the old missions, but the
Santa Barbara is said to be the
largest, the best preserved anc
the most interesting of the q
missions in California.
The priest tells many interest.
ing things about the mission, its
construction. furnishings, paint.
ings, towers, gardens, and ole
cracked bells. No one is asked
for a penny, though it is the
custom to make a small donation
but at the San Gabriel the sane.
tity of the place is partially de-
stroyed by a guide of mercenary
men, attired In shabby hlael
clothes of Prince Albert cut Whf
held out an eager palm for
fixed price.
While we were at Santa Bar
bara we visited Monticello, acity
of palatial residences. The San
tanesse Mountains serve as {
background, and they face thu
Pacific. The most beautiful o.
these residences is that of Mrs
Mccormick, wife of the inventor
and Swift of the Packing Co.
| A few years ago the presiden
Of the United States bought 7O(
acres of land =. sawtello, neal
the coast and had built there
National soldiers Home, which
will accommodate 300 people.
after ! arrive home | will b.
prepared 10 tell you about tn
Salten Sea. Venice and the des
ert of Arizona and what | learl
about Death Valley.
Respectfully,
LULA PETTY.