The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-07-24
PIONEER DAY CELEBRATION.

The recurrence OF the anniversary OIL
the entrance Of the pioneers into TINS
valley is TO be celebrated today In
Utah with unusual claborateness and
artistic display, The preparations arc
we'll in hand in this city, in Ogden, and
in other places. for celebration very
much out Of the usual order.
II is the sixty sixth anniversary Of
the entry Of Brigham Young and his
little band into this valley. That band
was reinforced the same year with
numbers, almost unexampled IN the
settlement Of even this auickly-settled
United States The Oregon emigra-
ton began in 1886 and attained its
maximum in 1s43 and 1874. The Ore
gon trail was fairly laid out, and there
were Emierant Guide Books which
pointed out the usual days trip, and
the most convenient places for camps,
and located the fords on the various
streams. These guide books were used
by all the cmigrants crossing the
plains, and they made things compare
lively easy for all who came after the
first emigration to Oregon, and were
immensely seryiceable in the great emf
grafton three or four years prior to
the time that the Mormon party took
its initial trip. Some OF the Oregon
emigrants came down Weber Canyon, a
few came down what is now Emlgra-
ton CANYON. but the bulk of that emil
grafton went to the northwardI and
down the Snake River Valley.
The pioneer party to Utah had the
advantage of that guidance, and on ar
rivine here Brigham Young concluded
In make the church headquarters at TINS
place. 1t had been the understanding
that his party would go through TO
Southern California and join the Bran
nan party, which had gone before
around Cape Horn. The Norman Bat
talon, under General Cooke, was dis
banded in Southern California, and eX-
pected to settle there. When those
forerunners of the great Mormon emil
grafton found that Brigham Young had
concluded TO stop at this place, they
were dismayed, and delegates came
here to demonstrate with him, and TO
urge him to go on to Southern Calltor-
mia, as the original plan was; but he
was firm ia his determination TO make
headquarters here, and good many
of those who had gone 70 California
came back this far. and settled with
the brethren. But large numbers ot
them STAYED in Southern California,
and those of them who are vet alive,
and their descendants, are there yet.
There can be doubt OF the sound fore
thought of Brigham Young in conclud-
ing to make this the headquarters OF
the church, up TO certain point. But
suppose that the Mormon emigration
had all gone on to Southern California,
and taken up the rich valleys and
spread over the plains from Santa
Barbara to the ocean. what enormous
wealth would be theirs by now! OF
course the Saints are by no means i'm
poverished by their stay here. They
are rich. they are solidly established,
and in the enjoyment OF all the com
forts and Injuries OF life and so they
have 10 reason TO complain.
The annual celebration of Pioneers
Day is one that in most States is thor
oughly enioyed by all, and is 7artci
pated in by the whole community. In
Utah, thus far, the day has been chiefly
devoted to the exercises OF sect, and
TO the presentation Of accounts of the
great things done by the leaders and
members Of that sect; and so the par
ticipation has not been so general in
the community at large in the celebra-
tiou of Pioneer Dav as it otherwise
would have been. However, this is
something that will probably be RENE
died as the years 90 by, and from year
20 year Pioneer Day will come to be
more generally celebrated by all the
people of Utah.
In the meantime. we can all eniov
the elaborate parade and celebration
that is prepared by the leaders and
members of the sect to which il is espe-
cially devoted. The dav is n legal holi.
| day, and the enjoyment of il should
be perfect. The rain OF Yesterday. il
Is 10 be hoped, viii not continue TODAY,
but IL will add to the pleasure of the
! dav in having cleared the atmosphere
and freshened the vegetation, so that
the " DESERT viii indeed blossom as
| the rose.