The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-12-17
Salt Lake City.
The Mormon Capital Its Buildings It's
People and its Institutions.

The Mormon Capital. Its Buildings, its
People and its Institutions.
Paper read by Mrs. Thomas B. Dlnsmore Lee .l
1st before the Women's Alliance of the
Unitarian church and published by unani-
nous request of the members.1
feel sure you remember the paper
Mrs. Gichrist read to US on the Mormons
and their religion, which subject she COW
nred so thoroughly, and having just
visited Salt Lake City, it was this paper
that suggested to me to try and tell you
of the city those wonderful people pullt.
1t is far cry from San FRANCISCO 10
Salt Lake City, but SO much OF interest
happened on the way hope IL may IN
terest YOU. We had just tinished dinner
at the St. Francis Hotel and were ENJOY
ing a fine concert, which is gwen IN tne
foyer every evening, when there came
IN party of japanese. The steamer
had lust arrived from Japan and as this
party were notable people. and were e8
nected. thew were met at the pier and
robbed, without doubt, by their own
countrymen, for none other than Jap
anese could possibly have known where
thew carried their valuables. They were
greatly excited and it was some time pc
fore their interpreter. with such aid the
manager of the hotel gave MN, coulo
quiet them. The party was made up OF
men who were interested in educational
work and were making a trip around the
world for ideas along those lines. lhelr
wives and servants were with them, all
dressed in their native costumes. Inc
dainty little ladies', their robes heavy
with embroidery, their hair done IN the
fashion of the hard bowknot, with beau
tiful gold ornaments, many bracelets,
and the inevitable fan. The men were
equally gorgeous in their dress, and 1t
ali reminded US of a scene from Gilbert
and Sullivan's opera, 1.-The Mikado. We
left early next morning for Sacramento,
so never knew how their troubles WereS
adjusted.
We STAYED over one day in Sacramento
and when we joined the train again we
met the party from Japan, but as they
had laid aside their native costumes anu
had arrayed themselves in American
store clothes it was clear case OF 'nne
feathers make fine birds. " Ihey had
private car, in which the women secluded
themselves, but we saw quite good
deal of the men (who seemed small and
inferiorl in the observation car, and not
withstanding their high class and su-
perlor education they seem I'd chldlshly
pleased with the humorous page IN the
Ladies' Home Journal when the jokes
were translated by their interpreter.
We travelled together as far as Ogden,
out as we left the through train there
for Salt Lake City we saw no more OF
them, although friends who were travel,
ling in Europe the following summer told
us of meeting them IN Berlin. =,
After we left Sacramento, over the
Sierras it was continuously picturesque;
From foot hills set with vineyards and
orchards the road follows the romantic
trail of the Forty Miners. The views at
Cape Horn and Blue Canyon into the
gorge of the American River, and OF the
snow-capped summit region, are all un-
forgetable. We climb up until we are
at the highest point of elevatlon-tWo
miles above sea level. Here the tram,
which was made up with two powerful
engines ahead and one in the rear, stops
to give the passengers an opportunity TO
see this wonderful view. Above the
clouds, above the tops of the tall trees,
one side down canyon we know not now
deep, on the other down chasm mile,
perhaps more, the Colorado River, rush
es on its mad way, leaving a pa'e Dlue
mist which rises far above the gfouhd:
This is called the ''Great Divide, and
we felt that if the least thing had gone
wrong it would indeed have been tne
s.Great Divide 1t was all wonderful,
the mountains, the chasm, the canyon,
and also the ability that was given men
to survey and build the railroad over the
mountain, and it all came from the same
Great Source.
1t was getting dark and we went into
the snow-sheds, Of which in this stretch
there were forty-two miles. we were
two hours in going through, and am
free to admit it was the most uncom-
Portable two hours | ever spent IN travel
ing. You may have had the experience
of kerosene lamp smoking away at its
own sweet will undsturbed until it was
impossible to see across the room. That
was the condition of the cars, for the 5.
P. burn oil in their engines, which IS
great luxury outside the snow sheds.
The air and the high elevation, which
affects one more or less, made an ex-
perience we would not care to repeat.
Not being good sailor, have always !
wished could 60 to sea in a buggy, ara
here my hopes were more than realized,
for we were at sea in Pullman crossing |
the great Salt Lake, which is eighty |
three miles long and fifty one miles
wide. The crossing of this lake over
the celebrated Cutoff, which brings |
Salt Lake City 500 miles nearer Los
Angeles, is one. of the greatest engl-
neering feats of the age. Twelve miles
of this cutoff is trestle nineteen feet
above the water and sixteen feet wide,
the remaining % miles being filled in. |
was enjoying the unusual scene when a |
woman, one Of those nervous travellers,
asked il thought the trestle was safe. |
She thought the iron bolts might have
rusted off. assured her it must be safe
and that we could not drown anyway.
we would float, as body cannot sink in