Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-09-01
THE HORN OF PLENTY.


OGDEN, UTAH, Aug. Is, 1915.
To the Editor Of TAe American:
have read p. g. wooster's interesting
letter in THE AMERICAN OF August I
about Pasadena, and know that every
thing he says about II 10 deserved. had
Q pleasant hour with him at his hospit-
able home in that delightful little city
and among the environments therea bouts,
and in the larger country that embraces
all Of California, and to praise them all
would be to paint the lily to make 1t
more beautiful.
rhe climate OF California, the scenery
and the great hearted people there are, all
in all, combined to wonderfully set that
state on alone BY itself ~ Natures mas
terpiece, and leaves In the heart OF the
visitor haunting LONGING TO 20 back, -
the homesick captive longs for and dreams
OF the home Of the lotus in the dingies of
the Nile.
But-but the traveller has to cross the
enchanting valley of Utah to get to Pasa-
dena and, seeing this great dimpie in the
bosom Of the mountains, he should never
have got to Pasadena ct ALSO there now.
Like Mr.. Wooster's early advent into
Pasadena, more than forty years ago, 20
was mine into this desolate and Obscure
valley, and all that God had done for II
was to temper the climate and give it .
picturesque setting, and then He let it
alone. But man came In and took up the
matter where He had left Oh, ana the two
together have done wonders.
In those days the surroundings made
me homesick. Ogden was then scattered
hamlet OF rude houses, and Salt Lake City
OF scarcely moro importance, constructed
some Of logs, some OF rough stones gath
cred on the spot, some Of coarse lumber
sometimes grotesquely covered with =
concrete to give them an aristocratic ap-
pearance, but none were OF brick or other
more pretsntious material.
The brooks and small rivers that ran
down from the melted SHOWS that winter
had piled in the canyons Of the mountains
lay naked In the bot suns Of sumpee, and
we're soon evaporatsd. Stunted sa8e
brush, scrub willows and wretched vines
crept YEARLY along, ashamed to sho~
their faces, covered the foot hills and
lowlands, except whore alkaii permeated
the earth, and then the aspect was moro
dreary still.
his little patch Of unfenced ground, and
what the meager harvest Afforded was
traded in the local market for another
sort for the home, to ward on the wolf OF
hunger. Cattle and other domestic
animals were scarce and OF poor quality,
and az the other accessories OF civilixa-
ton were in the same category.
The only saving grace in this then
desoiate valley was the wonderful invig-
Grating climate and . sturdy, lion hearted
people. And this was the heart breaking
welcome that faced the pioneers when
they came down into the valley Of the
Great Salt Lake to make homes for their
wives and little children.
These pioneers were Mormons. While
am on the subject, propose to say word
about them. am not now and was never
Mormon, and do not hold Q brief for the
church that dominated this region in that
early day, but more than two score years
ago / came among them . Gentle, so
called, fresh from the halls of Michigan
university, to be the first surgeon Of the
railroads that met face to face in Ogden
in 1870, or Whereabouts.
1 have lived among the Mormons ever
since, and in their social, business and
home life know they are vastly different
from what short haired " omen and long
haired men have painted them away
"Down East. / do not want to elaborate
on the subject here, but the Mormons
are like other people, neither better nor
worse. The Mormon church has set its
face like flint against polygamy. There
were some bigots in early days that de-
tended plural marriage, but it was opposed
by the better class, and only about three
or four per cent. embraced it.
But the United States forbade It, and
then the church authorities issued q
proclamation in harmony with the
national law, and the habit ceaeed. One
or two in "backwoodn districts
violated the law, and the heads OF the
church were first to discover 1t, had the
guilty parties arrested and forever dis
feliowshiped, cut OF from the church,
and advertised the fact in the papers all
over the state, Polygamy in Utah is dead
and lives only % . scar ON the Mormon
escutcheon. Their members mingle with
the members Of other churches on Sun
days, in society and in business. There
is no feeling Of restraint in the general
intercourse OF all the people.
But morning rose on Utah! The war of
the Rebellion came to an end, and birds
began to build their nests in the mouths
of cannon, and the discharged soldiers,
finding their places in business occupa-
tions had been filed during their absence
in the army, turned their faces toward
the reckoning West. The West responded
with . cordial welcome, and the emigrant
proved himself worthy Of its confidence.
The West became . renaissance of the
land Of the old Israelite. 1t burst upon
-. -