The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1949-07-28
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
BY Hassl Brunnon

This week we continue the re-
port on the Gath annual conven-
ton of the National Editorial AS
ISOLATION held at Salt Lake City,
Utah, June Al, which we were
privileged to attend along with
$50 other editors.
Arriving in Salt Lake City on a
special train from Chicago Sat-
urday morning we received a
warm friendly reception from the
University of Utah band which
consists of IS students, members
OF the Utah Press Association and
citizens and officials Of Salt Lake
City.
We were loaded into new, mod
ern buses and taken for a two
hour sightseeing trip of the city
which justly enjoys an interna-
tional reputation for beauty.
Set in the center Of valley sur
rounded completely by towering.
majestic mountains, Salt Lake
City is a rose that grew from a
thorn-because the city was no.
thing but desert land when sight
ed by brave Brigham Young and
his gallant band Of pioneers seek
ing religious freedom over hun
dred years ago. when they came
to this valley Young said: This
is the place" ne was thinking
of the place for the Mormons to
settle that had been revealed to
him in prayer. A monument
has been erected to mark the spot
where the pioneers entered the
valley and This is the place" has
a real significance for every re-
sident of the state of Utah.
The streets of Salt Lake City
are the widest of any city in
America-l20 feet. The city is
laid out like many of our South
ern towns with the principal
thoroughfare being on a square
in this case the square being dom
mated by the magnificent Nor
mon Temple and the Tabernacle.
Set on high hill overlooking the
city is the state capital which is
q really gorgeous building con-
Structed of marble.
The visitor is impressed with
the beauty and well-kept appear
ance Of the homes in Salt Lake
City--an indication of the SUBJ
stantial character of its citizens.
Everything was spotlessly clean
everywhere we went--and we
saw the city under not too favor
able circumstances. Though the
sun was shining brightly when
we arrived the city had been visit |
ed the night before with just a
bout the worst storm It had ever
had and great trees were uprooted !
and debris scattered everywhere.
But there were hundreds of trucks |
out clearing away the damage and
in short while everything was
restored to normal.
1t took two hotels to house the |
editors--the Hotel Utah where I !,
stayed and the Hotel Newhouse.
The Hotel Utah is owned by the
Mormon church which was the
greatest single influence in not
only Salt Lake City but the whole
state of Utah and it is a splendid
hotel.
We were in Salt Lake City from
Saturday morning until late Tues
day night and during this time
there was continuous round of
convention sessions, luncheons,
banquets, receptions, all part of
the regular convention program
and afternoon entertainment in
the form of sightseeing trips to
points Of interest near Salt Lake
City including 4 trip to Bingham
and the kennecott Copper Corp.
mine located there in the Cam
yon; beach party at Great Salt
Lake where it is impossible to
submerge completely below the
surface of the water; a pre-world
premier motion picture for the
ladies Of "Sorrowful Jones" star
ring Bob Hope at the Centre thea
tire; style show, again for the
ladies. at the ZCMI store,
(Zion's Cooperative Mercantile In
stitution). which is owned by the
church and was Americas first
department store-the style show
being featured by the appearance
OF Virginia Mayo, Hollywood star,
who was in Salt Lake for the pre-
miere showing of her new film
Colorado Territory; a halliday
trip to Brighton, Utah, located in
the Wasatch mountains and a ski
ing resort in the heart of the
Switzerland of America" where
we rode the 1000 foot ski lift to
the side Of Mt. Millicent where
the steep slopes were still cover
ed with snow-the ski lift started
at an elevation of 5000 feet and
by the time we reached the top
we were thrilled with the wonder
ful view we had Of the peaks of
the Wasatch range that border the
Salt Lake vallev-skiing and win