History of Salt Lake City, Part 7

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194

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"July 21st -We resumed our journey, traveled two and a half miles, and ascended a mountain for one and a half miles; descended upon the west side one mile ; came upon a swift running creek, where we halted for noon: we called this Last Creek. Brother Erastus Snow (having overtaken our camp from the other camp, which he said was but a few miles in the rear,) and myself proceeded in advance of the camp down Last Creek four and a half miles, to where it passes through a canyon and issues into a broad open valley below. To avoid the can- yon the wagons last season had passed over an exceedingly steep and dangerous hill. Mr. Snow and myself ascended this hill, from the top of which a broad open valley, about twenty miles wide and thirty long, lay stretched out before us, at the north end of which the broad waters of the Great Salt Lake glistened in the sunbeams, containing high mountainous islands from twenty-five to thirty miles in extent. After issuing from the mountains among which we had been shut up for many days, and beholding in a moment such an extensive scenery open before us, we could not refrain from a shout of joy which almost involun- tarily escaped from our lips the moment this grand and lovely scenery was within our view. We immediately descended very gradually into the lower parts of the valley, and although we had but one horse between us, yet we traversed a circuit of about twelve miles before we left the valley to return to our camp, which we found encamped one and a half miles up the ravine from the valley, and three miles in advance of their noon halt. It was about nine o'clock in the evening when we got into camp. The main body of the pioneers who were in the rear were encamped only one and a half miles up the creek from us, with the excep- tion of some wagons containing some who were sick, who were still behind.

" July 22d .- This morning George A. Smith and myself, accompanied by seven others, rode into the valley to explore, leaving the camp to follow on and work the road, which here required considerable labor, for we found that the canyon at the entrance of the valley, by cutting out the thick timber and under- brush, connected with some spading and digging, could be made far more prefer- able than the route over the steep hill mentioned above. We accordingly left a written note to that effect, and passed on. After going down into the valley about five miles, we turned our course to the north, down towards the Salt Lake. For three or four miles north 'we found the soil of a most excellent quality. Streams from the mountains and springs were very abundant, the water excellent, and generally with gravel bottoms. A great variety of green grass, and very luxuriant, covered the bottoms for miles where the soil was sufficiently damp, but in other places, although the soil was good, yet the grass had nearly dried up for

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

want of moisture. We found the drier places swarming with very large crickets, about the size of a man's thumb. This valley is surrounded with mountains, ex- cept on the north, the tops of some of the highest being covered with snow. Every one or two miles streams were emptying into it from the mountains on the east, many of which were sufficiently large to carry mills and other machinery. As we proceeded towards the Salt Lake the soil began to assume a more sterile appearance, being probably at some seasons of the year overflowed with water. We found as we proceeded on, great numbers of hot springs issuing from near the base of the mountains. These springs were highly impregnated with salt and sulphur : the temperature of some was nearly raised to the boiling point. We traveled for about fifteen miles down after coming into the valley, the latter parts of the distance the soil being unfit for agricultural purposes. We returned and found our wagons encamped in the valley, about five and one-fourth miles from where they left the canyon.

"July 23d .- This morning we despatched two persons to President Young, and the wagons which were still behind, informing them of our discoveries and explorations. The camp removed its position two miles to the north, where we encamped near the bank of a beautiful creek of pure cold water. This stream is sufficiently large for mill sites and other machinery. Here we called the camp to- gether, and it fell to my lot to offer up prayer and thanksgiving in behalf of our company, all of whom had been preserved from the Missouri river to this point ; and, after dedicating ourselves and the land unto the Lord, and imploring His blessings upon our labors, we appointed various committees to attend to different branches of business, preparatory to putting in crops, and in about two hours after our arrival we began to plow, and the same afternoon built a dam to irri- gate the soil, which at the spot where we were plowing was exceedingly dry. Towards evening we were visited by a thunder shower from the west ; not quite enough rain to lay the dust. Our two messengers returned, bringing us word that the remainder of the wagons belonging to the pioneer company were only a few miles distant, and would arrive the next day. At 3 P. M. the thermometer stood at 96°."

Returning to the main body of the Pioneers, a few simple but graphic pas- sages from the diary of Apostle Wilford Woodruff will illustrate their entrance into the valleys of Utah better than an author's imagination.

" Fuly 20th .- We started early this morning, and stopped for breakfast after a five miles' drive. I carried Brother Brigham in my carriage. The fever was still on him, but he stood the journey well. After breakfast we travelled over ten miles of the worst road of the whole journey.

"July 21st .- We are compelled to lay over in consequence of the sick.

" July 22d .- Continued our journey.

" Fuly 23d .- We left East Canyon ; reached the summit of the mountain, and descended six miles through a thick-timbered grove. We nooned at a beau- tiful spring in a small birch grove. Here we were met by Brothers Pack and Mathews from the advance camps. They brought us a dispatch. They had ex- plored the Great Salt Lake Valley as far as possible, and made choice of a spot to put in crops.

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

"Fuly 24th .- This is one of the most important days of my life, and in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"After traveling six miles through a deep ravine ending with the canyon, we came in full view of the valley of the Great Salt Lake ; the land of promise, held in reserve by God, as a resting place for his Saints.

" We gazed in wonder and admiration upon the vast valley before us, with the waters of the Great Salt Lake glistening in the sun, mountains towering to the skies, and streams of pure water running through the beautiful valley. It was the grandest view we had ever seen till this moment. Pleasant thoughts ran through our minds at the prospect that, not many years hence, the house of God would be established in the mountains and exalted above the hills; while the valleys would be converted into orchards, vineyards, and fruitful fields, cities erected to the name of the Lord, and the standard of Zion unfurled for the gath- ering of the nations.

" President Young expressed his entire satisfaction at the appearance of the valley as a resting place for the Saints, and felt amply repaid for his journey. While lying upon his bed, in my carriage, gazing upon the scene before us, many things of the future, concerning the valley, were shown to him in vision.

"After gazing awhile upon this scenery, we moved four miles across the table land into the valley, to the encampment of our brethren who had arrived two days before us. They had pitched upon the banks of two small streams of pure water and had commenced plowing. On our arrival they had already broken five acres of land, and had begun planting potatoes in the valley of the Great Salt Lake.

"As soon as our encampment was formed, before taking my dinner, having half a bushel of potatoes, I went to the plowed field and planted them, hoping, with the blessing of God, to save at least the seed for another year.

" The brethren had damned up one of the creeks and dug a trench, and by night nearly the whole ground, which was found very dry, was irrigated.

" Towards evening, Brothers Kimball, Smith, Benson and myself rode sev- eral miles up the creek (City Creek) into the mountain, to look for timber and see the country.

" There was a thunder shower, and it rained over nearly the whole valley ; it also rained a little in the forepart of the night. We felt thankful for this, as it was the generally conceived opinion that it did not rain in the valley during the summer season."

How well this arrival of the Pioneers into their " Land of Promise " illus- trates the character of the Mormon people. Empire founding on the first day ; planting their fields before rest or dinner. Rain on the day of Brigham Young's arrival-to them a miracle of promise ! Already had his vision begun to be fulfilled !

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

CHAPTER V.

THE FIRST SABBATH IN THE VALLEY. THE PIONEERS APPLY THE PROPH- ECIES TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR LOCATION. ZION HAS GONE UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS. THEY LOCATE THE TEMPLE AND LAY OFF THE " CITY OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE." THE LEADERS RETURN TO WINTER QUAR- TERS TO GATHER THE BODY OF THE CHURCH.

The arrival of the main body of the Pioneers in the valley of the Great Salt Lake was on a Saturday. The next day to them was a Sabbath indeed.

" We shaved and cleaned up," says Apostle Woodruff, in his graphic story of the Pioneers, " and met in the circle of the encampment."

In the afternoon the whole " Congregation of Israel " partook of the Sacra- ment of the Lord's Supper.

Then the valleys rang with the exultant themes of the Hebrew Prophets, and the " everlasting hills " reverberated to the hosannas of the Saints.

Orson Pratt was the preacher of the great subject, which, to the ardent faith of those Pioneers, n'ever lived in fulfillment till that moment. The sublime flights of the matchless Isaiah gave the principal theme.

" O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountains !"

But Isaiah is not alone in the culminating inspiration. There is such a grand unity among the Hebrew prophets, when touching this subject of a Latter-day Zion, that undoubtedly, it was the burden of the divine epic to which the He- braic genius soared. Notwithstanding the mental diversity of these poet . prophets, in this crowning theme they gave us, not poetic fragments, but a glori- ous continued composition, as from a manifold genius.

" Thy watchmen shall lift up their voice ; with the voice together shall they sing ; and they shall see eye to eye when they Lord shall bring again Zion."

This was fulfilled to those Anglo-American Pioneers on that day. They felt they were the watchmen ! With the voice together they sang the theme, and did literally shout their hosannas. They saw eye to eye. "The Lord hath brought again Zion."

Nor were these Mormon Apostles figurative in their applications; they ren- dered most literally to themselves every point. Orson Pratt declared, with an Apostle's assurance, that their location, in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains, was in the view of the ancient seers. That which was before seemingly contra- dictory in the extreme, relative to the Latter-day Zion, especially its location and the rapid transformation of its founding, was now made plain and most literal. Apostle Pratt reconciled it all. The Pioneers saw the vision of Zion harmonized on that first Sabbath in the valley, as they might have seen their own faces in a mirror.

God would " hide his people in the chambers of the mountains!" Yet, in these " last days " he would "establish his house on the tops of the mountains, and exalt it above the hills !"

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

And here were these Pioneers of Mormon Israel in a valley nearly thirty miles in diameter, encircled by a chain of mountains ; here, in a valley nearly five thousand feet above the level of the sea-" exalted above the hills"-yet belted by mountains with everlasting caps of snow. It was indeed as the "chambers of the Lord," and the name which it popularly bore-the " Great Basin "-was nearly as striking to the imagination as its prophetic name.

Latter-day Zion, too, was to be a place " sought out "-a place " not for- saken." They had sought it out by an exodus, and an unparalleled journey of a people, nearly fifteen hundred miles, over unbroken prairies, sandy deserts, and rocky mountains ; and they were about to found their Zion in a primeval valley, where no city, since the creation, had ever stood-a place " rot forsaken " by civilized people of the ages long since dead. The " solitary places " were to be · "made glad," the " wilderness " was to " blossom as the rose," and the " des- ert " suddenly to be converted into the " fruitful field." Such was the sermon of the first Sabbath in the Great Salt Lake Valley. The Pioneers had chosen for the location of their Zion and her temples, the "Great American Desert," and they were about to make real the strange and highly colored picture. So much like the change in an enchanted scene has been the transformation which has since come over those desert valleys and canyons of the Rocky Mountains, that for the last quarter of a century the Mormons have been popularly described in nearly every nation of the earth as that peculiar people who have made the "desert to blossom as the rose." Look upon the valley of the Salt Lake to day as the Spring opens, when the gardens and orchards are in one universal rose- blossom, and there never was a prophetic picture more literally realized.

Though feeble with that most languishing of diseases, the mountain fever, and scarcely able to stand upon his feet, Brigham Young was still the law-giver on that first Sabbath, If he had not the strength to preach a great sermon on the Latter-day Zion, like that of the Mormon Paul-Orson Pratt-he was " every inch " the Moses of the Mormon Exodus.

" He told the brethren," says the historian Woodruff, " that they must not work on Sunday ; that they would lose five times as much as they would gain by it. None were to hunt or fish on that day ; and there should not any man dwell among us who would not observe these rules. They might go and dwell where they pleased, but should not dwell with us. He also said, no man should buy any land who came here ; that he had none to sell ; but every man should have his land measured out to him for city and farming purposes. He might till it as he pleased, but he must be industrious, and take care of it.

"On Monday ten men were chosen for an exploring expedition. I took President Young into my carriage, and, traveling two miles towards the mountain, made choice of a spot for our garden.

" We then returned to camp, and went north about five miles, and we all went on to the top of a high peak, on the edge of the mountain, which we con- sidered a good place to raise an ensign. So we named it ' Ensign Peak.'

"I was the first person to ascend this hill, which we had thus named. Brother Young was very weary, in climbing to the peak, from his recent fever.

" We descended to the valley, and started north to the Hot Sulpher Springs,

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

but we returned two miles to get a drink of cold water, and then went back four miles to the Springs. We returned to the camp quite weary with our day's ex- plorations. Brothers Mathews and Brown had crossed the valley in the narrowest part, opposite the camp, to the west mountain, and found it about fifteen miles.

"Next day Amasa Lyman came into camp, and informed us that Captain Brown's detachment of the Mormon Battalion would be with us in about two days.

" We again started on our exploring expedition. All the members of the quorum of the Twelve belonging to the pioneers, eight im number, were of the company. Six others of the brethren, including Brannan of San Francisco, were with us.

" We started for the purpose of visiting the Great Salt Lake, and mountains on the west of the valley. We traveled two miles west from Temple Block, and came to the outlet of the Utah Lake; thence fourteen miles to the west mountain, and found that the land was not so fertile as on the east side.

" We took our dinner at the fresh water pool, and then rode six miles to a large rock, on the shore of the Salt Laks, which we namad Black Rock, where we all halted and bathed in the salt water. No person could sink in it, but would roll and float on the surface like a dry log. We concluded that the Salt Lake was one of the wonders of the world.

" After spending an hour here, we went west along the lake shore, and then returned ten miles to our place of nooning, making forty miles that day.

"In the morning we arose refreshed by sleep in the open air. Having lost my carriage whip the night before, I started on horseback to go after it. As I approached the spot where it was dropped, I saw about twenty Indians. At first they looked to me in the distance like a lot of bears coming towards me. As I was unarmed I wheeled my horse and started back on a slow trot.

" But they called to me, and one, mounting his horse, came after me with all speed. When he got within twenty rods I stopped and met him. The rest followed. They were Utes, and wanted to trade. I told them by signs that our eamp was near, so he went on with me to the camp. From what we had yet seen of the Utes they appeared friendly, though they had a bad name from the mountaineers. The Indian wanted to smoke the pipe of peace with us, but we soon started on and he waited for his company.

" We traveled ten miles south under the mountain. The land laid beauti- fully, but there was no water, and the soil was not so good as on the east. We saw about a hundred goats, sheep and antelope playing about the hills and val- leys. We returned, weary, to the pioneer encampment, making thirty miles for the day.

" After our return to the camp, President Young called a council of the quorum of the Twelve. There were present : Brigham Young, Heber C. Kim- ball, Willard Richards, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith, Amasa Lyman and Ezra T. Benson.

" We walked from the north camp to about the centre between the two creeks, when President Young waved his hand and said : 'Here is the forty acres for the Temple. The city can be laid out perfectly square, north and south,

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

east and west.' It was then moved and carried that the Temple lot contain forty acres on the ground where we stood. It was also moved and carried that the city be laid out into lots of ten rods by twenty each, exclusive of the streets, and into blocks of eight lots, being ten acres in each block, and one and a quarter in each lot.

" It was further moved and carried that each street be laid out eight rods wide, and that there be a side-walk on each side, twenty feet wide, and that each house be built in the centre of the lot twenty feet from the front, that there might be uniformity throughout the city.

" It was also moved that there be four public squares of ten acres each, to be laid out in various parts of the city for public grounds.

"At eight o'clock the whole camp came together on the Temple ground and passed the votes unanimously, and, when the business part of the meeting was closed, President Young arose and addressed the assembly upon a variety of subjects.

" In his remarks the President said that he was determined to have all things in order, and righteousness should be practiced in the land. We had come here according to the direction and counsel of Brother Joseph, before his death ; and, said the President, Joseph would still have been alive if the Twelve had been in Nauvoo when he re-crossed the river from Montrose.

" During his remarks, President Young observed that he intended to have every hole and corner from the Bay of San Francisco to Hudson Bay known to us.

" On the 29th, President Young, with a number of brethren, mounted and started to meet the Battalion detachment, under the command of Captain Brown.

" We met some of them about four miles from camp, and soon afterwards met Captains Brown and Higgins, Lieutenant Willis, and the company. There were 140 of the Battalion, and a company of about 100 of the Mississippi Saints, who came with them from Pueblo. They had with them 60 wagons, 100 horses and mules, and 300 head of cattle, which greatly added to our strength.

" While we were in the canyon, a water cloud burst, which sent the water into the creeks from the mountains, with a rush and roar like thunder, resembling the opening of a flood gate. 'The shower spread over a good share of the valley where we settled.

" We returned at the head of the companies, and marched into camp with music. The Battalion took up their quarters between our two camps on the bank of the creek.

" While we had been exploring, the rest of the pioneers had been farming.

" By the Ist of August (Sunday) the brethren constructed the Bowery on Temple block, in which Heber C. Kimball was the first to preach. Orson Pratt followed in a discourse upon the prophecies of Isaiah, proving that the location of Zion in the mountains by our people was the fulfillment.

" On Monday we commenced laying out the city, beginning with the Tem- ple block. In forming this block, forty acres appeared so large, that a council was held to determine whether or not it would be wisdom to re-

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

duce it one-half. Not being decided in our views, we held council again, two days later, when we gave as our matured opinions that we could not do justice to forty acres; that ten acres would be sufficient.

" As we were under the necessity of returning soon to Winter Quarters for the Saints, it was thought best to go at once to the mountains for logs to build ourselves cabins, as the adobe houses might not be ready for our use.

" On the 6th of August, the Twelve were re-baptized. This we considered a privilege and a duty. As we had come in a glorious valley to locate and build up Zion, we felt like renewing our covenants before the Lord and each other. We soon repaired to the water, and President Young went down into the water and baptized all his brethren of the Twelve present. He then confirmed us, and sealed upon us our apostleship, and all the keys, powers and blessings belonging to that office. Brother Heber C. Kimball baptized and confirmed President Brigham Young. The following were the names and order of those present : Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, Willard Richards, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith, and Amasa Lyman. Ezra T. Benson had been dis- patched several days before to meet the companies on the road.

" In the afternoon of the next day, the Twelve went to the Temple Block to select their inheritances.

" President Young took a block east of the Temple, and running southeast, to settle his friends around him ; Heber C. Kimball a block north of the Tem- ple ; Orson Pratt, south and running south; Wilford Woodruff, a block corner- ing the Temple Block, the southwest corner joining Orson Pratt's; Amasa Lyman took a block forty rods below Wilford Woodruff's; George A. Smith one joining the Temple on the west, and running due west. It was supposed that Willard Richards would take his on the east, near President Young's. None others of the Twelve were present in the camp.

" During the same evening the Twelve went to City Creek, and Heber C. Kimball baptized fifty-five members of the camp, for the remission of their sins ; and they were confirmed under the hands of President Young, Orson Pratt, Wil- ford Woodruff, George A. Smith, and Amasa Lyman ; President Young being mouth.

"On the next day (Sunday, August 8th), the whole Camp of Israel renewed their covenants before the Lord by baptism. There were two hundred and twenty-four baptized this morning, making two hundred and eighty-four re-bap- tized in the last three days.

" In the afternoon we partook of the Sacrament. At the close of the meet- ing one hundred and ten men were called for, to go into the adobe yard, and seventy-six volunteered.

" Brother Crow had a child drowned on the 11th.

" On the 13th the Twelve held council. Each one was to make choice of the blocks that they were to settle their friends upon. President Young took the tiers of blocks south through the city; Brother Kimball's runs north and northwest : Orson Pratt, four blocks; Wilford Woodruff eight blocks; George A. Smith, eight ; and Amasa Lyman, twelve blocks, according to the companies organized with each.

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

" Next day four of the messengers returned from Bear River and Cache Valley.

" They brought a cheering report of Cache Valley. The brethren also re- turned who went to Utah Lake for fish. They found a mountain of granite.

"The quorum of the Twelve decided in council that the name of the city should be the ' City of the Great Salt Lake.'

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History of Salt Lake City, Part 7

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194