USA > Utah > History of Utah > Part 30
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* The name given to the river Jordan, the outlet of Lake Utah, by the trappers and guides of the Great Basin.
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forth known as the Upper Camp. In the neighborhood a spot for a garden was selected, and its cultivation immediately begun.
Early on the morning of the 27th, a couple of Indians-Utes- visited the camps and traded with the pioneers, exchanging two ponies for a rifle and a musket. The red men were quite friendly, and seemed very anxious to trade.
About half past eight Amasa M. Lyman, Rodney Badger and Roswell Stevens, who had parted from the pioneers at Fort Laramie to go to Pueblo, arrived at head-quarters on City Creek. They were accompanied by Samuel Brannan. They reported Captain Brown's command as being within two days' march of the Valley.
Half an hour later, the President's exploring party, including the Apostles, Elder Brannan and several others, started for the Great Salt Lake, taking with them a carriage, several riding and pack ani- mals, with bedding and provisions for a two days' journey. The Utah Outlet, which they forded, was described as being about six rods wide and three feet deep, with a gravel bottom; the water, unlike that of the mountain streams, being unclear, and the current not very rapid. Thirteen miles over a level plain covered with sage-brush and grease- wood, with here and there a stagnant alkaline pool, or dry bed of a lake, baked and cracked by the sun, brought them to the "point of the mountain," near the southern shore of the lake. Nooning at a large spring in that vicinity, the waters of which were slightly brack- ish, they rode on a few miles farther to where a large, black rock stood upon the shore. The somber color of this lone basaltic cliff readily suggested the name it should bear, and they called it Black Rock, bestowing upon it the same title as that given it by the Donner party, according to Mr. Reed, the season before. It was not then, as now, separated from the shore by water. The pioneers walked to it dry-shod. Brigham Young was the first to lave his hand in the lake. After a bath in its briny and buoyant waters, the won- derful properties of which much impressed them, they partly explored Tooele Valley, west of the Oquirrh mountains. At dusk they set out to return to the place of their noon halt, and there encamped for the night.
Lorenzo Do young
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Next morning Apostle Woodruff, while out hunting for his car- riage whip, lost the evening before, descried in the distance a band of about twenty Indians, whom he at first mistook for bears. Being unarmed, he turned his horse's head and trotted slowly toward camp. One of the Indians called to him, and then, mounting a pony, rode at full speed to overtake him. The savage, on coming up, informed the pioneer, who had waited for him, that he and his company were Utes, and that they wanted to trade. He accompanied Elder Wood- ruff to camp. Having no time to spare, the President's party at once set out for the south, along the eastern base of the Oquirrhs, leaving the Indian to await the coming of his companions.
The land now passed over for about ten miles was barren and devoid of water. A few miles south of a place where they halted for noon, Orson Pratt, ascending a high ridge, saw for the first time Utah Lake. Goats, sheep and antelope were seen at various points frisk- ing about and among the hills. Re-crossing the valley the party returned to the banks of City Creek, fully convinced, from all they had yet seen, that the most eligible site for their city lay in that locality.
Accordingly, that evening the President, accompanied by the Apostles, proceeded to a spot between and a little below the forks of City Creek, and striking his cane in the earth, said: "Here will be the Temple of our God. Here are the forty acres for the Temple. The city can be laid out perfectly square, north and south, east and west." It was then and there decided that the building of the city should begin at that point; the Temple block to contain forty acres, and the city blocks surrounding, ten acres each, exclusive of the streets. The smaller blocks were to be sub-divided into lots of ten rods by twenty, giving one-and-a-quarter acres to each lot. The streets were to be eight rods wide, intersecting at right angles, with sidewalks twenty feet in width on either hand. The houses should stand in the centres of the lots, twenty feet back from the front. Four city blocks were reserved for public squares.
Such was the plan adopted by these city-building Apostles in
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council. Afterwards, the entire body of pioneer settlers convened at the Temple grounds, and ratified by unanimous vote this action of their leaders. The Apostles were appointed a committee to superin- tend the laying out of the city.
Thus was Salt Lake City, the Mormon metropolis, planned and located; the date of the event being Wednesday, July 28th, 1847. Subsequently some modifications were made in the original plan, such as reducing the size of Temple Block from forty to ten acres, as being "more convenient," and as the city grew up over the foot-hills or benches, the formation of blocks of two-and-a-half acres in lieu of ten. Some of them were irregular, also, instead of being perfectly square, owing to the peculiar lay of the land. But in general the original plan remained unchanged. Beyond the city limits, in the farming and pasturing districts, fields of five, ten and twenty acres were laid out; the smallest ones being nearest the city, and the others graded according to size beyond them.
City Creek, Salt Lake's main water supply, was in due time changed from its original channel, or channels, and made to run in one straight aqueduct down North Temple Street, from the mouth of the canyon westward to the Jordan. Near the canyon's mouth, and at various points along the principal channel, the waters were diverted for irrigating and domestic purposes, pleasant little rills flowing down most of the streets, along the outer edges of the side- walks. Tree-planting was encouraged, not only in the lots, where rich orchards in time brought forth luscious fruits-apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, currants, etc.,-but also along the side-walks, where cottonwood, box-elder and locust soon cast a grateful shade, and clear and sparkling streams cooled the air, delighted the eye, and made music as they murmured by. Not many seasons elapsed, after the pioneer year 1847, before the main city of the Saints, which served as a model for scores of others, with its wide and regular streets flanked with shade-trees, neat and substan- tial dwellings embowered in groves and gardens, crystal streams fresh from the towering snow-crowned hills, flowing down both sides of
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its charming and healthful thoroughfares, presented the appearance, especially in summer when orchards were all abloom, of one vast, variegated bouquet, radiant with beauty and redolent of mingled perfumes. The transformation from sage-brush and sun-flower was truly wonderful, and the fair and peaceful city,-as peaceful as it was fair,-was a perpetual delight, not only to its builders and inhabi- tants, but likewise to the stranger guest, the weary traveler and passing pilgrim from abroad.
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CHAPTER XIX.
1847.
THE PIONEER SETTLERS RE-INFORCED-CAPTAIN JAMES BROWN AND HIS COMPANY-THE MIS- SISSIPPI MORMONS-AN INDIAN AFFRAY-UTES AND SHOSHONES-THE "OLD FORT" PROJECTED THE FIRST CITY SURVEY-UTAH VALLEY EXPLORED-"RENEWING COVENANTS" AND "SELECTING INHERITANCES -CACHE VALLEY VISITED ASCENT OF TWIN PEAKS-THE FIRST HOUSE FINISHED IN SALT LAKE CITY-THE FIRST WHITE CHILD BORN IN UTAH- FIRST DEATH IN THE PIONEER COLONY-THE OX-TEAM COMPANIES RETURN TO WINTER QUARTERS-GREAT SALT LAKE CITY NAMED-THE PIONEER LEADERS RECROSS THE PLAINS - IMMIGRATION OF 1847-CAPTAINS OF HUNDREDS AND FIFTIES-THE FIRST STAKE OF ZION IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS-ARRIVALS FROM THE WEST-WINTER AT THE FORT- HARRIET YOUNG'S ADVENTURE-INDIAN CAPTIVES AND CAPTORS-CEDAR AND RUSH VALLEYS EXPLORED-CLOSE OF THE YEAR 1847.
HE pioneer settlers of Salt Lake Valley now began to receive re-inforcements. The first to arrive was Captain James
Brown's detachment of the Mormon Battalion, accompanied by the main portion of the Mississippi Saints who had joined the soldiers at Pueblo. Being aware of their approach, President Young and others on the 29th of July mounted their horses and went out to meet them.
The advance columns were encountered about three miles from camp; the main body, with Captains Brown and Higgins and Lieutenant Willis, some distance behind them in Emigration Canyon. A thunder-storm accompanied by a cloud-burst occurred while they were yet in the canyon, swelling the mountain streams, causing them to rush and roar tumultuously down their rocky channels, over-flow their banks in places and flood the surrounding soil. Simultane- ously a shower spread over a large portion of the valley. Having emerged from the gorge, Captain Brown's company, escorted by the President and his party, marched to the inspiring strains of martial
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music to the camps on City Creek, arriving at the lower one about 4 p. m. They received a joyful welcome. The soldiers, some of whom were mounted, numbered over one hundred; the Mississippians about the same. They brought with them sixty wagons, one carriage, one hundred horses and mules, and three hundred head of cattle; adding materially to the strength of the pioneer colony.
It had been the design of Captain Brown, on leaving Pueblo, to push on without delay to the Bay of San Francisco. But the Bat- talion's term of enlistment having expired, and his teams being jaded and many of his wagons broken, he now decided to tarry in Salt Lake Valley and await further orders from his military superiors. The soldiers formed a separate camp on City Creek, about midway between the two camps of the pioneers.
At a general meeting held next evening, the President, in behalf of the whole people, publicly thanked the Battalion for the important service they had rendered their country and their co-religionists. He expressed the belief that the Church had been saved from destruction by the enlistment of these troops on the frontier. Simi- lar sentiments were voiced by him to the main body of the Battalion after their arrival from California.
Captain Brown's men, at the request of the President, con- structed, two days after their arrival, a bowery in which to hold pub- lic meetings on Temple Block. This primitive structure-the first building of any kind erected by the Mormons in the Rocky Moun- tains-was similar to the boweries constructed by them at their various settlements between the Mississippi and the Missouri. Posts were set in the ground, and upon these rude pillars long poles were laid and securely fastened with wooden pegs or strips of rawhide. This framework, overlaid with timbers and brush, formed an umbra- geous if not a very substantial roof; a good shelter from the sun and a fair though insufficient one from wind and rain. Its dimensions were forty by twenty-eight feet,-large enough to accommodate the assembly of the entire camp.
At one end of these boweries it was customary to erect a plat-
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form and stand, well boarded in at the back, for the use of presid- ing officers and speakers; a space in front being reserved for the choir. At first seats would be improvised from whatever articles came handy, but in due time rude benches would follow, resting upon a floor or on the ground; the character and extent of the improvements would largely depend upon the permanency of the set- tlement of which the bowery was the center of worship, social amusement and gatherings in general. Though top and sides were well covered and closed in, the meetings held in such buildings would be virtually in the open air, and during bad weather would have to be suspended and in winter time discontinued. Until the "Old Tab- ernacle" was built-the forerunner of the present Tabernacle-these boweries were the only regular places of public worship in Salt Lake Valley.
The original bowery, erected by the Battalion boys, must not be confounded with the "Old Bowery," subsequently built on Temple Block, which, after several years' use as a house of worship, was transformed into a theater,-the original Thespian temple of Utah. Concerning this particular structure, in connection with the local history of music and the drama, we shall have more to say here- after.
July 31st-the day the first bowery was erected-witnessed an exciting and bloody affray between two small bands of Indians, Utes and Shoshones, who were trading at the camps on City Creek. Two young men, one of either tribe, began disputing over a theft alleged to have been committed by the Ute. He was accused of stealing a horse belonging to the Shoshones and trading it to one of the set- tlers for a rifle. Being detected, he refused to relinquish either horse or rifle. Hence the quarrel, followed by a combat, between the two young warriors. During the fight one broke his gun-stock over the other's head. The affair was waxing warm, and matters began get- ting serious, when an old man, father of one of the combatants, strove to separate them. For this purpose he lashed with a heavy thong of rawhide their heads and faces. The son's antagonist struck
la Brown
3
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the old man, whereupon the latter seized a stick of timber and shat- tered it over the warrior's head. The two were finally separated, and the Ute retired to one of the lower camps. While there a horse belonging to the Shoshones wandered by. Mounting his own pony, the Ute started to drive the other animal toward the mountains. The Shoshones, being apprised of this new theft, sent four of their number in hot pursuit. Overtaking the thief they shot him dead, likewise killing his horse. Returning, they brandished a bloody rifle, and informing the other Utes of what they had done, intimated by fierce looks that the trouble might not yet be over.
It seems that there was bad blood between the two tribes, owing to the Utes coming over the line from the valleys southward to trade with the settlers, a privilege which the Shoshones, who claimed the land where the camps were situated, desired to monopo- lize. They showed marked displeasure toward all who traded with the Utes, regarding it as an infringement of their rights. They expressed their willingness to sell the land for fire-arms, pow- der and lead.
The excitement attending this tragic incident having somewhat abated, the slayers of the Ute sat down and proceeded to devour with great apparent relish some large crickets they had caught, of the kind infesting the valleys. They harvested these insects for bread, as a farmer would wheat or corn. We have heard more than one pioneer speak of these " cricket cakes" of the savages, but never knew one to admit having tasted them .*
It was now Saturday evening. A little over a week had tlie Pioneers been in Salt Lake Valley. A summary of their labors during that time was reported by Colonel Markham as follows: Three lots of land, aggregating fifty-three acres, had been plowed, and
* The California Indians offered to Fremont's explorers in 1845 a very superior quality of meal, which the white men purchased, and made into bread. One day some wings and legs of grasshoppers were found in the meal, which led to the discovery, much to the disgust of the buyers and users of the commodity, that it was pounded up grass- hoppers they had been eating and relishing.
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planted with potatoes, peas, beans, corn, oats, buckwheat, garden seeds, etc., and about three acres of corn and some beans and potatoes were already beginning to sprout. Thirteen plows and three harrows had been worked during the week, and various repairs made to broken implements. The valley had been explored, the several canyons visited, and a road made to the timber. A saw-pit had also been constructed, and a large pine log, brought down from the mountains for the purpose, converted into lumber for a skiff.
Sunday morning, August 1st, the camp assembled for worship in the Bowery. The President, who was again ill, did not attend, but the other Apostles were present. Heber C. Kimball presided, and was the first speaker. His remarks were very practical. He enquired if there was a guard out around the cattle. If not, he advised that one be placed immediately, as the Indians, after remaining in camp over night, had left very suddenly that morning without assigning any reason for their abrupt departure. He was followed by Orson Pratt, in a characteristic sermon on the ancient prophecies ; continuing his theme of the Sunday before. Apostle Kimball then spoke again, still in a very practical vein, and still upon the subject of the Indians. He warned the settlers against selling guns and ammunition to the savages, or allowing them, through carelessness, to steal from them. Several guns, he said, had been stolen by their dusky visitors the day before. As to the land upon which they had settled, it did not belong to the red men, and to pay them for it, as they desired, would impoverish the community. No man must sell his inheritance. The speaker predicted that five years would not elapse before they and their people who followed them would be better off than ever they were at Nauvoo.
Willard Richards, Amasa M. Lyman and others addressed the afternoon meeting, when it was decided to concentrate the three camps in one, and work more unitedly than heretofore. The project of building a stockade, for further protection against thieving and hostile savages, was also mooted. Colonel Rockwood, Captains Brown and Lewis and Lieutenant Willis spoke to this question, which
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involved that of building and inhabiting houses during the coming winter, instead of dwelling in tents and wagons. It was thought that a log house, sixteen by eighteen feet, would cost about forty dollars, and one of adobes-sun-burnt bricks-about half that sum. Samuel Brannan favored adobe houses, one of which, he said, might be built in a week. His printing office in California had been put up and a copy of his paper issued in fourteen days. Samuel Gould and James Dunn reported themselves as lime-burners, and ·Sylvester H. Earl, Joel J. Terrill, Ralph Douglas and Joseph Hancock as brick- makers. It was decided by vote that a stockade of logs and adobes be at once erected. Thus the famous "Old Fort" had its origin.
Next morning the three camps moved all their wagons to a spot a little east of the upper camp-ground, and formed them into an oblong corral between the two branches of City Creek. A dam was put in the stream some distance above, and the waters so diverted that pleasant little rivulets were soon running down outside as well as inside the corral of wagons. The Indians, on account of their stealing proclivities, were not now permitted inside the enclosure.
On the morning of August 2nd Orson Pratt and Henry G. Sher- wood began the survey of Salt Lake City. Heber C. Kimball's teams went into the canyon and brought the first loads of logs for the fort, and other laborers began making adobes and preparing mounds for the same purpose. The day was very warm and the camp exceed- ingly busy.
Ezra T. Benson and Porter Rockwell were now sent back to meet the next companies from Winter Quarters, supposed to be somewhere on the plains between the Missouri River and the mountains. They started about noon of the 2nd, going horseback, and taking with them the following letter :
PIONEER CAMP, VALLEY OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE, Aug. 2, 1847.
To General Charles C. Rich and the Presidents and Officers of the Emigrating Company.
DEAR BRETHREN .- We have delegated our beloved brother, Ezra T. Benson, and escort to communicate to you by express the cheering intelligence that we have arrived in the most beautiful valley of the Great Salt Lake ; that every soul who left Winter Quarters
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with us is alive, and almost every one enjoying good health. That portion ot the Battalion that was at Pueblo are here with us, together with the Mississippi company that accom- panied them, and they are generally well. We number about four hundred souls, and we know of no one but what is pleased with our situation. We have commenced the survey of a city this morning. We feel that the time is fast approaching when those teams that are going to Winter Quarters this fall should be on the way. Every individual here would be glad to tarry if their friends were here, but as many of the Battalion as well as the Pioneers have not their families here, and do not expect that they are in your camp, we wish to learn by express from you the situation of your camp as speedily as possible, that we may be prepared to counsel and act in the whole matter. We want you to send us the name of every individual in your camp, or, in other words, a copy of your whole camp roll, including the names, number of wagons, horses, mules, oxen, cows, etc., and the health of your camp ; your location, prospects, etc. If your teams are worn out, if your camp is sick and not able to take care of themselves, if you are short of teamsters, or if any other circumstance impedes your progress, we want to know it im- mediately, for we have help for you, and if your teams are in good plight, and will be able to return to Winter Quarters this season, or any portion of them, we want to know it. We also want the mail, which will include all letters and papers and packages be- longing to our camp, general and particular. Would circumstances permit, we would gladly meet you some distance from this, but our time is very much occupied, notwith- standing we think you will see us before you see our valley. Let all the brethren and sisters cheer up their hearts and know assuredly that God has heard and answered their prayers and ours, and led us to a goodly land, and our souls are satisfied therewith. Brother Benson can give you many particulars that will be gratifying and cheering to you which I have not time to write, and we feel to bless all the Saints.
In behalf of the council, BRIGHAM YOUNG, President, WILLARD RICHARDS, Clerk.
Utah Valley was next explored. Jesse C. Little and a party, returning on the 5th of August from a tour in that vicinity, reported that there was a fine country east of Utah Lake, the soil being well adapted for cultivation. They virtually confirmed the report of Escalante, the Spaniard, who had discovered that lake and valley seventy-one years before.
On the 6th of August the President and the Apostles who were with him, namely: Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, Willard Richards, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith and Amasa M. Lyman, "renewed their covenants" by baptism. President Young, entering the water -City Creek-immersed each of the others according to the usual mode, after which he laid hands upon and confirmed them, resealing upon each his Apostleship. Heber C. Kimball-next to Brigham
Charles to Rich
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Young the senior of the Twelve-then baptized and confirmed the President in like manner. This example of "renewing covenants" was subsequently followed by the entire camp, and by all their brethren and sisters who came after them. Even to this day it is the custom with those who "gather to Zion," to receive rebaptism on reaching the settlements of the Saints in the Rocky Mountains.
A weather note of August 7th tells of "a terrible whirl-wind " that struck the camp about noon, doing considerable damage. It whirled a fowl high in air, tore tents and wagon-covers and shook things in general violently.
In the afternoon of that day the Apostles repaired to Temple Block and selected their "inheritances." Brigham Young took a block east of the Temple site and running south-east, upon which to settle his family and friends. Heber C. Kimball took a block north of the Temple, Orson Pratt a block south, and Wilford Woodruff a block cornering on the Temple grounds. George A. Smith chose one on the west, and Amasa M. Lyman one near Wilford Woodruff's. Willard Richards was not in camp at the time, but it was supposed that he would prefer settling on the east near the President, to whom he was related. Subsequently other selections of lands were made by the Apostles for their friends who were yet to come.
On the 9th of August Captain James Brown, Samuel Brannan and others set out for San Francisco by way of Fort Hall. The object of Captain Brown's trip to the coast was to draw the pay due from Government to the men of his detachment; the Battalion to which they belonged having been honorably discharged at Los Angeles on the 16th of July. The Captain took with him the muster roll of his detachment, with power of attorney from each man to sign for and receive his pay. Those besides Samuel Brannan who ac- companied him were Abner Blackburn, Gilbert Hunt, John Fowler, William Gribble, Henry Frank, Lysander Woodworth and Jesse S. Brown, the Captain's eldest son. Elder Brannan acted as their guide.
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