"When you remember the population and the area, it will readily appear that there is great room for more inhabitants, and yet it must be remembered that only a small portion of the ground is fit for cultivation, the greater part being wild hills or sandy desert. The numerous valleys are like fruitful oases in a wilderness of rugged mountains, which latter serve as reservoirs for the snows of winter, that supply the summer rills with water.
"The valley, sometimes called the Great Basin, has an elevation of from four to five thousand feet, being surrounded and intersected by mountain ranges, which rise from five to seven thousand feet above the level of the basin. The Wasatch range extends along the east side of the valley; at its western base is a narrow strip of land, the most fruitful in the Territory. In many other parts the soil is alkaline and sterile. In other districts there are fertile basins, with soil of good quality, yielding in places from fifty to ninety bushels of grain to the acre. There are immense deposits of coal, iron, and other valuable minerals, among them being gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, sulphur, alum and borax. Salt works have been established in different places along the shores of the great lake, the water of which contains about 16 per cent, solid matter, 97 per cent, of which is common salt. In the chasms and ravines of the mountain streams are found cedar, pine, quaking asp, oak and maple, but timber is difficult of access. This, however, is compensated for by the immense deposits of coal in the neighborhood, and in the Territory itself, and by the railroad facilities the Territory now enjoys for shipping timber from Oregon and California.
"The hardships of early times, which are now well-known in history, have given way to prosperity, and the hidden resources of the hills and dales are appearing to bless the children of the Mormon pioneer. Thriving towns and cities extend from north to south, from east to west, over the whole territory, and Mormon colonies are planted along the Rocky Mountains, from Mexico in the south, to Canada in the north. Their industry is proverbial; they view the building of cities, hamlets and villages as a divine call, taking hold of the often perilous labor with the invincible determination born of religious zeal and duty.
"Salt Lake City has a population of about fifty thousand, but it must not be understood that all these are Mormons. The tide of prosperity that has come to this people, has brought with it thousands of citizens from all parts of the United States, until the population is as mixed, in a religious sense, as that of any of the states of the Union; churches of all the Christian denominations, the halls of the agnostic, the synagogue of the Jew, and the gathering place of the infidel, are alike represented.
"Among the buildings of interest, in Salt Lake City, is the tabernacle, a remarkable edifice, and the great center of attraction. It was completed in 1870, is an oval-shaped building, with a major diameter of 233 feet, and a heighth of 70 feet, having a huge dome-shaped roof resting on pillars of sand stone. It seats about nine thousand people, and contains one of the largest organs in the world. Here services are held every Sabbath, when the Elders of the Church, leaders of the people, instruct the gathered thousands in the religion which, to my mind, is the only scriptural on now preached, and certainly the only one among them all having practical life and vitality. It contains the germs of power that will leaven the whole religious world, scoff and deride as they may.
"The famous temple, erected at a cost of several millions, begun in 1853, now nearly completed, is built of gray granite, with walls more than six feet in thickness; It has a length of 200 and a width of 100 feet; the main walls rise to a height of 100 feet; there are three towers and numerous minarets, on each end of the building, the center east tower being surmounted by a figure representing an angel blowing a trumpet, proclaiming the restoration of the gospel in the latter days. The cap-stone was placed on this tower, amid great rejoicing, in April, 1892, when it was decided to finish the building, and dedicate it in April, 1893, the occasion of the annual conference of the Church, which is also the anniversary of its organization (April 6th, 1830) in New York State, with six members. This great building is of elegant design, grand proportions and unique pattern, a marvel of beauty, strength and solidity. Temples, of which there are several in the Territory—one in Logan, one in Manti, one in St. George—are designed for use in performing holy ordinances for the living, and vicarious work by the living for the dead, as you understand the faith of the Saints, and as Elder Durant has often referred to and explained in his conversations with you.
"A Stake is a division of the Church, presided over by a council of three High Priests, and in Utah generally corresponds geographically to the division of counties, while in other states and territories, it often embraces larger districts. The stakes are divided into wards, in each of which a bishop and his two counselors exercise supervision. These again are subdivided into districts where presiding Elders or teachers look after the interests of the Church members. There are thirty-three stakes of Zion, with something over three hundred wards. Each stake has a general assembly building, while each ward, besides, has a structure for religious worship. The Assembly Hall, erected at a cost of $90,000, dedicated January 9th, 1882, erected near the temple, is the meeting place for the Salt Lake Stake of Zion. Much like a church in appearance, it is 120 by 68 feet in size, seating three thousand people, and is one of the most conspicuous buildings in the city. The walls are built of rough-hewn granite taken from the same quarrie that has supplied material for the temple.
"There are many other fine buildings in the city, besides natural attractions, as, for instance, Garfield Beach, where bathing is the pleasantest in America, the Hot Springs, the Warm Sulphur Springs, the gas wells, etc. There are seventy miles of electric street railway, and a hundred miles of streets. These avenues are 132 feet in width, having in many places rows of shade trees on either side. Salt Lake City covers as large an area as many other cities with five times its population, and, excepting the business part, is largely composed of villas.
"Other principal cities are Ogden, Logan and Provo. Ogden, thirty-seven miles north of Salt Lake, is the railroad city of the territory, and shows the results of the thrift and industry of its inhabitants on every side. Many beautiful natural attractions surround it—its warm springs and rugged canyons being admired by all who see them.
"But I have not space in this already long letter to describe the mines, the manufacturing, industrial and commercial establishments which abound in this city and in the territory. Neither can I take time to more than merely refer to the schools, public and private, and to the educational facilities of the people. It has often been asserted that the Mormons are opposed to education, but the schools in every hamlet and city bear witness to the falsity of the assertion. No territory or state of the Union, of equal age with Utah, has finer school buildings, or is more advanced in matters of education, and to the Mormons may be ascribed the honor of having built and heartily supported the system that has made this possible.