Читать книгу The History of Salt Lake City and its Founders, Volume 1 - Edward William Tullidge - Страница 9

PROGRESS OF THE COLONY. DESTRUCTION OF THE CROPS BY CRICKETS. DESCRIPTION OF GREAT SALT LAKE CITY.

Of the colony in its first year's growth and doings, Parley P. Pratt says: "Alter many toils, vexations and trials, such as breaking wagons, losing cattle, upsetting, etc., we arrived in the Valley of Great Salt Lake late in September, 1847. Here we found a fort commenced and partly built by the Pioneers, consisting of an enclosure of a block of ten acres with a wall, or in part of buildings of adobes or logs. We also found a city laid out and a public square dedicated for a temple of God. We found also much ground planted in late crops, which, however, did not mature, being planted late in July; although there were obtained for seed a few small potatoes, from the size of a pea upward to that of half an inch in diameter. These being sound and planted another year produced some very fine potatoes, and, finally, contributed mainly in seeding the Territory with that almost indispensable article of food.

"After we had arrived on the ground of Great Salt Lake City we pitched our tents by the side of a spring of water; and, after resting a little, I devoted my time chiefly to building temporary houses, putting in crops, and obtaining fuel from the mountains.

Having repented of our sins and renewed our covenants, President John Taylor and myself administered the ordinances of baptism, etc., to each other and to our families, according to the example set by the President and Pioneers who had done the same on entering the valley.

"These solemnities took place with us and most of our families, November 28, 1847.

"Sometime in December, having finished sowing wheat and rye, I started, in company with a Brother Higby and others, for Utah Lake with a boat and fish net. We travelled some thirty miles with our boat, etc., on an ox wagon, while some of us rode on horseback. This distance brought us to the foot of Utah Lake, a beautiful sheet of fresh water, some thirty-six miles long by fifteen broad.

Here we launched our boat and tried our net, being probably the first boat and net ever used on this sheet of water in modern times.

"We sailed up and down the lake shore on its western side for many miles but had only poor success in fishing. We, however, caught a few samples of mountain trout and other fish.

"After exploring the lake and valley for a day or two, the company returned home, and a Brother Summers and myself struck westward from the foot of the lake on horseback, on an exploring tour. On this tour we discovered and partly explored Cedar Valley, and there crossed over the west mountain range and discovered a valley beyond; passing through which, we crossed a range of hills northward, and entered Tooele Valley. Passing still northward, we camped one night on a bold mountain stream, and the next day we came to the southern extreme of Great Salt Lake and passing round between it and the West Mountain we journeyed in an eastern course, and, crossing the Jordan, arrived in Great Salt Lake City—having devoted nearly one week to our fishing, hunting, and exploring expedition. During all this time we had fine weather and warm days; but the night we arrived home was a cold one, with a severe snow storm. And thus closed the year 1847.

"January 1st, 1848.—The opening of the year found us and the community generally in good, comfortable, temporary log or adobe cabins, which were built in a way to enclose the square commenced by the Pioneers, and a portion of two other blocks of the city plot. * * * "We had to struggle against great difficulties in trying to mature a first crop. We had not only the difficulties and inexperience incidental to an unknown and untried climate, but also swarms of insects equal to the locusts of Egypt, and also a terrible drought, while we were entirely inexperienced in the art of irrigation; still we struggled on, trusting in God."

Thus was the fair promise of the first harvest in the Valley destroyed by the -desolating crickets. Their ravages were frightful. They came down from the mountains in myriads. Countless hosts attacked the fields of grain. The crops were threatened with utter destruction. The valleys appeared as though scorched by fire. Famine stared the settlers in the face. All were in danger of perishing.

Every effort was made by the settlers to drive the crickets off by bushes, long rods, and other like means—whole families and neighborhoods turning out en masse until the people were almost exhausted. At this frightful moment, when the utter destruction of their crops stared the little colony in the face,—while also on their journey were the companies under President Young, who would need supplies until the second harvest, the manifestation of a special Providence was sent to save the people—so these reverent colonists believed. Immense flocks of gulls came up from the islands of the Lake to make war upon the destroying hosts. Like good angels, they came at the dawn; all day they feasted upon the crickets. The gulls covered every field where the crickets had taken possession, driving them into the streams and even into the door-yards, devouring them until gorged, then vomiting them and devouring more.

Even as it was, there was a season of famine in Utah; but none perished from starvation. The patriarchal character of the community saved it. As one great family they shared the substance of the country. An inventory of provisions was taken in the Spring of 1849, and the people were put upon rations.

Still their breadstuff's were insufficient, and many went out with the Indians and dug small native roots, while some, in their destitution, took the hides of animals, which covered the roofs of their houses, and cut them up and cooked them. But the harvest of 1849 was abundant and the people were saved.

A passage of Indian history should not be lost here, as given by Parley P. Pratt in a letter to his brother Orson, in England, bearing date, Great Salt Lake City, September 5th, 1848. He wrote: "A few weeks since, Mr. Joseph Walker, the celebrated Utah Chief, mentioned in the journey of Colonel Fremont, paid a visit to this place, accompanied by Soweite, the king of the whole Utah nations, and with them some hundreds of men, women and children; they had several hundred head of horses for sale.

"They were good looking, brave, and intelligent beyond any we had seen on this side of the mountains. They were much pleased and excited with everything they saw, and finally expressed a wish to become one people with us, and to live among us and we among them, and to learn to cultivate the earth and live as we do. They would like for some of us to go and commence farming with them in their valleys, which are situated about three hundred miles south.

"We enjoined it on them to be at peace with one another, and with all people, and to cease to war."

The following from the First General Epistle sent out from the Mormon Presidency, in the spring of 1849, is valuable as a page of the early history.

"On our arrival in this valley, we found the brethren had erected four forts, composed mostly of houses, including an area of about forty-seven acres, and numbering about 5,000 souls, including our camp. The brethren had succeeded in sowing and planting an extensive variety of seeds, at all seasons, from January to July, on a farm about twelve "miles in length, and from one to six in width, including the city plot. Most of their early crops were destroyed, in the month of May, by crickets and frost, which continued occasionally until June; while the latter harvest was injured by drought and frost, which commenced its injuries about the 10th of October, and by the out-breaking of herds of cattle. The brethren were not sufficiently numerous to fight the crickets, irrigate the crops, and fence the farm of their extensive planting, consequently they suffered heavy losses; though the experiment of last year is sufficient to prove that valuable crops may be raised in this valley by an attentive and judicious management.

"The winter of 1847-8 was very mild, grass abundant, flocks and herds thriving thereon, and the earth tillable most of the time during each month; but the winter of 1848-9 has been very different, more like a severe New England winter. Excessive cold commenced on the 1st of December and continued till the latter part of February. Snow storms were frequent, and though there were several thaws, the earth was not without snow during that period, varying from one to three feet in depth, both in time and places. The coldest day of the past winter was the 5th of February, the mercury falling 330 below freezing point, and the warmest day was Sunday, the 25th of February, mercury rising to 21° above freezing point, Fahrenheit. Violent and contrary winds have been frequent.

The snow on the surrounding mountains has been much deeper, which has made the wood very difficult of access; while the cattle have become so poor, through fasting and scanty fare, that it has been difficult to draw the necessary fuel, and many have had to suffer more or less from the want thereof. The winter commenced at an unusual and unexpected moment and found many of the brethren without houses or fuel, and although there has been considerable suffering, there has been no death by the frost. Three attempts have been made by the brethren with pack animals or snow shoes to visit Fort Bridger, since the snow fell, but have failed; yet it is expected that Compton will be able to take the mail east soon after April conference.

"In the former part of February, the bishops took an inventory of the breadstuff in the valley, when it was reported that there was little more than three-fourths of a pound per day for each soul, until the 5th of July; and considerable was known to exist which was not reported. As a natural consequence some were nearly destitute while others had abundance. The common price of corn since harvest has been two dollars; some have sold for three; at present there is none in the market at any price. Wheat has ranged from four to five dollars, and potatoes from six to twenty dollars per bushel, and though not to be bought at present, it is expected that there will be a good supply for seed by another year.

"Our public works are prosperous, consisting of a Council House, 45 feet square, two stories, building by tithing; also a bridge across the Western Jordan, at an expense of seven hundred dollars, and six or seven bridges across minor streams, to be paid by a one per cent, property tax; also, a bath-house at the warm spring.

"A field of about 8000 acres has been surveyed south of and bordering on the city, and plotted in five and ten acre lots, and a church farm of about 800 acres. The five and ten acre lots were distributed to the brethren, by casting lots, and every man is to help build a pole, ditch, or a stone fence.as shall be most convenient around the whole field, in proportion to the land he draws; also, a canal on the east side, for the purpose of irrigation. There are three grist mills, and five or six saw mills in operation, and several more in contemplation.

"The location of a tannery and foundry are contemplated as soon as the snows leave the mountains.

"The forts are rapidly breaking up, by the removal of the houses on to the city lots; and the city is already assuming the appearance of years, for any ordinary country; such is the industry and perseverance of the Saints.

"A winter's hunt, by rival parties of one hundred men each, has destroyed about 700 wolves and foxes, 2 wolverines, 20 minx and pole cats, 500 hawks, owls, and magpies, and 1,000 ravens, in this valley and vicinity.

"On the return of a portion of the Mormon Battalion through the northern part of Western California, they discovered an extensive gold mine, which enabled them by a few days delay to bring a sufficient of the dust to make money plentiful in this place for all ordinary purposes of public convenience; in the exchange the brethren deposited the gold dust with the presidency, who issued bills or a paper currency."

Captain Stansbury describing Salt Lake City and its environs, as viewed about the year 1850, wrote: "A city has been laid out upon a magnificent scale, being nearly four miles in length and three in breadth; the streets at right angles with each other, eight rods or one hundred and thirty-two feet wide, with sidewalks of twenty feet; the blocks forty rods square, divided into eight lots, each of which contains an acre and a quarter of ground. By an ordinance of the city, each house is to be placed twenty feet back from the front line of the lot, the intervening space being designed for shrubbery and trees. The site for the city is most beautiful: it lies at the western base of the Wasatch Mountains, in a curve formed by the projection westward from the main range of a lofty spur which forms its southern boundary. On the west it is washed by the waters of the Jordan, while to the southward for twenty-five miles extends a broad, level plain, watered by several little streams, which flowing down from the eastern hills, form the great element of fertility and wealth to the community. Through the city itself flows an unfailing stream of pure, sweet water, which, by an ingenious mode of irrigation, is made to traverse each side of every street, whence it is led into every garden spot, spreading life, verdure and beauty over what was heretofore a barren waste.

On the east and north the mountain descends to the plain by steps, which form broad and elevated terraces, commanding an extensive view of the whole valley of the Jordan, which is bounded on the west by a range of rugged mountains, stretching far to the southward, and enclosing within their embrace the lovely little Lake of Utah.

"On the northern confines of the city, a warm spring issues from the base of the mountain, the water of which has been conducted by pipes into a commodious bathing house; while, at the western point of the same spur, about three miles distant, another spring flows in a bold stream from beneath a perpendicular rock, with a temperature too high to admit the insertion of the hand, (128 Fahrenheit.) At the base of the hill it forms a little lake, which in the autumn and winter is covered with large flocks of waterfowl, attracted by the genial temperature of the water.

Beyond the Jordan, on the west, the dry and otherwise barren plains support a hardy grass, (called bunch grass,) which is peculiar to these regions, requiring but little moisture, very nutritious and in sufficient quantities to afford excellent pasturage to numerous herds of cattle. To the northward, in the low grounds bordering the river, hay in abundance can be procured, although it is rather coarse and of an inferior quality.

"The facilities for beautifying this admirable site are manifold. The irrigating canals, which flow before every door, furnish abundance of water for the nourishment of shade trees, and the open space between each building, and the pavement [sidewalk] before it, when planted with shrubbery and adorned with flowers, will make this one of the most lovely spots between the Mississippi and the Pacific.

"The city was estimated to contain about eight thousand inhabitants, and was divided into numerous wards, each, at the time of our visit, enclosed by a substantial fence, for the protection of the young crops: as time and leisure will permit, these will be removed, and each lot enclosed by itself, as with us. The houses are built, principally of adobe or sun-dried brick, which, when well covered, with a tight projecting roof, make warm, comfortable dwellings, presenting a very neat appearance. Buildings of a better description are being introduced, although slowly, owing to the difficulty of procuring the necessary lumber, which must always be dear in a country so destitute of timber.

"Upon a square appropriated to the public buildings, an immense shed had been erected upon posts, which was capable of containing three thousand persons. It was called 'The Bowery,' and served as a temporary place of worship until the construction of the great Temple. * * * A mint was already in operation, from which were issued gold coins of the Federal denominations, stamped without assay, from the dust brought from California."