DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN ROUTE. 241 
On July 24, 1847, Brigham Young, at the head of the Mormon 
pioneers who had traversed the plains and hewed a way through the 
mountains, as he stood on the foothills after he had emerged from 
the rocky walls of Emigration Canyon, uttered these memorable 
words: “This is the place.” This statement determined the loca- 
tion of Salt Lake City. Wilford Woodruff in his journal says: 
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 scene that we had ever beheld 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 fruit- 
ful fields; cities erected in the name of the Lord, and the standard of Zion 
unfurled for the gathering of the nations. 
The pioneers began at once to cultivate the land, but before any of 
the land was assigned the city was laid out essentially as it is to-day. 
As each square was planned to contain 10 acres the present city blocks 
are very long, and one may walk a mile without crossing many of the 
city streets 
Until be oes 1871 Salt Lake Sits was strictly Mormon, but with the 
development of the railroads and mines Gentiles began to flock in, 
and to-day the city is thoroughly cosmopolitan. 
The chief point of interest to the general traveler is Temple 
Square (see Pl. XCIII), the center or nucleus around which the 
eity was planned and built. This square contains the temple, the 
tabernacle, and several other minor buildings. The exterior view of 
the Mormon temple is familiar to most persons. The temple was 
built of granite obtained in Little Cottonwood Canyon, about 20 
miles southeast of the city. It was 40 years in building, and each 
stone was selected with the greatest care, so as to avoid flaws that 
might ruin the building in later time. The walls are said to be 9 
feet thick and are built throughout of solid granite, and the height 
to the top of the angel Moroni is 222 feet. As the construction was 
begun before the days of the railroad most of the stone was hauled 
by ox team. In view of the fact that it was built without the aid 
of an architect, the result is surprising, for the temple is indeed an 
imposing structure and one that would attract attention and com- 
mand respect and admiration anywhere. No one save the elect of the 
church is permitted to enter the temple, so that it has an air of 
mystery which to most persons is an added attraction. 
The tabernacle, designed as the assembly room for the church 
conferences, is even more wonderful than the temple. It has a 
seating capacity of 8,000, but occasionally 12,000 persons have been 
crowded into it. It was built in the early days, when the people 
