DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN ROUTE. 243 
them into ditches and upon piles of burning reeds, striving in every 
way to stop the flood of destruction, but all in vain. The people 
then became greatly alarmed lest their whole crop should be de- 
stroyed and they should be left to starve, so a day of fasting and 
prayer was appointed, as the people had great confidence in the 
power and willingness of God to help the faithful. 
The result has been regarded by all the people of Utah as a miracle 
and as a direct answer to their supplications. From the shores and 
islands of Great Salt Lake came myriads upon myriads of gulls 
until the sky seemed dark with their wings and the air seemed to 
pulsate with their wild cries. The people were fearful that a new 
enemy of destruction was upon them until they saw the gulls alight 
on the fields and begin to devour the crickets. As the gulls came 
by thousands it was but a short time until the fields were cleared of 
the pest, and then the gulls wheeled into the air and departed for 
their island homes. It is no wonder that the people look upon the 
advent of the birds as a direct answer to their appeal to God and 
that even, to-day the gulls are regarded as the great protectors of 
the Mormon people. 
The gull has been selected as the emblem of the State, and the 
monument recently erected in Temple Square (Pl. XCIV, A) is in- 
tended to express the gratitude which the Mormon people feel for 
the deliverance from the disaster that threatened the early settlers. 
The gull also appears on the main piece in the handsome silver 
service given by the State to the battleship Utah. 
Temple Square is the center of the Mormon stronghold in the 
city, for around it are clustered many buildings of historic interest 
and also those used by the church at the present time. These build- 
ings include the new Utah Hotel, built by the church, the church 
tithing house, Lion House, Bethive House (the home ot Brigham 
Young and kis many wives), Amelia Palace, and Eagle Gate, 
erected by Brigham Young (Pl. XCII, B). Across the street is 
the great Zion Cooperative Mercantile Institution or Z. C. M. L., 
as it is familiarly called. The Deseret News, founded in 1851, occu- 
pies the other corner, and many other buildings belonging to the 
church are scattered throughout the city. There are also fine club- 
houses, a public library, and numerous skyscrapers and manufactur- 
ing plants. 
The city derives its water supply from the many canyons that 
seam the front of the Wasatch Mountains. The first of these 
streams to be utilized was City Creek, which cuts through the ter- 
race east of the new Capitol Building. City Canyon has been made 
into one of the most charming parks in the country, so that it serves 
the double purpose of keeping the water supply uncontaminated 
