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 about 1871 Salt Lake City 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 Pi. XCIII), the center or nucleus around which the 

 city 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 



