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 (PI. XCIV, J.) 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, Beehive House (the home of Brigham 

 Young and his many wives), Amelia Palace, and Eagle Gate, 

 erected by Brigham Young (PI. 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 



