n 
208 
©OBE’S BUBAL WEW-¥©BK£B, 
SEPT. 27 
^iitrir of it Jjhtralist. 
DAILY RURAL LIFE. 
From the Diary of a Centleman near New 
York City. 
AMONO THE MORMONS. 
Aug. 14. — Returning from our visit to 
President Brigham Young and the apostles 
assembled there, wo called at the residence 
of W. Jennings, probably the wealthiest 
man in Balt Lake City. We were most, cor¬ 
dially received, and shown about the grounds 
by the proprietor in person, who appeared to 
take as much delight in exhibiting the pro¬ 
ducts of his garden as a Hcnnjwkll or Sar¬ 
gent. I never saw a more beautiful lawn 
anywhere at the East, not excepting those 
perfect specimens to be found in Newburgh, 
N. Y., than this one ol' Mr. .Jennings. It 
was not very extensive, it is true, but its 
perfection male up for what it might lack in 
extent. Pears, apples, grapes and all the 
various kinds of small fruits do well here, 
the trees being loaded down, while the crops 
of plums and apricots were a surprise to US 
all; for there are no curcuiios here to destroy 
these rather rare fruit# in the Eastern States. 
The largest and best varieties of apricots 
were selling in Salt. Lake markets for one 
dollar per bushel. Block Hamburgh, Chas- 
selas and several other foreign varieties of 
grapes succeed well, the vines being protect¬ 
ed in winter. 
The vegetable garden was fully as great a 
success as the fruit garden, and the gardener 
dug up a few hills of several varieties of po¬ 
tatoes, such as Early Rose. Peerless and old 
Neshanuock, just to show Mr. Buss that the 
new sorts os well as the old had lost none of 
their good qualities in emigrating to the far 
West. After fully satisfying our curiosity in 
regard togurdening in Utnh, we were invited 
into the mansion and introduced to Mrs. 
Jennings and her interesting family. The 
house was furnished with as much taste and 
elegance as similar dwellings on Fifth 
Avenue, showing that the fine arts have 
reached even unto the home of the Mormons, 
Those well known adjuncts of a generous 
and true welcome wore showered upon us in 
the greatest profusion, aud sparkling wit and 
wine flowed freely during the few moments 
we remaided to receive thorn. Bidding adieu 
to our host and hostess, we drove back to the 
hotel to dinner, after which we started 
SI0HT-SEEIN0 ABOUT THE CITY. 
There is so much to see in this city of Latter 
Day Saints which is of interest to strangers, 
that one scarcely know s where to begin. In 
company with several of the Mormon elders 
we first visited the Tabernacle, a huge struc¬ 
ture resembling a monstrous turtle. There 
is nothing rich or elegant about it, but it 
will accommodate 12,000 people at one time, 
and I have uo doubt but what their prayers 
will reach as high and be just as effective as 1 
though they started from damask-covered 
Boats and passed through gorgeously-covered 
marble walls. The organist came and gave 
us a rich feast of music from the grand in- 1 
strument, the largest of its kind in America. 1 
with the one exception of the Big Organ of f 
Boston. This splendid instrument, was made T 
here and by Mormons, and the worshipper* ' 
at this shrine have good reason to bo proud ° 
of it. The great Mormon Temple which has ' 
been in course of construction for a number ' 
of years, stands nearby—or its foundation I' 
does, for the walls as yet are only a few feet 
above the basement story. The stone used 1 
for this structure is a beautiful white granite 
found in abundance in Little Cottonwood e 
Canon, sornu twenty miles distant. A large n 
force is now employed upon this building, k 
and it will require several years to complete C ' 
it; but when finished the Mormons need not s< 
ask for a greater monument to commemo- " 
rate their religious zeal or patient industry. I' 
"VVe also visited the great Mormon co-opera- 1 
tive institution, which transacts a business 111 
amounting in the aggregate to five millions sl 
of dollars annually, paying a dividend on the 
capital stock of about thirty per cent. Mrs. n{ 
“Rurulist” priced goods of several kinds as 
with which she was familiar, and found m 
is no chance for them to “bull ” or “bear ” 
, the market on account of a short or full sup- 
_ ply of any one line of goods. The rule estab- 
lished in fixing prices by the Zion’s Co-opera¬ 
tive Mercantile Institution, is to add a fair 
profit upon cost at, the time the goods arc 
H received, and this Is not udvanced, even if 
there is likely to be a scarcity; the last yard 
of muslin in the store or Territory would be 
sold at the same price ns though there were 
to a million of yards on hand. 1 think this is 
es worth remembering by those discontented 
ce souls east of this city who talk of co-ope la¬ 
st tion and the breaking down of monopolies. 
AMONG THE FARMERS OF UTAH. 
to Aug. 15.—To-day we have been taking a 
trip into the suburbs of Salt. Lake City, to see 
H . how farming operations are conducted here. 
^ There is no certainty of raising a crop anv- 
, 0 where in this valley without irrigation, which 
tj is done in about the same manner r« in Colo- 
[f rado. Fruit and shade trees, us well as 
vegetables and ornamental plants generally, i 
}1 are planted in such a manner that they can 
, e be constantly irrigated, consequently great, 
u care is required to insure succe In some 
,1 of the low grounds near the water level, 
is grass and some kinds of grain can be grown 
v without artificial irrigation ; in fart the land 
,, has to be underdrainod, which costs as much 
a as it does to prepare ditches for irrigation ; 
e therefore these lands are no more valuable 
for farming purposes, and far less desirable 
for a residence. All the ordinary cereals do 
^ well, yield abundantly, and are of the finest 
quality. Wo. saw extensive meadows from 
which four tons of the finest hay was being 
^ gathered. Then, what a climate for making 
hay; no showers or long, drizzling rains to 
J interfere with and spoil one’s calculation in 
regard to time required for gathering or the 
{ quality of the product. All kinds of farm 
produce command a good price, and the 
1 farmers are so well satisfied that they hold 
| Their best lands at from two hundred to two 
hundred and fifty dollars per acre. 
j A GRAND RECEPTION. 
I On our return from the country, we re- 
i ceived invitations to meet the members of 
! the Salt Lake Agricultural Society, at the 
City Hall, in the evening. After tea the ma- 
1 jority of our party walked over to the paid 
building, expecting to meet a few of the 
leading agriculturists of this region ; but, 
much to our surprise, we found a Large as¬ 
sembly composed of the very elite of the city, 
Mormons and Gentiles, with their wives, 
sons and daughters. Alter spending a little 
time in the usual greeting* on such odes 
sious, we were escorted into an adjoining 
room where another surprise was in store for 
US in the form of a half dozen immense tables 
loaded with all the delicacies of the season, 1 
but mainly of the superb fruits of Utah and 
California. This was an agricultural wel- ’ 
eorno which we did not expect, and alt hough < 
1 have been to many an aristocratic reception 
in my day, and among people who make 1 
greater pretensions to high art in this line - 
than the Mormons, still it has never hem m\ 1 
lot to witness a more perfect entertainment 1 
in all the minutest details as well ns in the ‘ 
perfection as"a whole than the one this even- 1 
ing. There was no ostentatious display, and ' 
still it was rich ; neither was there any at- ' 
tempt on the part of the Mormon leaders, 
who got. up this reception, to magnify it in I 
any respect, but the ease and graee of the e 
well-bred gentleman and lady were every- r 
where .apparent. Speeches were called for v 
and made by both citizens and visitors, but I f 
heard no bragging, boasting or reference to h 
the abuse which has been heaped upon this n 
people by the outsido world. During the u 
evening about four hundred aud fifty Mor- 
mon Sunday school children Lad been col- -, 
lected in the hall in which we were first re¬ 
ceived, and they gave us an opportunity of * 
seeing not only what the rising generation 
were like, but a sample of their Sunday de- 
votional exercises in the way of singing. ,, 
The Children appeared to be as neatly clad, 1 
intelligent and happy as those of a similar 
station in life in other cities. 
I cc 
Our truly social entertainment lasted until jy 
near midnight, when we separated, receiving p, 
as a parting word an invitation to join a is 
number of citizens the following day in visit- t i. 
them varying but slightly from the prices in £ tlie American Fork Canon, some forty- 
charged at Stewart’s or Macv’s in New ^ ve “dies distant. 
York. Anything, from a clothes-pin up to a 
steam engine, can be purchased at this one 
establishment. This is not only the largest 
but the most successful co-operative institu¬ 
tion of the kind in the world. Whether its 
success is owing to the strict honesty of both 
clerks and managers, or to the peculiar lo¬ 
cality, I am not able to determine ; but it has 
a wholesome effect upon all the smaller and 
independent trades in the Territory, for there 
A MORMON PICNIC PARTY. 
Aug. 16.—Seven o’clock A. M. was the 
hour set for starring on our excursion to the 
American Fork Canon this morning. When 
we arrived at the railroad station we found 
quite a large number of the leading Mormon 
dignitaries and their wives who were to ac¬ 
company us on our excursion to the above- 
named Canon. A glance into the baggage 
car revealed piles of baskets, boxes and other 
unmistakable signs of a care of the physical 
p- man about lunch time; consequently I made 
■b- up my mind that we were going out on a 
a- Mormon picnic, although the thirty Eastern 
lir agriculturists might tend to make the party 
re a little mixed. We loft the city via the Jor- 
if don Valley Railroad, passing through a fine 
rd agricultural region lying along the base of 
>o the mountains, but gradually sloping down 
sp to Balt and Utah Lakos, or the Jordon River, 
is which connects the two. The waters of the 
;d former are so thoroughly impregnated with 
a- salt that no living creature can exist therein, 
but the latter is fresh and is famous for fine 
fish. At belli we leave the J. V. R. R., which 
is of the usuul width of track, and take the 
}e American Fork Railroad, a narrow gauge. 
' Very handsome passenger cars are placed at 
’ our disposal, .Did ws commence our upward 
journey towards the Canon. 1 say upward 
journey, for be it known to those who have 
^ not been here that the grade of this road is 
l ,' upwards of three hundred feet to the mile. 
’ When we had nearly reached the Canon our 
1 ,‘ locomotive suddenly gave out, and here we 
l f ‘ were miles away from any habitation except 
. the miners’ cabins, with a “played out ” en- 
’ ginc. But we wore soon to be extricated 
from our unpleasant predicament, fora num- 
!i ber of small platform, car?. used for bringing 
down wood and ore from the mountains, 
’ came to our relief, with two span of mules 
i attached to each. We were soon all aboard 
1 of these and again on our way up the Canon 
t wi,k ,kti rocks towering twenty-five 
hundred feet above us on either side. 
We had seen much of Canons aud Moun- 
’ tains, but this was the grandest view of 
’ them all. The Mormon ladies and gcntle- 
1 men conversed freely in regard to their post 
1 history and present prosperity, ami even 
about their domestic lif , with its peculiar 
1 institution for which wc outsider* have 
: abused them with all the adjectives at our 
command. I did not find any disposition on 
’ the part of these leaders among the Mor¬ 
mons to hide anything from our sight, but 
they were, as a whole, open and frank, even 
- courting investigation of their creed arnlcon- 
r duct in life. Their ladies also conversed freo- 
■ I ly with those of our party, probably satisfy¬ 
ing even a woman’s curiosity in regard to the 
[ domestic life among the Mormons. In answer 
to a question which I asked a young Mormon I 
I wile, she said:—“ 1 was baptised when eight 
years old, and have been brought up a Mor¬ 
mon, and neither know, nor care to know, 
whether there is a better religion, being per- I 
fectly satisfied with my own. if you have 
been brought up a Methodist, and remain 
one, you probably think it the best church, 
and we. would and do respect you for remain¬ 
ing steadfast and firm in the faith, while wo 
ask for the same privilege ourselves.” 
In this manner wc chatted, discussing the 
various topics of the day, until reaching the 
end of the railroad, some eight miles from 
where wc entered the Canon below. Here 
wc. rested for an hour, once more enjoying 
Mormon hospitality in the shape of luscious 
fruits, sweetmeats and wines, which would 
make the most, fastidious epicure happy. 
Silver, iron, gold and lead ore* are abundant 
here, but we have become so accustomed to 
them that they have lost t.heir interest, and 
we seldom stop to examine or look at them. 
A NOVEL DESCENT. 
Having climed the Canon with mule pow- 1 
er, there was no need of t his kiud of aid in 
returning, and the cars were all joined and - 
wo were soon aboard, with a promise of a i 
far more rapid descent than ascent. The I 
brakes were loosened, and our tram started 1 
at a rate of speed which would have soon j 
mode “riding on two rails" unsafe and un- i 
profitable, but a little tightening and loosen- <- 
ing of brakes, as required, equalized the 1 
speed, and in an hour we were once more , 
out upon the plains again and soon steaming r 
away for Salt Lake City, where we arrived > 
at 7 o’clock P. M., well pleased with our first J' 
picnic among the Mormons. 
LEAVING SAtT LAXE CITY. U 
At 9 o’clock P. M. we entered a Pullman a 
coach, and started on our home ward journey, Sl 
bidding good-by to the Mormons and their 
beautiful city. It is an old saying that “ there g 
is a skeleton in even' house,” and it may be 
that it is tine of those of this city; but we 
failed to find one. The Mormons appear to A 
be an intelligent aud industrious people, k 
capable of minding their own business, anil p 
I presume they would be glad to have others tv 
do the same. They have made this desert a p 
very Garden of Eden, through years of toil T 
anl suffering, accomplishing wonders and h 
nvPVf»nn lino- n.iihA.11incr irv 4Lir L, 
overcoming appalling difficulties in this homesteads that lie around you are not 
heretofore isolated locality; but the opening obliged to choose these. Don't be frightened 
ut the Union Pacific Railroad brings them m tit the sight of them, their bases are allfertile 
close contact with the outside world, and and themselves are filled with water, the 
them is no doubt but what the rising genera- delicious wild grapes and plums with which 
tion of Mormons will modify then’ religious they are almost covered, only demonstrate 
belief so as to have it conform with that of to you the wonderful capability of this sec- 
other portions of the Christian world. tipn for fruit growing. 
y FROM TENNESSEE. 
r- - 
, e In the Rural New-Yorker of Sept. 13, 
one or two inducements to farmers were 
enumerated. This Ume we shall endeavor to 
give the mechanic one or two. Our resour¬ 
ces for all that we boast, of in East Tennes¬ 
see are almost inexhaustible. Our timber is 
plenty, and of the best quality for spokes, 
< 3 hubs, pails and all furniture. Our water- 
h courses arc rapid enough to drive abuost any 
c wheel, aud our market is always open for 
>. almost every article—and that at about, 25 to 
,t 50 per cent, higher price than in New York. 
,1 Should a capable aud energetic manufactur- 
(j er with several experienced hands, set up a 
boot and shoe factory here to do good, hon- 
8 est work, the demand from the South w^jnld 
.. render him independent in two or three years 
r should he fill that demand. We hare every 
i 3 facility here for tanning the beat of leather, 
l hence the great impediment to all common 
. and small concerns in the shoe business 
j would be removed by bringing a tanner and 
. doing the whole thing here. The best of oak 
bark can be had at the yard for $4, and less, 
’ per cord ; vats are already made and can be 
s bought for a small sum; and green hides, 
] at five cents per pound. Almost all our hubs, 
3 spokes, fellies, pails and brooms are brought 
5 here from the North ; also, to the whole 
South, We have every facility for making 
. all these. Hungs here, aud at a much cheaper 
C rate, as labor is cheaper. Any one who is 
. thoroughly acquainted with the foundry 
l business may find it much to his interest and 
, advantage to accept a proposition, made by 
• one of our wealthiest citizens and mechau- 
. ics. He will subscribe half to the setting up 
• of an iron foundry here, and, beside, give 
j the foundry ail the work it can do outside of 
. customary business. 
Within a half mile of our depot is iron ore 
enough to excite anybody about Pittsburg— 
the ore being rich and in abundance. For 
three fourths of a mile it crops out all along 
one whole sido of a ridge. A test of the ore 
makes it yield 35 to 50 percent. We shall 
take pleasure in giving any further informa¬ 
tion to anybody interested in coming to a 
warmer climate. a. e. b. 
Cleveland, E. Tenn.. Sept. 13,1873. 
FROM AUGUSTA CO., VA. 
I see from the lust Rural New-Yorker, 
that attention has been culled to West Vir¬ 
ginia as a fruit-growing region. This is a 
move in the right direction. I have been a 
sojourner at this delightful watering-place 
the ontii’e summer, and have had many talks 
with one of the proprietors on this very sub¬ 
ject, and of going into fruit-growing and 
practical gardening on a large scale at this 
poiut,. Thousands of dollars could be realized 
iu a few years from sale of fruits and vege¬ 
tables, besides supplying the table with deli¬ 
cious grapes, pears, melons, &c., &c. There 
is, I understand from Mr. Pattison, between 
300 and 400 acres of land in the tract, all of 
which is adapted to the growth of fruits and 
vegetable ; 140 acres of this are fiats on I he 
Little Calf Pasture River. This property is 
18 miles west of (he growing citv Of Staun¬ 
ton, ou the Cheasapeuko and Ohio Railroad. 
Fruit growing in this section has bean sadly 
neglected. Those who will go into it a t once, 
will soon be m the way of making fortunes ; 
one-third or one-half interest in this valuable 
property can be had, upon which there is the 
finest sulphur, chalybeate, lime and freestone 
waters, besides iron ore and a splendid quar¬ 
ry of slate. This place is situated just iu the 
| midst of many iron banks, and water in 
I every direction for fish culture. There are 
many other places similarly situated, all of 
which can be bought in whole or part. Cli¬ 
mate is delightful, being within four miles 
of the famous Plot’s Kn jb, the highest, peak 
iu Virginia, a place of great resort during 
the summer, why should you go West when 
there are thousands of acres of neh lands in 
this portion of Virginia and West Virginia 
uncultivated ! This is a conservative people, 
and have a conservative climate. Come and 
see. J. D. Thompson. 
Halifax Co., Va. 
--- 
SAND HILLS OF THE ARKANSAS VALLEY. 
We clip from a circular issued by the 
Atchison TopeKa & Santa Fe R. R. the fol¬ 
lowing paragraph ;—Noteworthy among the 
peculiarities of the country adjacent to this 
railroad are the sand hills, found in some 
places north and iu others south of the river. 
These sand lulls in the aggregate cover many 
hundreds of acres, but out of the millions of 
homesteads that lie around you are not 
obliged to choose these. Don’t be frightened 
at the sight of them, their bases ore allfertile 
and themselves are filled with water, the 
