' .V -^^ % :- -^-^c^^ « ^ ^-^^.^^ :^MK^ ^^.c,^" /-^iiKv -^^.^^ :^ma^» ^^^. ••--' ^•?>'^ - «j^ *'^^' * ^ • *- o ;. ^o V" FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF TO THE , GOLDEN GATE. m T-" ^I— -l y ■ ■ ^ 1 f ROM H E / T L A N T I C U R F TO HE r^ J r^ aOLDEN J urATE. y First Trip on the Great Pacific Rail, Road. Two Days and Nights Among THE M.ORMONS, WITH SCENES AN D INCIDENTS, BY ^ W. L. HuMASON. ^-, HAI\TFOf\p : Press of ^Vm. p. J^utchings 1869. .1^ f ■ \ ,'. \ FEOM THE ATLAI^TIO SURF TO THE GOLDET^ GATE. Whoever casts a glance over the map of this coun- try, scans its mighty mountain ranges, glances over its majestic rivers, and views its far-extended and deep- indented sea coasts, and considers, for a moment, the vast domain j^rotected by his Nation's flag, must feel proud to call this his own — his "native land," — a land, the scenery of which is unsurpassed in grandeur and beauty ; a land laved by three oceans, embosoming in- numerable wide spread lakes, and sending forth its rocky, snow-capped peaks to battle with the clouds. "Wherever the writer of these pages has wandered, — whether sent forth by the demands of business or called forth by the hours of leisure, — he has ever found a quiet pleasure in roaming over extended plains, thread- ing far-reaching forests, sitting by laughing streams, standing by thundering cataracts, or scaling lofty heights. FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF Ilaviiiir traveled over the Britisli Provinces and al- most every state and territory of our own country, east of tlie Rockv Mountains, I liad loiii? felt a desire to visit those vast re invented a valuable niacliine for reporting stocks, etc., M-liicli has drawn forth very favorable notice from the Cnliinrnia Press. May he succeed, and may his " shadow never grow less." Mr. Proctor is a lut the center of the circle, and the light thereof, was Mrs. Marsli. I>orn and educated in New England, — one of those rare women whicli New Enijland alone can produce, — altliougli married and settled in California, she had not forgotten iier early home ; but had made almost yearly visits to it. Fi-om one of these visits she was now returning, and expected to nuM^t her husband' at Promontory. ^Ir. Marsh was one of the directors of TO THE GOLDEN GATE. ' f) the Central Pacific Iluad, and was to Le present at the ceremonies of " hiying the hist tie, driving tlie last spike," etc. Experienced in travel, Mrs. M, had the faculty of taking care of herself, and bore this i-ongh journey as bravely as the l)ravest. Her bright countenance, pleas- ant smiles and kind words, daih' reminded many of the party of soft eyes and warm hearts left behind. Par- ticularly did they recall to young Adams' mind thoughts of a bright-eyed maiden who dwelt among the hills of Massachusetts, whose fair hands had filled his little lunch-basket with delicacies, and whose parting words, of mingled love and sadness, still lingered in. his ear. Now, Dear Reader, taking it for granted that you are somewhat acquainted with our fellow-travelers, let the train move on. The road we found excellent, the cars pleasant and new, and the sleeping cars even elegant. We passed pleasantly on over a beautiful section of countrj^, bright and green with the freshness of spring, until night closed around us. The next niorniuij; fomid us rolling along the banks of the Platte River, whose wide, rapid, turbid, shallow stream we soon crossed. AYe were now riding over those great ]»lains near" the centre <>t' the continent, ahout wliicli so niiicli lias been said and written. Some writers have pro- nonnced this region a desert, — roamed over, occasionally, by herds of hnttalo i3nt it is very far from being a desert. It is covi-rcd with grass, makes good pasturage, and contains thousands of acres which many a New Eng- land farmer might covet. We saw no bufialo, but plenty of antelopes. Sometimes we would see but one or two together; then, again, great numl)ers of tliem, at a little distance, running "Indian iile,"' along with us, apparently racing with the cars, and always winning in the race-. These are the regions that have been so often passed over, by emigrant trains and by trains bearing government stores to the forts and military stations still farther west. An old "Post Trader" on the cars told iis tliat he had seen live trains at a time, each with hundreds of wagons moving along, abreast, over these plains. Wagons can pass over any part of tho ]>lains. One single train will make a new road anywhere by once driving over the ground, and a VL'ry good road too. No l)etter section of country could be selected for building a railroad, so far as grading is TO THE GOLDEN GATE. JJ concerned. Soon we came upon an encampment of In- dians. They proved to be the friendly Pawnees, and were in the emplo}" of the Government. They were engaged in ffuardino; the raih'oad and as scouts to scour the surround- ing country, and give warning of tlie approach or hostile movements of the treacherous Sioux and other tribes, which have been the terror of the frontier settlements. There are two companies of these mounted Pawnee scouts, and Gen. Augur, who was in our car, said that he liad recommended the War Department to employ many more. He says they make the best of troops for this border country and the services required, and told me that he had never known a case where one of these Pawnee soldiers had ever proved treacherous or unfaithful. Steadily onward we rolled along these extended plains, through the clear, bright day, watching the distant ming- ling of earth and sky, gradually rising higher and higher from the far off sea and nearer valleys, towards those remarkable elevated table-lands that occu]>y so much space in the center of our great country. Towards sunset we approached the summit of the Rocky Mountains; the air became thin and transparent, 12 FK we Imd so recently traversed, lay s]iread out like a great sea behind us, wliile the Black Hills rose ii]» from the elevate into cathedral towers, otliers taking the shape of statuary, some of dismantled forts, some of ruined castles ; and, still further on, they were seen in such nunihers and sliapes as to cause one to suspect he was passing the ruined walls of the blocks of buildings of some large city. We continued to gaze on these curious formations until darkness compelled us to seek the slee]Hng car, and the berths that young Adams' telegram had previously secured. That night our engineer was rcpoi'tcd drunk. I cannot vouch for the correctness of the report. He certainly performed some feats not necessary for the comfort of railroad passengers, such as twitching and jerking the train suddeidy forward, and stop])ing it suddenly, — almost throwing us out of bed, — sometimes scarcely moving along, tlicn si)eeding uj) and dashing- ahead as though demons were in ])ursuit of liini (I believe thev were). Soon his boxes were on tire, and he had to make long stops to cool off. His perform- ances were of such a nature that we were kept awake most of the night. Morning found us in tlie Great American Desert, TO THE GOLDEN GATE. ^5 moving through the vast fiehls of sand covered with alkali and sage-brush, with no water tit to drink. Nearly all day we rode through this most miserable region of sand, sand, dust, dust, sage-brush, sage-brush, sage-brush ! The whole world seemed a desert, and here M'cre the sio-ns of the same. The only relief for the eve was the sio-ht of the snow-crowned peaks of surrounding mountains, provokingly distant. The eating-houses at the stations, which had hitherto been good, seemed now to partake of the nature of the country, consisting of miserable shanties, with tables dirty, and waiters not only dirty, but saucy. The tea tasted as though it were made from the leaves of the sage-brush, — literally, sage tea. The biscuit was made without soda, but with plenty of alkali, liarmon- izino; with the o-reat amount of alkali dust we had already swallowed. The butter was too venerable to be approached. The smell of the fried bacon reminded one of the slaughter-houses of the ancients. The spoons presented no tem])tation, not even for a Ben Butler. The knives and forks m.ay have been made of English steel ; but I would pity the man who would be so IM FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF rash as, with rasp or lile or scouriiig-sand, to umlertake to Work his way throiigli iiK-rustatioiis (hirk and deep, in the vain attempt U> find it. The prices were like those of the Fiftli Avenue Hotel, l)ut '' all else how ehangetl ! " At one dt" till- little stations we learned that an attack had l»een made the night before by the Indians, and some stock driven otl". We [)assed some Indians about to take the war palli, liideous in paint and feathers. We met other parlies mounted, the women astride like the men, and one could hardly tell which was " the lord of cre- ation," or which the " better half," were it not for tlie |)a])p(>ose which often formed the '' (Trecian bend" of the latter. At another station we met a crowd armed with rifles, shot-guns, revolvers, horse pistols, etc. ITpon inipiiry we learned that this was a Vigilance Committee. They had hung a nnm the day before from a telegrajth pole, for committing a fiendish outrage upon the only respectable woman in the i)lace. They had heard that the comrades and friends of the executed man were comimr on our train to avenge his death and to " wijie out the place," TO THE GOLDEN GATE. J^ and the Yigilance Committee were on liand, all armed, ready to receive them. The road, which had been very good until we had passed the summit, we now found very poor, having been hastily constructed, some of it in mid-winter. The grading was very poorly done, the road was very narrow, and the track, in places, decidedly unsafe. Towards night we began to lose sight of the sage- brush and ascend into a better region, clothed with green, up the gradually sloping sides of the Wahsatch, or main range of the Rocky Mountains. We drew nearer to the snow-capped peaks, and began to enjoy the grandeur of the scene before us. We ascended at a rapid rate, winding up the moun- tain, making a curve, in one instance of nine miles, to gain an advance of four. The road was very rough, and the cars were rocking and bounding in a very unsatisfac- tory manner. Assistant Superintendent Hoxie was on board with the conductor. We told them we thought there was danger to be apprehended from so great speed on such a rough road. Mr. Hoxie laughed and said there was no danger, and the conductor said he had never run otf the track yet. • 18 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF Tlie suiinuit was soon readied, and we be^-an to de- scend towaids Echo Canon. Our party M^as in tlic rear car — called the ladies' car. While turning a curve at a rapid rate, we were thrown i'vom the track. AVe flew to the l)rakes and s]»rang for the hell-rope. On we Ijounded over the ties, the car wdieels breakino; many of them a> though they were but i)ipe-stems. Every instant we expected to roll down into the ravine. AVe ordered the ladies to cling to the sides of the seats, and keep their feet clear of the floor. It seemed as if that train could never be stopped ! But it was l^rought to a stand-still u])on the l)riidv oi' an embankment. Had the cars gone a few rods further, the reader wjould probably never have been troubled by these liastily written pages. Tlirough all this, hardly a word had been said ; but now came the excitement, the screaming, the shouting and the weeping, — not umningled with some earnest prayers of thankful- ness to Him who had averted the threatened dauirer. All who remained on the car were uninjured ; but Mr. Jennings had leaped from the rear of the car, struck upon his head, creating an ugly-looking wound, from the eflfects of which he has not yet fully recovered. TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 19 The car was soon upon the track again, and we proceeded at a very slow rate of speed, — hardly as fast as a man would walk. Mr. Hoxie said the road was so bad that we could not go on after dark, and we must stop at a little place called Wahsatch until 8 o'clock the next morning. We did not want to go on ; but what a place to stop in ! Ko buildings — nothing but tents or shanties, and all of them " whiskey hells " of tlie lowest kind. We worked oiu- way through the most villainous-looking crowd that man ever yet set eyes on, to an old sleeping-car on a discontinued side track, which proved to be densely populated with " creeping things." Here we had to spend the night — a night, as Mr. E^asby would say, of some " onpleasantness." Three hundred railroad men, of the roughest kind, had just been discharged and paid off, and were all drunk with poor whiskey, and were " roughing it "" over the place in a terrible manner, having every thing their own way. We were afraid they would attack our sleeping- car and "go through it,"" as the phrase is, and rob the passengers. The ladies were very much frightened, — there was 20 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF very little . sleej) in the car that night. Tlie doors were sefurely hjcked. Some of the party had anus, and stood on miard. INFanv times in the nio;ht some of the " ronghs " attempted to get in, and were driven away. They were apparently too drunk to form any organized plan of assault. I did not sleep, and shall long remember those sounds that made tliat night hideous, of howling, cursing^ swearing and pistol shots. Fights occurred by the score ; we could distinctly hear the blows. Knives were freely used, and the stabbing affrays were numerous. One man was shot directly under our car window. Morning came, luit no breakfast ; yet dajdight itself was to us a feast. An early freight train took off many of the drunken rowdies, and we sauntered out upon the surrounding hills. We came upon a small graveyard in whicii were several graves, every one of which, it was said, was filled by the victim of some broil or fight, — not one had died a natural death. Eight o'clock came, and we left this place of un- pleasant memories, and ])roceeded, at a slow rate, down into Echo Canon, descending the mountain on a track in the foi'iii (»f a letter Z. The track alonu' here Avas laid in the winter, and tlie frost was coming out of the ground, and tlie rains and melting snows had washed the slight road-hed so that a passage over it was very dangerous. Wrecks of freight cars, which had rolled down the embankments, were very frequent. Mr. Hoxie was with us, and exercised the utmost caution. When we entered Echo Canon, the scenery became grand beyond description. The mountains seemed to crowd near together, and their forms were very curious and singular. Their perpendicular walls of rock reminded me of the rocky walls that enclose the waters of the famous Saguenay River. But, grand as was the scenery of Echo Canon, it was far surpassed by the scenery of Weber Canon, which we entered about eleven o'clock. We ran very slow, to avoid another accident, and, therefore, had ample time to view the principal features of this wonderful canon. The Weber River forces its way here, through high mountains faced with perpendicular rocks, carved in fan- tastic shapes of castles, profiles, pulpits, stairs, slides, etc. Little streams, fed by the melting snows which accumulate in the recesses of the mountains, fall over 22 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF the lo% heights into the Weber below. As you look up tVoiu the .side of the deep canon thousands of feet, great masses of rocks appear as though the least jar or sound would send tlieni crashing down upon your head. We passed the "Devil's Slide," and reached the " Devil's Gate." Here the waters of the Weber are crowded into a small space, and make a sharp turn to tind their way out of their walled- ])rison. Here we came to a bridge high up in the air, ex- tending from cliff' to cliff", over which we were to cross. The melting snows had raised the river to such a height, and the rapid current of its rushing waters had so weak- ened the foundations of the bridge (which were never secure), that it was unsafe to cross. No train with pas- sengers had ever crossed it. Locomotives were not haz- arded upon it. At this point we made a long halt. Most of the passengers got out and attempted to cross the bridge. There were no planks upon the bridge, and the crossing nmst be done by stepping from tie to tie. When all was ready, Mr. Proctor took one hand of Mrs. Marsh, and recpiested me to take the other, and the march commenced. We put the left foot forward TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 23 and kept step, if not to " tlie music of tlie Union," to the roaring and tlmndering of tlie raging Weber, wliicli foamed and dashed far down beneath us. A single misstep wonld have sent us down where no hu- man arm could rescue ; and where one poor fellow, the next day, went and returned not. But we passed over without accident, and the spectators declared that Mrs. Marsh had done nobly to lead two such men across in safety. Many of the passengers refused to cross in this way, and went back to the cars. A large body of men wei-e at work upon the bridge, trying in every way possible to brace and strengthen it. The superintendent resolved now to try to pass our locomotive over the bridge. Accordingly the passenger cars were switched off on to a side track, while our locomotive was left standing on the brink of the river near the end of the bridge; then another locomotive pushed a train of empty plat- form cars up to it, and " coupled on." The fireman and engineer then got down, and left their favorite to its fate, the latter remarking, " Good bye, old 121. I have been with you a great while, and hate to lose 24 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF von.'" Tlic i)latf(»nn cars were then slowly pushed for- ward, and the high, feehle hridgo, creaked and groaned under the weicrht of No. 121. We watched with in- tense interest the slow-moving machine, until it reached the solid shore, when a loud shout went uj). This ex- periment was a success, and the platform cars were drawn l)ack, and the })assenger cars were carefully juished over in the same way. Before all this was done a thunder-storm came down upon us, and there com- menced a search for shelter. An eno-iueer of one of the locomotives took Mrs. Marsh, and ran down to a small Mormon settlement a few miles l)elow, where she found a comfortable place and a gtjod meal, in a sun- dried l)ri('k mansion, abont eight feet high, of a kind- hearted Mormon saint. Here, in peace and comfort, she (piietly awaited the approach of our reunited train. Our passengers presented an amusing s})ectacle as they crawled beneath tlie rocks and })hinks and timbers, and under the tanks and wheels of the locomotives to es- cape from the beating storm. In spite of tlie drench- ini:; rain, 1 enioved the sioht of the l)hxck clouds and the forked lightning, and the sound of the peals of TOTHEGOLDENGATE. 25 thunder rolling up the great ravine and rcverheratino- far back, and up among the great chasms and lofty peaks beyond. The train, upon the western shore of the Wel)er being made up and all ready, we loaded in and passed slowly down into the plains of Utah. We now held a "council of war." It was evident — the road was in such a stfite — that the conductor would not undertake to run in the night. Our thoughts wandered back to "Wahsatch. We resolved not to repeat the last night's experience. We had heard of a city of comfort and of plenty, where bright-visaged Brigham reigned, where we might feed on the food of saints, and sleep on beds of down. To Salt Lake City we resolved to go. We stopped at Taylor's Mills, and chartered a stage from Wells, Fargo & Co., loaded up in the midst of a drenching rain, and started at 6 o'clock, P. M,. for the city of salt and love. The distance was forty miles, the horses were to be changed at every ten-mile post. We had proceeded but a short distance, when we were called upon 1)}' the driver to get out and assist the stage through some mud-holes and over some side hills that we could 26 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF not pn>s M-itliont u]>^etti]iroacliing a good place suited for a Sabbath's rest. On Saturday night, before 12 o'clock, at the Towiisend house, in the city of Salt Lake, we were enjoying the luxury of good clean beds, and awaiting with 0]>en arms, the approach of "tired nature's sweet re- storer, balmy sleep." I can never forget that bright Sabbath morning, when I awoke and looked out npon the beautiful (rreat Salt Lake basin, surrounded by a cordon of snow-capped mountains, rising nearly 7,000 feet from the plains and 12,000 feet above the level of the sea. The citv is located in a charming spot. We admired the broad, clean streets, TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 27 with fresli streams of clear water from tlie meltinir snows of tlie mountains, pouring down their sides or ahjng- tlie alleys ; the little, neat houses embosomed in trees and shrubs, and the gardens of fruits and flowers. The Great Salt Lake glimmered in the distance, and the pure, warm air came to us tempered by the cool breezes from the neighboring snow -clad heights. How we enjoyed our morning walk and our morning meal ! It was an interesting sight to see the children of the Sabbath Schools, from the different wards of the city, all moving on, in processions, towards the Tabernacle, — all dressed in their Sunday best, many of the girls adorned with dresses of bright red and blue. We proceeded to the Tabernacle, a large, low build- ing, shaped some like the cover of a chafing dish. Some say it will hold fourteen thousand people. It was divided by a canvas partition, into two parts, but half of the whole building being needed. It is very difficult for a speaker to be heard in many parts of the building. Many of the Mormon dignitaries occupied seats upon the platform; among the number was Elder Kimball, Joseph Young, Mr. Cummings, W. W. Phelps, and Mr. Wood- 28 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF ruff", once of Connecticut, now "one of tlie Twelv^e." Tlie services commenced with prayer, tlien followed con- gregational singing, then another prayer, then singing ajjain. After this one of the Elders made some remarks, and introduced a Methodist minister from abroad, who had been invited to preach and address the assembled Sabbath schools. After the sermon another man, m'Iio claimed to be a Methodist minister, was called upon to make some remarks, which he did, in tones of thunder, and " brought down the house," He was loudly ap- plauded ; although one of the Mormons told us it was done in violation of their rules and customs. This last speaker proved to be a " black-leg " and noted gambler. There were "Gentiles" in his audience who knew him. He soon found that he was "spotted," and bore himself (piietly and (piickly away. In the afternoon their communion service was held. They use no wine. The Mormons are a temperate people. They use bread and colored water. Old and young can partake if they belong to the Mormon Faith, but all " Gentiles " are excluded; they can look on, as we did. "While the bread and water were being " handed round," in cake TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 29 baskets and pitchers, the Elders made some remarks of a rambling nature, the drift of which was that the whole world, outside of Utah, lay in wickedness ; that all the virtues of the race were embodied in the Mor- mon faith and practice. The people were exerted to l)e industrions, to avoid intemperance, and to shun the fashions and follies of " Gentile " life. In short, the men were cautioned against tight, fine-textured pants with broad stripes, and silk stove-pipe hats ; while the women were exerted to nurse their own babies, and to eschew the " pannier " and the " Grecian bend. " The services were somewhat lengthy, and the audi- ence was large. Several women partook of the bread and water while their babes were nursing at the breast. The number of the children is perfectly astonishing. If all of them follow the faith ol the fathers, Mormon- ism will never die out. In the evening services were held in one of the wards, in which the language used was so coarse and indelicate as to be out of place in print. Upon the invitation of an intelligent well-to-do Mormon, 30 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF Mr. Adams and myself went witli liim to liis liome. He hud but twu wives. Tlie lirst he had iiiurried and brought from the vicinity of Montreal, in Canada, the place of their birth. She has one child. The second wife he married in Michigan City, Indiana. She has six children, including two pairs of twins. They all appeared to live hajipily together. The first wife seemed to treat the second as a kind mother would a dutiful daughter. Tliey were both intelligent, and had seen something of the outside world. Our Mormon friend showed us his grounds, his beautiful garden, and his young, fruit-laden trees. Everything about liim bore marks of industry and tlirift. He led from his barn a valuable horse, which he " showed off " before us. It was a noble animal — a perfect picture of equestrian beauty, and would grace the stable of a Bonner or a Yanderbilt. We bade our Mormon friend " good bye," l)ut lie insisted on showing us about the city, and pointing <..ut the residences of the rulers of the Faithful. We walked along the different streets until we were tired, then parted company, and sought our hotel. We received many attentions from General Proctor, TO THE GOLDEN GATE. ^\ brotlier of our traveling friend, tlie United States Com- missioner. He commands at Camp Douglas, a military post three miles from the city, pleasantly located in a niche in the mountains. He came after our party, carried us to his camp, and to the Hot Snlpliur Spring's, and showed us many other acts of kindness, which were gratefully received. He (like all other military men in this locality) has little respect for the character, and especially the morals, of most of these modern saints. The Mormons have now a plan for quietly getting rid of the " Gentile " merchants who have fattened, as they say, in their midst. They have established mer- cantile institutions, or union stores, of which they have entire control, and which are designated in the following manner. Over the door of each are painted (arranged in the form of an arch) these words : " Holiness to the Lord ; " under the arch is painted a large eye, intended to represent, they say, the " all-seeing Eye ; " under the eye are the words, " Zion's Co-operative Union Mercantile In- stitution." The " Faithful " are expected to do all their trading at these stores. If thev are seen to go into other stores they are brought up for church disci]>line. 32 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF This new plan licars liard upon the outside merchants, and es])eeially upon the Jews, wlio liave grown rich on Mormon trade, Ijut arc now oblii^ed to close doors, and become the ]jests of some other community. The soldiers make much ridicule of these Mormon stores and signs. The eye they irreverently call the " bull's eye," and say it is put there because many of the Mormons cannot read, but can follow the eye, and hit U])on the ])ro])er stores. Our hotel proprietor is a Mormon. He has three wives : the first lives in dignified retirement, apparently looking down with indifterence or contempt upo7i all after-comers ; the third appears to be the pet, and has her quarters in another part of the city ; the second wife " keeps the hotel.'' She sees that all ]iarts of the house are kept neat and clean ; looks after the bedding and the furniture of all the rooms ; assures herself that the cooking is done in the very best manner ; attends upon the table, and kioks after the comfort of every individual guest. Having once heard, no one can forget the soft, sad tone of her voice, as she moves among her boarders, asking if thev will have somethin<«; more or TOTHEGOLDENGATE. 33 something better in tlie way of eatables, or if there is anything more that can be done to make tlieir sojourn more home-like and agreeable. Happy the man or woman, worn and racked, covered witli tlie sweat of toil and the dust of travel, wlio can receive the kind ministrations of wife No. 2 at the Townsend House. Mr. Townsend is a very clever, intelligent man, and very obliging ; but the '' Gentiles " say he is very lazy, and will soon marry another wife to help do the house- work, as he knows it is cheaper to marrj^ than to hire. We liked Mr, Townsend very much, and our party had no reason to complain of our treatment at his well-kept hotel. The subject of polygamy I shall not attempt to discuss here. I held several arguments with the "saints" upon the subject, but always came off second-best. They (piote passages of scripture to sanction all their doings. They claim that the effects of their faith and practice can be shown in their own city, which is much better governed, and has fewer drinking-saloous, gambling-hells, and other bad places, than any " Gen- tile" city of its size. A plurality of wives, they assert, 34 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF improves the morals of a commmiity; aiul the sins practiced in our hirge cities were dwelt upon in terms more forcible than elegant. They say their wives live together in perfect harmony, but 1 have reason to doubt it. A lady — a teacher of music — informed me that wife No. 2 of a near neighbor of hers once rushed into her room with a 1)1hc1\ eye, and exhibited great rage. It appears that the three wives had got into a triangular fiirlit, and in the midst of the row the husband came in and dealt his blows, right and left, with little discrimination As No. 2 did not immedi- ately fall submissive at his feet, he ])itched her out of doors. After her rage had somewhat cooled, she dis- cussed the subject of divided affection. Pointing to the cemetery, she said, " Tliat graveyard is filled with the remains of yomeyi who have died of hroken hearts ! " No one can visit this city without admiring the temperance, the frugality and industry of its inhab- itants. Temporal prosperity and thrift are seen on every side. Coarse theatrical performances, such as are exhil)ited in our cities, are not allowed. All visit the theatre, but Brigham Young decides upon tlie character of the performances, and furnishes most of the actors. As I have before said, most of the Mormons have but one wife each. If they wish to take more they are obliged to show to the satisfaction of the Church authorities that they are able to support them. The richer the man the more wives he can have; and he, oftimes, takes " advantage of the situation," — selecting all the young and pretty women, leaving the poor young man, who " sighs like a furnace," to take the old and ugly, live in "single blessedness," or iiee to the " Gentiles." Those in high position in the Church have the greatest number of wives. How many Brigham has I know not, — I don't know as he can tell. Besides his wives, he has so many women " sealed " to him that one of our party remarked, "sealing-wax must by this time be very scarce in Salt Lake City." As David Crocket said to Gen. Jackson, " I like your cider, but — confound your pickles;" so I saw much that I liked in Salt Lake City, but — deliver mc from its female beauty! May I never become a Mormon 3G FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF niitll a new revclati(>ii has 1»roui<;ht to liglit better speci- mens of feminine jthysiognomy tlian are iKtw found in Utah. On ISfoinhiv afternoon, after hiyinii: in ahnnchmt stores for our future journey, we again cliartered a stage from Wells, Fargo & Co., and started on our return to the railroad. The ride of forty miles was a delightful one, — this time all the wav hv daylight, — through what was once a desert, but, now in a certain degree, the garden of the world. The air was soft and balmy, and the most delicate veils of mist hunoj between the hills .and before the face of the distant monarch mountains, — snow- crowned and sky-piercing ! Every turn in the road developed some new feature of beauty, some new phase of the sublime. We traversed man}- a lovely spot, where once nought was seen but sage-brush and the desert sand, where the sound of neither beast nor bird was heard. But Mormon industry and irrigation brought forth the verdant lawn, the waving c-rain, the iirowino; fruits and the cooling shades ; and now, the cow and sheep recline TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 37 beneatli wide-spreadiny; branches, and sweet-toned l)irds sing songs of gladness in thickets and in l)owers. At every stopping-place npon the road, little girls wonld come ont to the stao;e with some coolins: drinks or tem]>ting baskets of pies and cakes. At one station, (Franklin,) wo met Brighani Young and his party, who were returning from Ogden, wdiere they had been to inaugurate the ceremonies of break- ing ground for the new Mormon Railroad, which is to connect Salt Lake City with the great national high- way. The party had stopped to dine. Brigham was upon the piazza, but, as he found all eyes directed towards him, he turned away and went into the hotel. Mr. Hooper, Mormon Delegate to Congress, came out and held some conversation w^itli Mr. Proctor, whom he had previously met in Washington. Upon reaching the " bad spot " in the road, we all got out and walked around it, again loaded up, and drove on, reaching the station about dark. We found the train would not leave until 12 o'clock at night, so we must in patience wait. We 38 FROM TUE ATLANTIC SURF drew forth our supper from the lunch - baskets, and spread it upon the raih-oad platform, — using trunks, baskets, carpet - bags, and soap boxes for dining - room furniture. We had all things in common. We made but a small inroad upon the bounteous store of pro- visions Mr. Proctor's foresight had provided, neither did we make use of the china or silver ware, which Mrs. Marsh was charged to guard with jealous care. About 10 o'clock Mr. Marsh came on from Odgen, and joined us. He was at once made a member of our ring, and his admission was celebrated by a jolly good time. Mr. Marsh calls himself an old resident of Cali- fornia. He has long been connected with most of the public improvements of that growing State. He has a large interest in one of the quartz gold mines of Nevada City, and in the water works which supply the city, — and the miners for a distance of sixty miles, — is at the head of the masonic fraternity, and is, also, a Director in the Central Pacific Railroad. He had just taken part in the ceremonies of laying the last tie, and gave us a graphic account thereof. From him we gained much useful information in reo-ard to tlie route we intended soon to pass over. While engaged in pleasant conversation, the hours passed by. Twelve o'clock came, also the train, — with no sleeping - car. We took seats, and reached Promontory about daylight. We were at the end of the Union Pacific Railroad. Our further journeyings were to be over the Central Pacific. Owing to a quarrel, or misunderstanding, between the superintendents of these two roads, we found that we could make no connection, and could not leave the place until evening. The passengers became very indignant, and there was some " tall talking, " which fell unpleasantly upon the ears of Mr. Marsh, although he had done all in his power to remedy the matter and prevent the delay. The officers of the '' Union Pacific," ordered us out of their cars, saying they had use for them, — they had carried us to the end of their road, — they had nothing more to do with us, only to discharge us ; and out we were turned into the hot sun, with no shade, no hotel, no house, — surrounded by no comforts but sand, alkali, and sage- -1-0 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF bru&li. Maiiv i»f tlie passengers, having had no sleep the niglit 1)efbre, looked pretty hard as they sat on their carpet-bags, nodding in tlie hot snn. One is astonished at the heat experienced here, in tlie middle of the day, upon tliese elevated deserts about 5,000 feet above the sea. l>iit tliere is no water about liere, and tlie sand reflects the heat. In the afternoon we were made more comfortable by the cool iu'cezes that came down from distant Rocky Mountain peaks. A person is very much deceived in regard to distances here, owing to the clearness of the atmosphere. Mountains that a})pear to many to be but eight or ten miles away, prove to be sixty or seventy. Some of the passengers, in order to ])ass time, resolved to go to the top of a small peak that lay otf to the left or south of the road. They thought the distance about three-fourths of a mile. After walkin