AFFAIRS IN UTAH.
To the Editor of The Mormon:
SIR: The frost this Fall has held off remarkably well. A good portion of the corn has ripened, al-though some yet remains green; the crops, however, will be rather light. Some wheat, also, is still green.
On the evening of the 3d the first immigrating com-pany of Saints, two hundred and six in number, under Captain Hindley, arrived in this city in good condi-tion. The second company, principally Danes, under Noah G. Gayman, arrived on the evening of the 7th inst. The third company, led by Seth M. Blair, ar-rived about sundown on the evening of the 11th inst. They were mostly Texans On the evening of the 25th the first division of the P. E. Fund Company, in charge of Elder Ballantyne, arrived in this city. They were preceded by the Nauvoo Brass Band, who went out as far as Willow Springs, to meet the company, and their old captain, Wm. Pitt, returning from his mission to England; also, Elder WM Glover, a member of the Band, Moses Thurston's company (the sixth), arrived early on the morning of the 28th inst. The general health of all the companies was good. There have been several slight rains, but none sufficient to start the grass on the bottoms west of Jordon, in conse-quence of which they will be entirely useless for a herd ground this Winter.
The Deseret State Horticultural Society has been organized under the Presidency of Elder Wilford Woodruff. They have had two exhibitions at which peaches, apples, plums, and grapes were displayed. Some of the peaches measured from seven to eight inches in circumference, and were a beautifully flavored fruit; the apples, plums, and grapes, also were remarkably fine, and for seedlings, would not disgrace any Eastern market. There has been con-siderable budding of fruit trees from the best speci-mens. Brother William C. Stains presented the Historian's office a basket of delicious peaches, which have been named the "Ladies' Favorite." I never tasted a better flavored peach Fruit has been toler-ably abundant, but would have been more so had it not been for the excessive drouth. This is certainly cheering. when we remember that seven years ago the Valley was a howling desert, pronounced by travelers unfit for cultivation, and that the first year of our residence here Brother Staines lost 100,000 fruit trees through the ravages of the crickets, nor has be been much more fortunate this year, 500,000 apple trees having been destroyed by grass-hoppers.
At the public works, brother George Cook has manu-factured pruning and Congress knives, of a beautiful finish and temper, also a set of carrier's tools, which they say cannot be beaten; he is also making lances for Capt. Clawson's company of lancers. Unpickable locks, swores, carding and thrashing machines, &c., are being made there in the best style
Several jobs have been let out on the most difficult parts of the Cottonwood Canal, and as soon as the customary Fall rains have sufficiently moistened the ground an immense amount of labor tithing will be applied on that work, the design of which is for boat-ing the granite to be employed in the erection of the Temple.
The new Historian's office was ready for the roof, but on the night of the 27th a violent gust of wind from the north blew down a few yards of the gable end, breaking a number of joists, which will some what retard the progress of the work. The Governor's large house is inclosed Secretary Babbitt is erecting a commodious two-story dwelling house, as are also Elders O Pratt, Staines, Jarvis, and many others. The adobe work of the County Court House is pro-gressing finely. The adobe work of a meeting house at Pleasant Grove, 60 by 36 feet, is about completed: the rock basement, ten feet high, is partitioned into store rooms. A similar meeting-house is in progress at Lehi.
A great number of cattle have died in Utah County; it is thought to be in consequence of their drinking from stagnant pools, the excessive drouth having dried up the smaller streams.
The grasshoppers have destroyed nearly all the corn at Lehi and Draperville.
Mesers. O Pratt and J. W. Fox started on the 11th for Green River, to ascertain where the northern line of the Territory crosses that river, and located it about 4 ½ miles above the upper ferry,
Mr. Townsend has purchased the bell cast by Mor-gan Phelps, from the first iron from Iron County, very hard. He has mounted it on the top of the Salt Lake Hotel. It has a shrill, sharp ring, nearly equal to the bell at the public works.
I am at present compiling the history of the last days of April, 1844.
President J. C. L. Smith, and some twenty-five other brethren from Iron County, have come up to at-tend conference. In addition to the destruction of train by grasshoppers and drouth in that county, they have been visited by an early frost, which has done considerable damage. A great portion of the wheat at Cedar City has been injured with smut. About one quarter of the wall at Paragoonah has been recently raised to a hight of eight feet, and the materials are now on the ground to complete the structure to that hight, which Brother Dame, with a vigilant company of workmen, is rapidly consummating. The Fort, when completed, will be 106 feet square and 22 feet high; it will be built of stone and adobes.
Some very fine cotton has been raised on Santa Clara. Dr. Hurt informs me that he never saw a choicer article in his life. I send you a small specimen.
Yours truly, GEO. A SMITH.
istorian's Office, Great Salt Lake City, Sept, 30,1855.
19th Century Mormon Article Newspaper Index
