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Show B Cost of the Tempi. tfj 6-i.t Lakk CiTr, Utah, Mnrcli2, 1895. M Jfofcrrl S. Davit, Kn., SS South Bntvth Wj ttrttt ,l'hiltnUtihi(l. Dkar Rib: Your furor ol February 14 B to President Wtlfonl Woodruff re.srtl-H re.srtl-H ing IboroHof Hie erection of tba flslt I.nkoTtmplo wunlil linvo received au I earlier reply, but until today some Kami wero lucking. I The iH'culInr condition) nndr which 1 tins vtork was accompli!. el roarfor It 1 iuitoilifllcult tonrnvu nt tbo e-sct cost r oltlio construction. In Us early states tho progress was slow and Tory ex le nslve, for It then look fonr yoke of oxen four days to bring a single stone from tho quarry twenty inlloe distant. ItluiH been estimated by somotlist every stono cost $100 quarrying, hauling, haul-ing, culling, laying by the lime it win In Ho pl.u-o in tho Temple walls. This modo of transit continued until ft rait- Irond s built to the qusrry, after which the atone wa brought In at Ices expense and the inaeoa work progressed moru rapidly. During these early times many rilllkultles were encountered, the lots of nope by crickets and grasshoppers Bent up the pricu of Hour sometimes to (10 per hundred pounds. Steel, iron, nails and other materials used in tho construction wero obtained at enormously enormous-ly high prices, freight across tho plains nlono coating, at times, 00 cents per pound. In consequouce of the high price of provisions wages wore correspondingly cor-respondingly high, all of which addod to the cost of tho building. All of tho ouleido walls and most of tho iiisido nro of solid granite blocks liown to lli square, with tho outside courses worked ton very smooth surfs.ee. The oriiniucnlnl parts, representing the sun, moon ii'id stars, the lluales nod stones for nil of Iho towers, the 800 solid grnnito steps (I) feot in width), extending extend-ing Iron) tho button to the top of tho four comers, wero hewn at great expenso many a elnglo stonu costing moro than (lOOcnch to cut. A careful estimate nf tho eesl (rem 1853 to 1883 places the 'average, amount expended per yenr nt TO.OOO, a total, flrTlffirTyToTTr years, of $2,550,000; for tho years 888.-88-00, It-cost t4,M6; tho Inst three years, UUl-ttit-03, cost $002,072, making a total cost of building mid grounds, $3,400,118, Yours, very respectfully, Gkokub Hhtnolds, Secretary. |