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Show TAKE IT DOWN. Salt Lake City, Dec. 21, 7S. Editors Herald: Squiuksctt Snooks, F. S. A.', I regret re-gret to see, appears to feel a little hurt by my uuggct-tion to remove tho Eagle gate. I did not meu to hurt his' feelings. 1 did not intend to hurt anybody's feelings. For it may oe recollected thai I offered a mollifying proviso or suggestion for the special satiafielicn of any admirers of that bird and bis supports, if they had any, vrhich was to have the structure removed to oome prominent site where it wiu'd not he a public inconvenience incon-venience ar.d consequently a public nuisance. 1 never object to head or foot any subscription for useful purposes, when that is the best thing I can do with tho limited means I have to spare. The little that I have I like to put where it will do the mobt good. It in a statue, all right, when I can not do anv better. I have no objec tion to tl-.e erection of a statue- in honor of Brighum Youi g. StatueB have been erected in honor of notable persons not half so worthy. He always treated mo with courtesy and kindness. But I do not consider the retention of the Eagle gate, and particularly where it is, necessary lo the entertainment of a proper degreo of respect for the memory of Brigham Young. I do not think that eagle a worthy memorial memo-rial ol him, no matter how much art there is in it. Indeed, if he were to rise from the grave, I presume he would fee! a little ashamed of such a structure being retained aa a monument monu-ment to hia memorv. Some people entertain erroneous idcaa concerning what Brigham Young did. I have no doubt that he, like other men, did, or had done, or Eufiered to be dune, many things lo please others, rather ihan himself, and the erection of that eagle structure may have been one of those things. I rather think it waa. If he were alive, I question if he would care ten cents about that bird, whether it was removed or not. The wall waa more to him a great dcjl than the bird. But tbe wall is gone and the eagle remains, and, I which is worse, his supporting pillars remain, riht in the middle of the public thcruughfare. I A lU i the eagle and the pillars lor the uaLe ut cbn-jge, and there are many curiosities that are not worth the Le-piug, particularly when they are in the way, aud more particularly when they are in the way of a great many people. I do not think the Eagle gate is worth keeping where it is for the sake of its value as a curiosity. curios-ity. I advocated the removal of the structure because it was neither useful use-ful nor beautilul, nor had it any weighty archaeological or commemorative commemor-ative claims, but it was an inconvenience inconveni-ence and a nuisance right id the centre cen-tre ot a public street. As a landmark tho structure does not amount to much. Tbe land could be found well enough wilbout that mark. Nor doe? the Blruclure represent any valuable or special local idea, so far aa I have been able to learn. The walls did represent an idea, but tho eagle does nni BTccr.t a nfthnnil m-.p. The idea represented in tbe walls was one ol Brigham Young's favorite ideas that of turting up lor protection, delence, safety. But. as I have said, the re-preteuUtive re-preteuUtive wall are gone, and Ido not know why the nou representative eagle need remain; non-repreeentotive so far as any special idta of Brigham Young's, or any special characteristic ol the times, is concerned. If Mr. Snooks considers the Eagle gate of autheient value as a "time-honored "time-honored relic" to merit a longer lease of cxistenco, I have no objection to his heading a subscription to have it removed to any other prominent site which he and ita other admirsra may cbecae, provided the site so chcs;n us such, would b inconvenient inconve-nient tj the publij. Then, in his approved, ap-proved, si cure, ai.d permanent abode, they could fetd ttjat precious bird on putty at;d paint, or any other dainties they iniglii think would be relished by him. Uul i tnint i can use my slender means lo belter advantage,' both lo myself and my fellow citizens. Meantime, and I say it iu the public interest and in the hope of not oflecding the tender euscsptibuities of Mr. Snooks, or of any other wooden eagie admirers, I shall vole for tbe Eagle gate lo be removed from its present s'le, aud removed aa early aa ia convenient to the city authorities. Therefore, I say ngxin, take it down, and accommodate-the great public. Pculico. |