| Show Mormons Suffered Gr Great t L tosses losses Before Entering Utah July 24 In 1888 a ten foot granite granite- monument was erected on a low lowhill lowhill hill hili overlooking the Thompson river in southern Iowa to commemorate commemorate commemorate com com- the struggling Mormons Mor mons mona who died and were buried burled there in 1846 Recently the monument was located by a afield afield I Ifield field party of the Coast and Geodetic Geodetic Ge Ge- Survey U. U S. S Department of Commerce and designated as asa asa asa a triangulation intersection sta sta- sta- sta tion Of course everybody in the area knows that the monument is located in Mt Pisgah cemetery cemetery tery Union county Iowa but butin butIn butIn in surveying terminology located located located ed means that its position in respect to latitude and longitude is now known The Mt Pisgah site was selected selected selected sel sel- sel- sel as an intersection station by Commander Glenn W. W Moore the chief of party during a recent recent recent re re- re- re cent survey of a mile 55 long area between Charlton Chariton and Creston Creston Cres Cres- ton Iowa The intersection stations stations sta sta- which usually are prominent ent landmarks that can withstand with with- I stand the ravages of time and weather serve as starting points for local engineers and surveyors survey survey- ors The Mt Pisgah monument and other stations marked by small bronze discs will provide the essential framework on which maps charts state boun boun- dries or even your own back fence can be accurately super super- imposed The survey has changed nothing nothing noth noth- ing at the monument which is still visited by followers from throughout the country There are arc no marks left behind to show that the Coast and Geodetic ic Survey has been there The only evidence of their visit Isan Isan is isan an entry in a ledger and a small white card identical to thousands thousands thousands ands of others for similar points through throughout ut the 48 43 states There is a tragic history behind behind be be- hind the monument that Commander Com Com- Commander mander Moore saw fit to Include in this country's survey network Following the assassination of their prophet Joseph Smith a band of 2000 Mormons was forced forced forc forc- ed to flee from Nauvoo Illinois under their new leader Brigham Brigham Brig Brig- ham Young A small part of this group was attracted to a wooded area overlooking the Thompson river liver later called Mt Pisgah It is believed that died Inthe in inthe inthe the first six months of their stay According to one account 00 more were buried burled before the tho colony finally moved moved Westward to seek a home hom beyond the Rocky mountains The date of the Mormons Mormons' Mormons Mormons' Mormons Mormons' Mor Mor- mons' mons arrival in Utah July 24 1847 is marked by the celebration celebration I tion of Pioneer Day The monument was located by observations from two high steel towers towers' that were erected near the towns of Thayer and Afton Iowa One was a 1 mile and one-half one distant and the other over four miles away This took place in May of this year ex exactly ex ex- years after the Mormons Mormons Mor Mor- mons arrived at Mt Pisgah The Mt Pisgah monument is not the first such point to be located In 1943 a similar party party par par- ty located another Mormon Monnon mon mon- wrent WIent near Palmyra New York A foot 25 marble shaft topped by the majestic figure of Angel Moroni stands on a hill which is the Mormon Monnon equivalent of f Mount Sinai The Washington Monument In Washington DC D.C. was located in 1892 from two stations more than 45 miles away One was Bull Dull Run Station in northern Virginia near Middleburg and the other was Sugar Loaf Station Station Sta Sta- tion located in Maryland near Harpers Ferry In November 1934 1934 19 34 instruments were actually placed for the first time lime on top of the foot Washington monument monument mon mono and observations made on several prominent points Including Including In In- In the United States capitol building RADAR UNITS PURCHASED The Civil Aeronautics Administration Administration Admin Admin- announced the purchase purchase purchase pur pur- chase of nineteen airport surveillance surveillance sur sur- sur radar units of 5 Texas Instruments Inc of Dallas winner of the contract will start deliveries at the rate of two a month in June 1960 The radar units will pick up aircraft at altitudes up to 27 feet compared with the foot capability limit of the units now in use at major airports The new equipment will win be installed in airport traffic control control control con con- towers to provide assistance assis I tance Lance in controlling approaches approaches' and departures of civil and military military mil mil- i aircraft NEW ELECTRONIC ROBOT The Navy has announced the partial development of an electronic electronic electronic elec elec- robot which it says willbe will willbe willbe be able to match some of the functions of the human brain It calls the robot a tron At least another year will be required to complete the first full pilot model but its principle and concept al already already already al- al I ready have been demonstrated successfully by using a large electronic computer When it is fully developed the machine is expected to be beable beable beable able to perceive recognize and identify its surroundings without without without with with- out any human training or con con- It differs from the ordinary ordinary ordin ordin- ary computer in that it does not have to be fed facts and figures in advance |
