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Show CORRESPONDENCE Editor Union: The latest move on the chequer-board chequer-board of Utah's progress tho in-augeration in-augeration of the Utah and California Cali-fornia system of railroads which is to connect Salt Lake City with St. George, and building stilly on southward rinding its terminal Eoint at Los Angeles, California, rings to the mind of the writer the fulfilment of a prophetic inspiration in-spiration which was manifested to Apostle Parley P. Pratt, in one of the early winter months of the year 1852, when he, with a few companions and their teams, halted halt-ed to make a noon-day rest in the little valley that is now known as St. George, having left California by the southern route for their destination Salt Lake City. The former while under the inspir-tion inspir-tion of the divine spirit saw the future destiny of tha locality, and while wrapped in a holy vision uttered the following words, "I see this little valley filled with people and a temple, reared to the name of our Father and God." And on the very site where the Temple now stands he beheld it in the vision referred to. With the location lo-cation of the Temple site, as chosen chos-en by President Brigham Young for erection of the same is connected con-nected a brief and interesting history. his-tory. Prom a geographical position, "Mount Hope," an elevated plateau over looking the town of St. George, and another elevated piece of land called the "Black llidge," were both regarded by the people generally, gen-erally, as eligible sites to erect a Temple, and so expressed themselves them-selves to President Young. His quick reply to their suggestions is summed up in the following answer, an-swer, "I have fasted and prayed to know where to locate the Temple, and the only place I can see where to place it is down on that flat piece of ground," pointing to the place where the building now stands. According to human judgement either of the beforementioned places would have been chosen for the Temple site, for so wet was the soil where it was located, that it required the aid of a pile driver and the pounding down of hundreds hund-reds of tons of rock to make a solid sol-id foundation to build upon. Now this brings to mind the expression "God's ways are not as man's ways," Tliere can be no room for doubt that with the advent of the railroad in your town, and with your salubrious sa-lubrious climate, especially during the winter months, so conducive in improving the health of persons afflicted with pulmonary troubles, a very perceptible increase to your population will be noted, and thus your "little valley will be filled with people," and one of your local poets will find his prediction in verse fulfilled "St George will be a place that every one will admire." Production? Well, we northerners north-erners will greatly appreciate your early "garden sass" and all other productions which your fine climate cli-mate is capable of producing Respectfuly, George W. Crocheron. ' Salt Lake City, May 13, 1896. |