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Show EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY. Today is the last day of the year. The death of the old year and the birth of the new, is an appropriate subject for sentimentalism, as well as for many [unreadable] reflections, and is one on which the press is wont to give a resume of the leading events that have occurred during the dying twelve months. It is not our present purpose to indulge in much sentiment, nor to moralize a great deal, nor yet to attempt a [unreadable] to the great events that have taken place in the world during the year 1880. We merely purpose a reference to home matters in such a manner as may serve to show the progress we have made during the last year, the possibilities of the next, and a few improvements that we hope to see realized in our midst before the death of another year. The leading enterprise of this county during the expiring year, has been the Logan Temple, and since the opening of last spring the majestic proportions of the noble structure have assumed a steadily increasing height and grandeur, and, had cold weather been a little longer deferred, the roof would have been so far completed as to enclose the building. Everything, however, will be in readiness for vigorous and rapid work in the spring, and as another winter shuts the gates of enterprise with its frost locks, we hope to see the Temple in readiness for that work for which it is designed. Work on the Utah & Northern railroad has been prosecuted during the year with great vigor, and a long stretch of new road has been competed. This road has furnished employment for many of our laborers and mechanics and has been the means of greatly augmenting the general prosperity of the people of this region by disbursing among them the immense sums it has paid for labor, supplies, etc. From present appearances, the road will continue to employ large numbers of our workingmen, and to aid, as heretofore, in our general prosperity. The United Order Manufacturing and Building Company is an institution that has done more tangible good to the people here in Logan, than any other home institution. It has furnished employment, good wages, and prompt payment to great numbers of men during the summer and fall, having as high as 400 men employed part of the time, so we have been informed. It has produced from the native raw material, the elements as it were, immense quantities of lumber, building [unreadable] furniture, etc., which have before any [unreadable] had happened to the people at reasonable [unreadable] in return for their labor and [unreadable] home products been [unreadable]people in return for their labor, but vast quantities of all kinds of merchandise have been disbursed among them in payment of wages. In short, by the way in which this Institution has been conducted, it has proven a very great blessing to hundreds of people in this city, and the inquiry is urged, "Why cannot we have more such institutions?" Its capital is not large, it is, indeed, insignificant in comparison to the amount of business which it transacts, and the good which it accomplishes. We hope to see this institution grow and flourish, as we have no doubt it will, and to see many similar ones established in this county. During the past year, various causes have contributed to the advancement of the general prosperity of the people of this valley. True the crops were not very heavy, but they have brought good prices. There has been a good demand for grain, produce and live stock, and, on the whole, the closing year has been a very prosperous one for our agriculturists. But the prices realized by the producer for crops have not been so good as they might have been had a more methodical system of handling them been in operation. The Board of Trade has tried to establish such a system, but they did not succeed in doing it this year, as so great a work required more time. But before 1881 shall be fully spent we hope to see the Board of Trade in full control of the agricultural commerce of this county, for such as end once gained will insure to our producers the very highest prices, and the saving of middlemen's profits. The school system of Logan has been greatly improved of late,, and is fast becoming more and more satisfactory in its work and results. We still lack suitable school buildings, however, and we should be glad to see, at the close of another year, a fine, large central school house for the higher grades, completed or at least commenced. Ogden has set an example in this matter which we would be glad to see followed by Logan. A love of and a talent for music is a marked characteristic of many of our young people. Logan is often complimented upon this, and we should be glad to see measures taken for increasing and developing a taste for the divine art. A good conservator of music, accessible on reasonable terms, would have many pupils, and result in much good. In this same connection, the drama claims attention. Considerable histrionic talent is being developed in our midst, principally through the efforts or our Dramatic Club, and unquestionably greater interest and progress would be shown in matters connected with that great popular educator, the stage, if we had but a building suitable for dramatic entertainments. By all means let us have, ere another year shall close, a building suitable for dramatic and other entertainments. Such an institution, properly conducted, would do great good in many ways [unreadable] and have a marked tendency towards improving the manners and tastes of our youth. There is still another institution that would add greatly to the prestige of our thriving town, and that is a good, lively, enterprising daily paper, having a tone and spirit in harmony with the best temporal and spiritual interests of the people. Such an institution would being trade here, would stimulate enterprise, elevate public opinion, and be an influential disseminator of intelligence in our midst. The present management of the LEADER has fully resolved to establish a daily paper in Logan within the coming year, provided the encouragement extended to the [unreadable] shall be sufficient to prove a reasonable guarantee of success. There are other evidences of the progress which we have made during 1880 which space will not permit mention of, and there are many improvements which we hope to see made during 1881 which we cannot at this time dwell upon, and, while asking our readers to glance backward at the useful lessons of the past and forward to the bright possibilities of the future, we will wish them, with heartiest good will, a HAPPY NEW YEAR. |