Show intermountain SEMI centennial A few days ago the NEWS suggested that it would be appropriate for the deseret Jee eret agricultural and manufacturing society as the pioneer organization in the west in the matter of directing general faira mild and exhibitions to alume reume the initiative in a great later intermountain exposition in salt lake cita in the summer and autumn of 1897 that being the fiftieth of the opening of the region to settlement by the arrival of the utah pioneers in great salt bait lake valley today the following live was waa received SALT LAKE CITY utah dec 18 1895 vo to the editor ed aitor I 1 desire to express my unqualified approval of your recent editorial suggestion aug chat bat the advent of the pioneers into imo utah should be appropriately celebrated by a great reat intermountain exposition in this efty city in 1897 that year would be the semi emi centennial anniversary of the event dadi nd I 1 have no doub but what oura our filter liter states and territories would gladly unite with us the exposition should be upon a scale commensurate with our resources and our advance advancement men it would be a great edue educator ator of all the people land and it w would reveal to the nation a knowledge of af what we have done and of our capacity for future greatness that it does not now possess I 1 think that you are right in the idea that if anything is to be done the preliminary steps should be taken at once possibly the D A fe M society could best inaugurate the movement but the association having the same fame in charge should not be limited in its membership to our territorial lines our legislature should at least endorse the apropo proposition 1 l bi and nd authorize governor wells to invite other states stales to join with us from every point of view your suggestion is a good one and I 1 hope that you will press the matter uvon the attention of the public until the same shall materialize teri alize very truly your 0 W POWERS we are pleaded to receive judge powers powered a letter and to give space thereto lin io anticipation that the spirit of patriotism to io utah will arouse tin in her people sentiments akio akin to those loose he has bag expressed his suggestion that bat tho state legislature take the matter up and authony governor wells weila to invite the cooperation operation co oo of other states hon ahou d receive prompt favorable action in this manner the first monias existence of the now new state of utah neou not be passed without starting the ball rolling for an exhibition gopar alleged for splendor and magnitude in he till lory story of the weeland WeE tand sud which will bo b of inestimable value to utah mind and he be states aud and territories that unite with her in its first mention of the subject I 1 the merely threw out a hint 0 of f a semi centennial intermountain ex pai paitoon tion we will now state further tuat loat our view as in intimated timatea in ia the first article was not to confine it to the territorial limits of utah beginning with the permanent ter er manent settlement of salt sail lake city in july 1847 an era of colonization was instituted throughout the whole rocky mountain region in ID this vast and important work dating from that year idaho wyoming arizona colorado montana new mexico and nevada are equally interested with utah thin being the central point of ment in the earlier period ro io each of thee commonwealths utah contributed a share of pioneer and each state and territory should be requested to take a part not merely wo aa an AD invited exhibitor but as a directly interested participant in its cooperative management that the expo ekpo might be truly representative ot the unity of interest of the whole inter mountain region As the pioneer in settlement upon the wave of civilized progress refis that swept westward in 1847 and successive years it is ia the duty ot of utah to take the initiative in such a pioneer celebration three general features that are pecullar peculiar to ibe colonization and oon ditton of the intermountain country would serve to make it at ones once distinctive and attractive and establish its great value as aa an educator not only of the people residing elding re to in the states and territories named but of all who may visit ur or may learn of us by more in indirect direct means those these are first the aboriginal condition here were the remnants of a people who nad bad occupied this land for centuries and whose history it ie to a very large extent shrouded in mystery to ap world of their development ot or reva retro ree sion for hundreds of years prior I 1 ot tb 11 t the he settlement of this country D modern civilization rio no man hadju hag juu and direct information but the hii peep historic remains scattered over this I 1 uter mountain as it in the country tell a tale of absorb absorbing ift interest of a former great civil aad gradual descent afi into tb me lae savagery of the I 1 indian is 1 I 1 as he was found by the wee wea terri terii pi plo beere the ruined and ana half burled ri towns and villager village remains of great irrigation works fragments that give evidence of architecture advancement the strange cemeteries and the more recent curi cur loue ouel cliff dwelling afford ample field for or the greatest arcise logical collection known in Aults to testify is in mute eloquence ait t the people who once dwelt here herb ami ua of whom a few wild indians indiana are the representatives all the intensity of interest that attends ao an aggregation of thle this kind could be brou brought 40 to re its highest pitch by a collection with in the area of the states slates and territories named lamed and which would be an ineffaceable object lesson jebron of what was in this country prior to fifty years ago second the pioneer relies relics and at features which bear witness of the ibe difficulties that had to be met and overcome with such arrangement and historical data from each locality as an shall display the motives which impelled the earlier set ders dors and shall in connection with other dla displays plays describe stop step by stop step the progress pro greca made by the abe pioneers and their successors to the present time buird the country as it Is ie with its advanced condition or of civilization the arta arts and sciences agriculture min ing stock raising manufactures and the ibe industrial situation generally the schools and the in fact everything that will show the commercial ludu moral intel and physical vigor ol 01 the inter woin tain region arising from both natural endowment and the skill ot of thrifty commonwealth destined dea tined to be a vast power in our great nation for such euch an intermountain exposition open say bay from july to Oe october tober 1897 there here to ie an almost ua limited field within which to score acore a wonderful success if it to ie taken huld bold of with vim rhe present to IB an ebb tide in affairs in this thia locality a glorious opportunity for utah and sister for national prestige which should not be permitted to vass by without being made available for the common good |