311

CROFUTT’Ss NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

 

Nauvoo, in 1844, where he stepped to the front and
took the helm. The good of the Church was al-
ways his first and foremost consideration; he
laid plans for its prosperity, and in their success-
ful execution, he made vast sums of money for
himself. Like all new organizations, especially
those of an ecclesiastical character, there were
many schisms and rivals to be put down, and in
doing away with these, he was frequently forced
to take measures that drew down upon his head
the odium of the outside world. With the same
opportunities for becoming a tyrant and despot,
with a large, ignorant element among his subjects,
few men with the same tenacity of will, and force
of character, would have been less of an oppres-
sor than the late Prophet priest and Revelator of
the Mormon Church.

President Young has taken a prominent part in
all public improvements, in every plan calculated
to facilitate communication between the Territory
and the Eastern States; materially assisting in

forming several express companies and stage
lines. He built several hundred miles of the
Western Union Telegraph, graded 150 miles of the

Union Pacific railroad, and has ever offered his as-
sistance to every enterprise of the kind which had
a material bearing on the interests of Utah.

He died regreted and respected by his followers,
and admired by the world at large, Wednesday,
Aug. 29, 1877, in the seventy-sixth year of hisage.
His funeral took place on Sunday, September 2,
1877, amid a great pupular demonstration, the body
being viewed by over 20,000 people.

The following characteristic document, prepared
by the diseased about four years previous to his
death, contains his instructions for the conduct of
the funeral obsequies. The paper was read by
George Q, Cannon before the assembled multitude
on the day of the funeral, and the instructions
therein contained were carried out to the letter.

“T, Brigham TOUR: wish my funeral services to
be conducted after the following manner:

When I breathe my last I wish my friends to put
my body in as clean and wholesome state as can
conveniently be done, and preserve the same for
one, two, three or four days, or as long as my body
can be preserved in a goodcondition. I want my
coffin made of plump 144 inch redwood boards, not
scrimped in length, but two inches longer than I
would measure, and from two to three inches
wider than is commonly made for a person of my
breadth and size, and deep enough to place me ona
littie comfortable cotton bed with a good suitable
pillow for size and quality; my body dressed in
my Temple clothing and laid nicely into my cof-
fin, and the coffin to have the appearance that if I
wanted to turn a little to the right or to the left I
should have plenty of room to do so; the lid can
be made crowning.

At my interment I wishall of my family present
that can be conveniently, and the male members
wear no crape on their hate or their coats; the fe-
males to buy no black bonnets, nor black dresses,
nor black veils; but if they have them, they are at
liberty to wear them. The services may be per-
mitted, as singing and a prayer offered, and if any
of my friends wish to say a few words, and really
desire, do so; and ‘when they have closed their
service, take my remains on a bier and repair to
the little burying ground whichI have reserved on
my lot east of the White House on the hill, andin
the southeast corner of this lot have a vault built
of mason work. large enough to receive my coffin,
and that may be placed ina box, if they choose,
made of the same material as the coffin -redwood.
Then place flat rocks over the vault, sufficiently
large to cover it, that the earth may be placed over

it—nice, fine, dry earth—to cover it until the walls
of the little cemetery are reared, which will leave
mein the southeast corner. This vault ought to
be roofed over with some kind of a temporary
roof. There let my earthly house or tabernacle
rest in peace and have a good sleep until the morn-
ing of the first resurrection; no crying, nor mourn-
ing with any one that I have done my work faith-
fully and in good faith.

I wish this to be read at the funeral, providin
that if I should die anywhere in the mountains,
desire the above directions Vas my place
of burial to be observed; but if I should live to go
back with the Church, to Jackson County, I wish

to be buried there.
BRIGHAM YOUNG,
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints.
Sunpay, November 9th, 1873.
Salt Lake City, Utah Ter.

Brigham Young will ever stand prominently for-
ward on the pages of the world’s history, as one of
the most remarkable men of the nineteenth cen-
tury, respected by his followers and admired by
the world at large, whose vices and virtues will go
hand in hand adown the stream of time.

No. 26 Annex National’ Park—tThe ex-
plorations of Dr. Hayden, United States Geol-
ogist, have demonstrated that this, our own coun-
try, contains natural wonders, which, in extent,
grandeur, and wondrous beauty, far surpass those
of any other portion of the known world. The
result has been, a bill has passed Congress set.
ting apart a tract of country 55 by 65 miles in ex-
tent as a great NationaL Park, or mammoth
pleasure-ground, for the benefit and enjoyment
of the people. The entire area within the limits
of the reservation is over 6,000 feet in altitude.
Almost in the centre of this tract is located the
Yellowstone Lake, a body of water 15 by 22 miles
in extent, with an elevation of 7,427 feet. The
ranges of mountains that hem the numerous val-
leys on every side rise to the height of from 10,-
000 to 12,000 feet, and are covered with perpetua!
snow.

This country presents the most wonderful vol-
canic appearance of any portion. of this conti-
nent. The great number of hot springs and the
geysers represent the last stages—the vent or es-
cape pipes—of these remarkable volcanic mani-
festations of theinternal forces. All these springs
are adorned with decorations more beautiful than
human mind ever conceived, and which have re-
quired thousands of years for the cunning hand
of nature to form. The most remarkable of these
poysers throws a column of boiling hot water 15
eet in diameter to a measured altitude of 150
feet. This display is continued for hours to-
oer, and so immense is the quantity of water

ischarged, that during the eraption, the volume
of water in the river isdoubled. Another throws
a column of hot water 200 feet in height, and over a
footin diameter. Itis said the geysers of Iceland,
which have been the objects of interest for scien-
tists and travelers of the entire world for years,
sink into insignificance in comparison with
oe Hot Springs of the Yellowstone and Fire-hole

asins.

The most wonderful story about this remark-
able region is told by Langford, one of the first
discoverers. Hesays: “At acertain pointon tke
Yellowstone River, the water runs down a steep
and perfect grade over a surface of slate-rock,

which has become so smooth from the velocity
of the rushing torrent, that, at a distance of
twenty miles, the friction becomes so great that