--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Spencer Clawson collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 3 number: 12 published: 1900-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Spencer Clawson, "The Pioneer Monument," *Improvement Era* 3, no. 12 (October 1900): 881–885.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera312unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera312unse start_page: 881 end_page: 885 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera312unse publication_year: 1900 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1900, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Pioneer Monument IMPROVEMENT ERA. Vol. III. OCTOBER. 1900. No 12. THE PIONEER MONUMENT. ERECTED IN SALT LAKE CITY IN HONOR OF BRIGHAM YOUNG AND THE PIONEERS. BY HON. SPENCER CLAWSON, A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON OR- GANIZATION. The monument erected in honor of Brigham Young and the pioneers is a subject of common interest to thousands of the people of the inter-mountain region, and especially to those who have contributed so liberally to its erection. The great fame of the pioneer, statesman and man of God, will always rest securely in the hearts of his people, where the foundations are laid in love and reverence for his memory, and in admiration for the work which he accomplished. No monument of bronze is needed, therefore, to perpetuate the memory of President Brigham Young. The state in all its various enterprises, the cities in the development of their growth, the towns in their location, the irrigation system which is the wonder of the civilized world, all bear the impress of his genius, but the statue, and the fig-- 882 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ures representing the Indian, the trapper, the pioneer — will stand as an outward memento of respect for many ages in the centre of the principal city, the foundations of which were laid by his dexterous hand. It is fitting that a brief record of its history should be written, that future generations may know the motive that actuated the builders. I, therefore, trust that the facts following will be of public interest. In December, 1891, a committee on organization was appointed by President Wilford Woodruff and his counselors, who called together and appointed the following officers of the Pioneer Monument Association: James Sharp, president; Willard Young, vice-president; Heber M. Wells, secretary; Elias A. Smith, treasurer; with an advisory committee, consisting of Presidents Wilford Woodruff and George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith; who, with the following subcommittees, took the work in hand : On Organization. — Franklin S. Richards, Susie Y. Gates, Nelson A. Empey, George M. Cannon, Brigham F. Grant, Frank Y. Taylor, James Sharp, Spencer Clawson, Elias A. Smith. Executive. — David H. Cannon, Heber M. Wells, John Clark, Le Grand Young, Willard Young, Nettile Young Easton, Charles S. Burton. On Statue. — William W. Riter, Francis Armstrong, James H. Moyle, John W. Young, Thomas G. Webber, Heber Young, Leonard G. Hardy. On Location.— Hiram S. Young, Andrew Kimball, Orson F. Whitney, Thomas W. Jennings. On April 15, 1891, the Association issued an address to the people announcing its object, and soliciting contributions to start the work, also announcing that the design for the monument would be given to Mr. C. E. Dallin, a native of Utah who had attained an enviable reputation as a sculptor in the art centers of Europe. The selection proved a wise one, as the finished work will show, although the artist's original design was not carried out in detail. The sub -committees at once went to work with energy, and those in charge of the statue, with Willard Young as chairman, after considerable deliberation, accepted the design as the work now stands, with the exception that the original idea was that the THE PIONEER MOMUMENT. 883 main shaft should be cut from native marble, and the figure of the pioneer cut in relief out of the stone, in place of the bronze basrelief, as it now stands. The bronze figure of President Young was then cast by the Henry Bonnard Bronze Company, of New York, and was placed upon a temporary pedestal in front of the Utah building at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, in 1893; later it was placed within the Temple walls, where it remained until it was finally put in its present position. The selection of a site was a difficult matter. The committee, with Thomas G. Webber, chairman, had under consideration one in front of the future capitol buildings, on north State Street, and another at the entrance of Liberty Park, but they finally recommended to the Association a site within the south-east corner of the Temple Square, and the grass plot within the temple wall was removed for the purpose; derricks were placed in position to remove the cap from the stone wall, in order to give free view from the street, when, upon the suggestion of President George Q. Cannon, who urged that the achievements of President Young and the pioneers rendered it more fitting that the monument to their memory should be in a more public place — it was decided that the monument should be built at the intersection of East and South Temple streets, and the city council deeded to the association a plot of ground twenty-five feet by twenty-five feet, for that purpose. The labor of collecting the necessary funds was somewhat delayed until the First Presidency of The Church issued a strong address to the presidents of stakes and bishops of wards, asking for contributions, and apportioning certain amounts to the several stakes of Zion, as follows: Alberta stake, $210.00; Bannock,* $122.40; Bear Lake, $1,050.00; Beaver, $350.00; Bingham,* $525.00; Box Elder,* $805.00; Cassia, $350.00; Cache, $3,561.65; Davis, $1,155.00 Emery,$420.00; Fremont, $595.00; Joseppa,* $47.00; Juab,$595.00 Juarez,* $329.00 ;Kanab, $350.00; Malad, $350.00; Millard $455.00 Maricopa, *$299.55; Morgan, $280.00; Oneida, $888.95; Panguitch $420.00; Parowan, $455.00; Pocatello, $243.65; Salt Lake, $8,400 San Juan, $210.00; Sanpete, $1,750.00; San Louis,* $280.00 Sevier, $840.00; Snowflake,* $366.05; Star Valley,* $245.00; St'. 884 IMPROVEMENT ERA. George, $1,190.00; St. Johns,* $350.00; St. Joseph,* $280.00; Summit and Woodruff, $420.00; Tooele,* $490.00; Uintah, $280.00; Utah, $3,500.00; Wayne,* $287.85; Wasatch,* $420.50; Weber, $1,750.00; Eastern States Mission,* $163.80; Northwestern States Mission,* $44.50. The fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the pioneers, viz: July 24, 1897, was the occasion best suited for a revival of the lagging interest in the monument. The Semi-Centennial Commission were naturally anxious that the monument should be unveiled during the celebration, and, with the help of President Woodruff, who advanced eight thousand dollars, the contract for the granite work was let to Watson Brothers on the sixth day of June, 1897; and, aided by the remarkable energy of Mr. Joseph Silver, then superintendent, the monument was completed July 20, 1897, the corner-stone having been laid by Hon. Brigham Young, son of President Young, with appropriate ceremonies on the first day of July that year. The celebration of the fiftieth pioneer anniversary was a great event in our local history. Five days were devoted to the celebration, and more than sixty thousand dollars were expended by the Semi-Centennial Committee which had it in charge. The ceremony of unveiling the monument was the opening feature of the first day, July 20, when President Woodruff, in the presence of four hundred pioneers and many thousands of people, drew the cord which released the flag, and unveiled to the gaze of the multitude, amid the booming of cannon, the ringing of bells, music, and the huzzas of the people, the monument in honor of the Pioneers. Those who beheld the spectacle will never forget the thrill of joy they experienced on that occasion. The city was in holiday attire, and all her people, regardless of party politics or religion, vied with each other to do honor to the surviving pioneers who had been made the special guests of the occasion. The bas-relief of the Pioneer Group and the figures of the Indian and the Trapper were not placed in position until July 24, 1900. At that time, notable ceremonies were held, in which Presi- * The stakes indicated by a star are those which have fully paid their apportionment. THE PIONEER MONUMENT. 885 dent George Q. Cannon made an able address, and the sculptor, Mr. C. E. Dallin, spoke of his work in connection with the monument, Miss Margaret Young, a great-granddaughter of President Brigham Young, unveiling the figures. There remains yet to be built a granite coping, in harmony with the finished work, to replace the temporary wooden rail that now encloses the monument. This will be done as soon as sufiicient funds are contributed. The monument has cost to date $34,897.08, of which Mr. Dallin, the sculptor, has received for his part of the work, in full, $25,750. There has been collected from subscriptions to date, $26,897.08, and the Trustee-in-trust has assumed $8,000 of the association's obligations. The cost of the permanent coping is estimated at two thousand dollars, leaving a balance of about ten thousand dollars yet to be collected by popular subscription. It is hoped that the present prosperous times will suggest to the public that they come forward without delay to complete this magnificent work erected to signalize the memory of the founders of the State.