--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hull, Thomas collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 7 number: 5 published: 1904-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Thomas Hull, "Events of the Month," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 5 (March 1904): 393–400.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0705unse 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: improvementera0705unse start_page: 393 end_page: 400 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0705unse publication_year: 1904 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 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Events of the Month EVENTS OF THE MONTH. Local.— January, 1904. Southern States Mission. — Number six of volume one, of the Elder's Journal, a monthly publication of the Southern States Mission printed at Atlanta, Ga., epitomizes the work of the two hundred elders in that field for the year 1903. In the ten states covered by the mission, there are eleven conferences as follows: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, East Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia: "Reports from the Conference Presidents show that, with the 834 members added to the Church during the year, we now number 8,729 souls. There have been 9,746 meetings held, part of which have been out of doors, but a large majority in schoolhouses and private residences. According to our reckoning, 25,287 families have been visited in tract- ing, and 23,433 more on special invitation of the head. Conversations on the gospel have been recorded to the number of 123,808, books dis- tributed 23,075, and tracts, 153,493." Utah Sugar.— The thirteenth season of the Lehi sugar factory closed the day before last Christmas, the product of the central plant at Lehi, and the auxiliary plants at Springville, Provo and Bingham Junc- tion, for the season being within 500 pounds, 23,000,000 pounds, made from 96,910 tons of beets, the largest tonnage in the factory's history. The run lasted about 100 days, with an average of nearly 1,000 tons per day, the highest record being 1,278 tons of beets sliced and 3,275 bags of sugar sacked. The beets were grown by 1,695 farmers in Salt Lake, Utah, Wasatch, Sanpete, Sevier and Juab counties, on 8,168 acres of land, which would bring the average yield up to about twelve tons per acre, though many fields yielded over twenty tons per acre. About $410,000 was paid to the farmers for beets, the price being $-1.75 per ton for those deliv- ered in the sheds at the cutting stations, this price being reduced where a railroad haul was necessary. Died. — In Kanarra, Thursday, December 31, 1903, John Steele, a 394 IMPROVEMENT ERA. pioneer of Utah and a member of the Mormon Battalion, born near Bel- fast, Ireland, March 21, 1821, ordained a priest Nov. 5, 1843, emigrated to Nauvoo, July, 1845. He made the first last and pair of shoes in the Salt Lake Valley, and was the father of the first white child born in Utah, so it is claimed. On Jan. 31, 1851, he moved to Parowan, was ordained a high priest on May 12, 1852, and set apart as first counselor to President John L. Smith of the Parowan Stake. — In Nephi ward, Maricopa Stake, Arizona, Saturday, January 2, 1904, Bishop Samuel Openshaw, born Lan- cashire, England, November 1, 1833. — In Manti, January 5, Mrs. Will- iam Luke, who crossed the plains with a hand cart company in 1856. — In Richmond, Cache Co., Friday, January 2, Cornelius Traveller, one of the settlement'0 oldest and most respected citizens. — On Friday, 8+h, in Brigham City, Stephen Wight, a faithful and respected member of the Church.— In St. George, 9th, John M. Lytle, born Feb. 25, 1829. He was a veteran of the Walker Indian War. — In Castle Dale, Tuesday, January 12, Hen in g Olsen, for many years the bishop of that place. — In Spring- ville, 12th, Mary Lyman Johnson, a pioneer of the place. — On the 13th, Eliza Louisa Cox who crossed the plains in Edmond Ellsworth's hand- cart company, in 1856. — In Payson, Thursday, 14th, Mrs. B. G. S. Simon, a veteran of Kirtland and Nauvoo, born December 1, 1824, in New York, and baptized by Truman Waite, October 24, 1834. — In Salt Lake City, Sunday, 17th, Andrew Allen, counselor in the bishopric of Rockland. Idaho, after an operation for appendicitis. — In Wanship, Summit Co., January 29, Rachel Young Frazier, born Ohio, March 23, 1836, came to Utah in 1848. Her husband Thomas L. Frazier was a member of the Mormon Battalion. New General Manager. — W. H. Bancroft, who came to Salt Lake as vice-prest. and general manager of the 0. S. L. Ry., in 1897, was chosen at Omaha, 14th, general manager of the Union Pacific railroad, and began his duties on the 15th. He was born at Newberry, Ohio, in October, 1840; he has been in the employ of the Michigan Southern as telegraph operator; the Erie, and Kansas Pacific as chief clerk and dis- patcher; and in 1872 went to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe as assistant superintendent. He was also with the St. Louis, Lawrence and Western Missouri, Kansas and Texas, and Denver and Rio Grande of which he was appointed receiver and general superintendent in 1886. His success has been phenomenal as a railway man, and his faithfulness and ability have brought him to one of the highest positions in railway circles. Richfield Divided. — On Sunday, the 17th, Elders George Teasdale and Hyrum M. Smith attended conference in Richfield, and under instruc- EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 395 tions divided the ward into three wards, ordaining bishops as follows: 1st ward, Heber Christensen; 2nd ward, Virginius Bean; 3rd ward, George William Coons. End of the Strike. — On the 24th, just two months from the time of call to service, the last of the N. G. U. troops were discharged, and re- turned home from the coal strike region, where peace now reigns. In the order of dismissal, Gen. John Q. Cannon complimented the men for having done their duty so well to the state, in the face of such trying circumstances, and for the sacrifices they made in performing their service to the state. New Stake Organized. — The 52d stake of Zion was organized at Idaho, at a quarterly conference of the Bingham Stake, held in Iona, January 30 and 31. It was named Blackfoot, and was taken from Bing- ham, the dividing line being just north of Shelley, five miles north of the base line. Elder Elias S. Kimball was chosen president of the Blackfoot stake, with Lorenzo R. Thomas, first, and Don C. Walker, second, coun- selors. Elder Kimball was born in Salt Lake City, May 3, 1857, and is the son of Heber C. and Christeen Golden, Kimball. He became a pioneer of Bear Lake in 1876, and in 1884 filled a mission under John Morgan, in the Southern States, over which mission he succeeded his brother J. Golden, as president in 1894, presiding for four years. He was later appointed chaplain by Pres. Wm. McKinley, of the engineer corps under Capt. Wil- lard Young, serving ten months, mostly in Havana, Cuba. He is well pre- pared, morally, spiritually, and educationally to well fulfill the duties of his new calling. February, 1904. Return of President Francis M. Lyman.— President Francis M. Lyman returned on the 1st from a two and a half years mission to Eng- land as president of the European mission. He reports that at the pres- ent time there are five hundred and ninety-seven missionaries from Zion, five of whom are women. These labor mainly in Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, but are found also in Ice- land, Austria and Hungary, Palestine and South Africa. Since his ar- rival, May 17, 1901, seven hundred and forty missionaries have regis- tered in Liverpool, and six hundred and eight have departed for home. Three missionaries died: Christian W. Christofferson, Richmond, Utah, died August 23, 1901, at Silkeborg, Denmark; Henry Robert James, Logan, Utah, died at Liege, Belgium, October 10, 1901; Gottfried Knutti, Montpelier, Idaho, died at Zurich, Switzerland, August 19, 1903. Seven missionaries fell from honor and virtue, and these were stripped of every 396 IMPROVEMENT ERA. vestige of authority and excommunicated from the Church. During his presidency, 5,193,824 tracts, and 184,085 books were distributed, and there were 4,018 baptisms in the European mission. He estimates that the cost of the mission — counting a monthly expense of $17.00 /or each missionary, and his production at home at $300 per annum — is annually $350,000; and as that mission represents only a little over one-third of what is being done in the world, the total drain for missionary work on the Latter-day Saints is probably one million dollars per annum. He per- sonally visited Africa, Palestine, Greece, Italy, France, Finland, Russia and Poland, and dedicated these lands to the preaching of the gospel; and since then, a mission is established in Africa, and Elder Mischa Mar- kow has gone into Russia to declare the message. President Lyman is looking and feeling well, and is already in the harness doing work for the Church and Mutual Improvement Associations at home. Every reader of the Era will join us in extending a hearty welcome to the active and energetic president of the Twelve. Smith Family Reunion. — On the 9th a reunion of the Smith Fam- ily Association was held at the Bee Hive house, in honor of Patriarch Hyrum Smith, the day being the 104th anniversary of his birth. Be- tween two and three hundred members of the family assembled on the occasion, spending a very enjoyable afternoon and evening. A splended program was rendered, including remarks by President Joseph F. Smith, Elder John Henry Smith, and Frederick M. Smith who is a grandson of the Prophet Joseph, and who represented the Iowa branch of the family. Sentiments in relation to the Patriarch Hyrum Smith and his wives, Jer- usha Barden and Mary Fielding Smith, were also given by Hyrum M. Smith, George A. Smith — in behalf of Patriarch John Smith — and by Miss Sarah Harris. The family is descended from Robert Smith, who emigrated to America from England, in 1638, and shortly afterwards bought a large tract of farming land in Ipswich, now Boxford township, Essex county, Massachusetts. He was the father of ten children, whose descendants are now scattered over the United States, many of them holding prom- inent positions of various kinds throughout the nation. The Prophet Joseph and Patriarch Hyrum are of the sixth generation, their fathers being Joseph, Asael, Samuel, Samuel and Robert. In Utah there are four numerous branches of the family, descend- ants of four of the sons of A?ael —Joseph, Asael, Silas and John being their names, the first and oldest branch of the family in Utah being rep- resented by President Joseph F. Smith, Patriarch John Smith and Samuel H. B. Smith. The second branch is represented by Elias A., and Jesse EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 397 M. Smith; the third by Silas S., and Jesse N. Smith, and the fourth by John Henry and his son George A. Smith. These four branches, which are now scattered over the states of Utah, Idaho, Colorado and the territory of Arizona, number many hun- dreds, and are very closely bound together in their feelings and sympa- thies. A few years ago a family organization was effected, with Presi- dent Joseph F. Smith, president, and Patriarch John Smith, Elders John Henry, Silas S., and Elias A. Smith, a board of directors, and Edith A. Smith, secretary. Since that time several family gatherings and "Temple days" have been held. The great desire of the family is to gather as many of the names of their dead as possible, and to do the work for them in the Temple. On the 10th, the day following the re- union, members of the family assembled at the Salt Lake Temple and performed the necessary ordinances for a large number of their dead. Grand Irrigation Scheme.— A. F. Doremus, state engineer of Utah, has prepared a plan showing the proposed enlargement and utilization of the water supply for Cache, Utah, and Salt Lake valleys. The plan is prepared under direction and authority of the Arid Land Reclamation Fund Commission of which Engineer Doremus is chairman. It contem- plates an interception channel across the headwaters of Strawberry, Cur- rant and other smaller creeks in the Uintah Reservation, to divert them into a reservoir in Strawberry Valley, thence by a three mile tunnel through tbe mountains west into a branch of Diamond Creek, which empties into the Spanish Fork river, from whence it is taken by canal from near Cas- tilla: first by a branch to a district overlooking the southern end of Utah county; second, the main distributing channel, along the base of the Wasatch mountains, on an average of about three hundred feet above the settlements on the east side of Utah county, to the Jordan Narrows. At the latter place the main channel continues along the base of the Wa- satch mountains, about three hundred feet above the valley, past Salt Lake City to Ogden and Brigham, and thence to where it empties into the Bear river, above Collinston: a branch extends across the Narrows, along the east side of the Oquirrh range, past Garfield beach, into Tooele county. The scheme also contemplates a thirty mile High Line canal from near Gentile Valley, taking waters of the Bear on the west side of Cache over the country to cover the lower part of Malad Valley, as well as the western portion of Cache, as far south as the river. This includes the tapping of the head waters of the Blackfoot, with a reservoir in the Blackfoot Basin, to empty by short canal and natural branch into the Bear where it curves south on its way to the Lake. The map shows also 398 IMPRO VEMEN T ERA. intercepting canals for the making of a reservoir of Bear Lake. In addi- tion, the scheme is to restrict the Salt Lake to a district south of the Lucin Cut-off to avoid the great evaporation going on in the northern arm of the Lake; also to confine the Utah Lake to a smaller area to avoid waste by evaporation. Hon. F. S. Richards and Engineer Doremus visited Washington, returning in the middle part of February, to present the subject before the Government Engineers who, it is stated, approve the scheme which will cost many millions and open to cultivation vast areas of arid land. Domestic— -January, 1904. Emigrants to America. — During the year 1903, there were 619,980 immigrants, steerage passengers, arrived in New York, as against 547,- 197 in 1902. The year of 1902 was a record-breaking year, the increase over 1901 having been about 139,000. As was the case last year, the heaviest immigration was during May, 92,861 steerage passengers being admitted at New York. Almost as many came in April. George Francis Train Dead.— This noted character died in New York on January 18th. He was buried in Greenwood cemetery on the 21st; he was about 75 years old. Navy Appropriations. — The House Bill, January 29, for the Navy will carry a large appropriation. Secretary Moody suggests the con- struction of one battle ship, one armored cruiser, three protected cruis- ers and four fast scout cruisers. The Department plans to spend ulti- mately $12,000,000 upon the naval station at Guantanamo Bay, and $9,000,000 for a similar station at Subig Bay, near Manila. It is also pro- posed that $1,500,000 be spent for a fortitied coaling station on Kiska, one of the Aleutian islands. Utah people should remember the promise of Secretary Moody that on certain conditions, he would name one of the navy ships Utah. He appears in a good way to get his money. February, 1904. New Secretary of War. — On the 1st Elihu Root retired from the Cabinet, and W. H. Taf t, succeeded him as Secretary of War. On the 3d, Mr. Root was present as a guest of honor at a dinner given in New York by 250 of his fellow members of the Union League Club. In the course of an eloquent speech, he defended Prest. Roosevelt against the criticisms of persons who said he was not "safe," commending him as "the greatest conservative force in Washington for the protection of property and our institutions." He said further: EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 399 Men say he is not safe! He is not safe for the men who wish to pros- ecute selfish schemes for the public's detriment. He is not safe for the men who wish the Government conducted with greater reference to cam- paign contributions than to the public good. He is not safe for the men who wish to drag the President of the United States into a corner and make whispered arrangements which they dare not have known by their constituents. He is great because he is so just and fair. I would rather have my boys taught to admire as the finest thing in our life the honesty and frankness, the truth and loyalty, the honor and devotion of Theodore Roosevelt, than to have them have all the wealth of this great metro- polis. In the Philippines. — On the 1st, Governor Wright was inaugurated as governor of Manila, and announced that he would follow the princi- ples of Governor Taft, his predecessor. The latter, in his report to the commission says the number of friars in the island on Dec. 1, was two hundred and forty six as against 1,013 in 1898. He says of the Catho- lic Church: Whatever may happen during the first few months of the coming of the American Bishops, it is certain that the spirit of the American Catho- lic church is so different from that of the Spanish church from a politi- cal standpoint that the influence of the Spanish friars will gradually wane, and that of the American Bishops become controlling, bringing about that which we so much desire, the Americanizing of the Roman Catholic church in the Philippines. W. C. Whitney Dead. — On the 2nd William Collins Whitney, sec- retary of the Navy 1885-9 died, aged 62 years. The Baltimore Fire.— On the 7th and 8th one of the most de- structive fires in the history of our country raged in Baltimore. The fire destroyed a district three quarters of a mile long and four blocks wide, containing some of the finest structures in the city. Help was called from surrounding cities, and at one time four hundred streams were pouring upon the fire, but with little effect. The lo^s is conservatively estimated at from $75,000,000 to $125,000,000. Remarkable to say, there was no loss of life. Marcus Alonzo Hanna. — The Republican leader, political organ- izer, statesman, and United States Senator, died in Washington at 6:40 p. m. on the 15th. He was born Sept. 24, 1837, in New Lisbon, Ohio; educated at Western Reserve College; became clerk in his father's gro- cery in 1861, and later its manager, upon the death of his father. In 1864, he married the daughter of his partner, D. P. Rhodes, and later organized the law firm of M. A. Hanna & Co. He became interested in the iron trade, and soon became the head of the Globe Iron Works Co., 400 IMPROVEMENT ERA. and a large ship owner on the lakes. In 1896, having become active in politics, he was made chairman of the Republican Nat. Com., and was in March that year appointed to the U. S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. John Sherman. He was elected in 1899 to the succeeding long and short terms, expiring in 1905, and was re-ap- pointed chairman of the Republican National Committee, at the conven- tion of 1900. Foreign. — January, 1904. New Concessions for Iceland. — About the middle of January, Den- mark made concessions to Iceland which grants privileges that have been in controversy been that country and the mother country for nearly thirty years, beginning in 1874 when the King of Denmark granted Ice- land its present constitution. The Icelanders have gained all their points, and may be said to have won a brilliant victory. They will now have their own ministry, an increase in the representatives elected by the people, and an extension in the elective franchise, as well as the "greatest degree of self-government consistent with a recognition of the rights of the mother country." An official state coat-of-arms will be al- lowed, something desired by Iceland's 80,000 population for many years. Aalesund Destroyed. — In two hours the town of Aalesund, Norway, was destroyed by fire on the 24th, and eleven thousand people were made homeless. Twenty fishing smacks and three steamers were sunk in the harbor, and other property to the amount of over $4,000,000 was destroyed. Lord Curzon in Persia. — With pomp befitting his station, Lord Curzon has lately visited for three weeks along the Persian Gulf im- pressing upon the local British chiefs the importance of British favor and friendship, lost to some extent by the failure of the English railway from Teheran to the Karun, and through the invasion of northern Persia by the Russians. No Viceroy of India has ever before paid an official visit to the towns on the Persian Gulf. Religion in Panama. — After a heated discussion, the Panama Con- stitutional Convention, now in session, on January 26, approved the fol- owing clause relating to religion in the new republic: The professions of all religions, as also the exercise of all forms of worship shall be free, without other limitations than respect for Chris- tian morality and public order. Nevertheless it is recognized that the Catholic religion is that of a majority of the inhabitants of the Republic and the law will provide assistance toward the founding of a seminary in the capital, and missions for savage tribes.