Thursday, October 29, 2009

Manti Pioneer Settlers Are Plagued By Rattlesnakes

Chief Walker and a band of Ute Indians appeared in Salt Lake City, June 14, 1849 and requested that Brigham Young send settlers to the Sanpitch Valley to teach the Indians to build houses and til the soil. On the following August 20th, Chief Walker and an exploring party reached the present site of Manti and were well entertained by the natives. Favorable conditions for settlement must have been evident, because on November 19, 1849, some fifty families under the spiritual leadership of Isaac Morley and Captain Nelson Higgings, made their camp on the north side of the creek bottom and began what was destined to become Manti City.

All was not so rosy as might at first seem possible. The following winter proved severe and the settlers lost 127 head of their cattle from a band of 240. The male population was forced to shovel snow into winrows to provide shelter for the cattle and to uncover the dry grass for them to eat. even the horns of the cattle were sharpened to enable them to break the snow crust and also as a better protection against the wolves.

The first warm days of spring brought a most unexpected and unwelcome party to the camp. Just after sunset on this memorable occasion, a weird hissing and rattling was evidently heard coming. It seems from all points at once and the very earth appeared to be writhing with spotted backed rattlesnakes which, to the horror of the pioneers were invading the quiet camp. They took quarters in their beds, cupboards and in every accessible place in these outlying domiciles. And among a less hardy band would have created a perfect chaos of confusion. The whole male population with pine tordches casting a lurid light upohn the wierd scene, began an extermination campaign, which resulted in nearly 500 rattlesnakes being killed the first night. Although the fight against the deadly serpents continued for several days, not a single person was bitten.

This article was written by Gerald Henrie for the Salt Lake Trubune in about 1922.
It is taken from Hilda's Scrapbook.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

HILDA MAKES A PLEA FOR CITY BEAUTIFICATION


Well, said the chick with a funny little squirm. 
I wish I could find a nice little worm.
Said another little chick, with a queer little shrug,
I wish I could find a nice fat bug.
Said a third little chick, with a shrill little squeel,
I wish I could find a nice yellow meal.
Look here, said the mother from a nice green garden patch,
If you want any breakfast, get busy and scratch !



So it is with city beautification, or any other project.  If we want results we must get busy and SCRATCH !!!

Patriotism as religion and charity begins at home.  And it is the duty of every American Citizen, man and woman to join hand in hand in the making of all America a Beauty Spot.  The beauty of a community depends upon the individuals of that community.  Each common individual is personally responsible for their own as well as rented property, and should in any way possible help to create a sentiment for improvements on public grounds, as well as an interest in the needs of that town in general.

It has been said that a man is the head of the house, but woman is the head of the home.  Attractive home surroundings have a great influence upon the young folks, in creating a love of beauty and love for their hometown.  Home is more than four square walls, even more than a mansion of costly stone.  The most costly mansion would be barren and cold without suitable surroundings.  There is a certain comparison between the interior of a home and the grounds.  When a carpenter finishes a room it is only four bare walls, and does not become a place to live in and enjoy until there are some furnishings, rugs, tables and chairs.

The yard is very much a part of the home life and environment.  When the ground is graded, it is only a barren spot, uninviting and uninteresting. As the room, it requires furnishing.  First a carpet of green, then trees and shrubs; later as in the room other details are worked out.

The home is life's greatest school.  Respect for private as well as public property should be taught by example in the homes.  It is surprising how destructive children and some grown people can be.  I have seen flourishing trees deliberately broken off or marred, supposedly by children.  I have also seen prominent citizens, probably wishing to fill a vase or probably for no reason at all, deliberately break large limbs of shrubs on public grounds.  Thereby, stunting the growth and marring their beauty.  I know these persons would resent the passerby, breaking limbs from plants on their own grounds.

It is not always a mansion that is the most attractive.  And it does not take a great deal of means to make a home an inviting place.  One can make a most beautiful place out of the most humble home with a little careful planting of trees and shrubs for permanent beauty and a few flowers for variety.  Of course, if we are to build a new home, and plan our grounds anew, we have a better chance to get things as we like them.  And yet, even then, later on there are improvements to make.

Every yard and community would benefit with a little careful constructive criticism, backed up with co-operation and ambition.  Sometimes there are things about our yards and community, we have become so used to, we do not notice them and thus take them for granted as a necessary evil.  Yet, they may be outstandingly ugly spots in our neighborhood or community.

Some of the worst conditions in our smaller towns are there because we take them for granted and are unwilling to change.  OUR TOWN IS AS WE MAKE IT !!!

taken from Hilda's Scrapbook