History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

EARLY INDUSTRIES. 279
Public meetings were generally held near the liberty-pole
in the centre of the fort; religious and secular
meetings were also held in private houses. In
March 1848 the population of the city was reported
at 1,671, and the number of houses 423. 14
Bridges
were built over Mill Creek and Jordan River. Daniel
Spencer was appointed road-master, and authorized
to call on men to assist in making roads. In order
that the burden might fall equally on all, a poll and
property tax were instituted.
There were several mills soon in working order.
A small grist-mill on City Creek was built by Charles
Crismon near the pioneer garden; then there were
Chase's saw-mill and Archibald and Robert Gardiner's
on Mill Creek, and Nebeker, Riter, and Wallace's in
a canon ten miles north of the city. A carding
machine was erected near Gardiner's saw-mill by
Amasa Russell, and a flouring mill during the summer
by John Neff. Leffingwell constructed a threshing
machine and fanning mill on City Creek, with a capacity
of two hundred bushels per day. Mill-stones
cut out of the basalt in the valley were of very good
quality. Mill-irons, mill-stones, printing-presses, type,
paper, and the carding machine were brought by the
first bands of emigrants in 1848. 15
The spring saw everybody busy, and soon there
were many flourishing gardens, containing a good variety
of vegetables. In the early part of March ploughing
commenced. The spring was mild and rain plenti-
ful, and all expected an abundant harvest. But in
the latter part of May, when the fields had put on
their brightest green, there appeared a visitation in
the form of vast swarms of crickets, black and baleful
as the locust of the Dead Sea. 16
In their track
n Juv. Inst., ix. no. 1, 9.
lb Bist. B. Young. MS.; Home's Migrations, MS.; Geo. Q. Cannon, in Juv.
Inst.; Taylor's Reminiscences, MS.; Woodruff's Journal, MS.; Young's Ex.,
MS.; Wells' Narr., MS.; Richards' Narr., MS.; Nebeker's Early Justice,
MS.; Jenning's Material Progress, MS., passim.
16 Utah Early Records, MS., 29-30.