History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

450
UTAH AS A TERRITORY.
lard and Box Elder counties; and in 1852, Washington
county. The limits of Davis county were settled
as early as 1848, and the boundaries of several other
counties, together with the county seats, were defined
in 1850. 23 Acts were passed whereby it was ordered
that county courts should be established, and judges,
clerks, and sheriffs appointed for each, together with
justices and constables for the several precincts. At
Salt Lake City, the supreme court was to hold annual
sessions, and a system of jurisprudence was instituted,
whereby every case, whether civil or criminal, could
receive a hearing before the proper officers, and be
determined without delay, according to law and equity.
In January 1851 Salt Lake City was incorporated 2*
by charter of the general assembly, powers being
granted to levy and collect taxes; to establish a system
of common schools; to provide a water supply; to
open streets, light them, and keep them in repair;
to organize a police; and to tax, regulate, restrain, or
suppress gambling- houses, houses of ill-fame, and the
sale of spirituous and fermented liquors. 25
Acts of
incorporation were also passed, between this date and
1865, for Payson, Tooele, Palmyra, Parowan, Nephi,
Springville, Lehi, Manti, American Fork, Pleasant
Grove, Spanish Fork, Fillmore, Cedar City, Ogden,
and Provo, 26 the privileges granted being similar to
those conferred on the capital.
23 Utah, Compend. Laws, 113-18. For organization of Millard co., see
Utah, Acts Legisl. (eel. 1855), 224. It was called after Millard Fillmore;
Davis co. after Capt. Davis of the Morm. battalion; Iron co. , of course, from
the deposits of iron ore found thereabout; and Box Elder from the trees on
Box Elder creek. Richards' Utah Miscell., MS., 7.
24 Jedediah M. Grant was appointed mayor; Nathaniel H. Felt, William
Snow, Jesse P. Harmon, and Nathaniel V. Jones, aldermen; Vincent Shirtleff,
Benjamin L. Clapp, Zera Pulsipher, William G. Perkins, Lewis Robinson,
Harrison Burgess, Jeter Clinton, John L. Dunyon, and Samuel W. Richards,
councillors. Heseret News, Jan. 11, 1851. See also Tullidge's Hist. S. L. City,
77, where the name of Lewis Robinson does not appear in the list of councillors.
25 Utah, Acts Legisl. (ed. 1855), 64-72; Tullidge's Hist. S. L. City, 72-7.
In 1860 this charter was repealed, and a new act of incorporation passed. In
1864 'an act amending the charter of Great Salt Lake City' passed the legislative
assembly, and was approved by the governor. Utah, Acts Legist, (ed.
1866), 113-20.
26 Id. (ed. 1855), 74-102, 321-57; (ed. 1866), 120-72; Utah, Comp. Laws,
770, 823-42; Deseret News, Feb. 19, 1853.