History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

TRADE AND AGRICULTURE. 579
the latter. If, for instance, one should tender $50 for
a bag of sugar without offering to make other pur-
chases, the store-keeper would probably refuse; "for,"
he would argue, "if I sell all my cash-goods for cash,
without also getting rid of rny shelf-goods, I shall
not be able to dispose of the latter for cash at all. I
must dole out the one with care that I may be able
to get rid of the other." 20
In some of the shop windows on Main Street were
displayed costly imported commodities—silks, velvets,
and shawls of diverse pattern, jewelry, laces, and
millinery; 21 near by were less pretentious stores, where
home-made and second-hand articles were retailed.
In some of the latter might be seen a curious collection
of dilapidated merchandise, and people almost as singular
as the wares over which they chaffered. Here
was a group of women holding solemn conclave over
a superannuated gown that to other eyes would seem
worthless; there a sister in faded garb cheapening a
well-battered bonnet of Parisian make that had already
served as covering and ornament for half a
dozen heads.
Approaching Zion from the direction of Fort
Bridger, after days of travel through sage-brush and
buffalo-grass, the traveller would observe that within
a score of leagues from Salt Lake City nature's barrenness
began to succumb to the marvellous energy of the
saints. The canons had been converted by irrigation
into fertile lands, whose emerald tint soothed the eye
wearied with the leaden monotony of the desert land-
20 William Chandless, who visited Salt Lake City in the winter of 1855-6,
Btates that, if one wanted to sell anything, he could get nothing for it, because
of the scarcity of money; while if an offer were made to buy the same
article for cash, a very high price must be paid on account of the rarity of
the article. Visit to S. L. City, 223. For many years afterward, this system
of traffic prevailed in a measure. Thus, in the Deseret News of Feb. 22,
1860, J. C. Little advertises that he will exchange his store of furniture for
wheat and flour; George B. Wallace that he will give five gallons of molasses
per cord for wood; and Felt and Allen that they pay cash and store goods for
wheat delivered at the Jordan mills.
31 In 1860 there were three milliner's stores, thirteen dry-goods and two
variety stores. Burton's City of the Saints, 277-8.