-- Feb 2, 1899
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [George Q.] Cannon, shortly before 11 a.m., proceeded from the President's Office to the Salt Lake Temple to attend the regular meeting of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles.
Present at the meeting: Presidents Lorenzo Snow and George Q. Cannon; Apostles Francis M. Lyman, John Henry Smith, George Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson. Absent, President Joseph F. Smith, in the Sandwich Islands; President Franklin D. Richards, visiting in San Francisco [California], Apostle Brigham Young [Jr.], sick. ...
President Snow brought forward the subject of the Federal building site, mooted at previous meetings of the Council, and after considerable discussion, in which Apostles Lyman, Grant, Smith and President Snow participated, it was moved by Brother Lyman that the sentiment of the Council be to sustain the Presidency in making an offer of twenty rods square on the Deseret News corner as a site for the Government building. The motion was seconded by several of the brethren, and carried unanimously. ...
Brother Clawson brought up the subject of round-dancing, which was considered at some length, Brothers Woodruff, Lyman, Grant, Lund, Clawson, President Cannon and President Snow all speaking upon it. After discussing the pros and cons, it was found to be the consensus of opinion among the brethren that inasmuch as dancing in moderation was a healthful and grace-giving exercise, and that the style of round-dancing had so changed of late years as to do away with its most objectionable features, and since to prohibit it altogether would be to drive many of our young people to Gentile dancing halls, outside the control of the Priesthood, that it was not wise to attempt to abolish it entirely, but to restrict it as much as possible, and instruct Bishops and Stake Presidents accordingly. We discussed at length the subject of round-dancing & dancing schools. Pres[iden]t. [Lorenzo] Snow said we should have all our amusements under the control of the Priesthood. Use moderation in round-dancing but don't drive the young away because we do not allow the[m] to round-dance but allow it in moderation. See that our balls are select. (1)
-- Feb 4, 1899; Saturday
Presidents [Lorenzo] Snow and [George Q.] Cannon were waited upon this morning by Bishop John R. Winder and Brother Robert S. Campbell, who came to submit the result of their negotiations, as directors of the Union Light and Power Company, with the Utah Light and Power Company, for the proposed lease of their plant, as mentioned in this journal on the 1st inst.7 They represented that the latter company held out for $40,000.00 a year for the lease, but that Brother [John R.] Winder had labored very strenuously with Brother [Francis] Armstrong to have that amount reduced. The proposition had been made by Judge LeGrand Young, Bishop Winder and Brother Campbell to pay them
$32,500.00, and to-day as a result of this the Utah Power Company had agreed to take $35,000.00 a year for a lease of two years, with a privilege of five, and would pay their own hands and take care of their own machinery, etc., which Brother Campbell said would cost them $4,000.00 a year. He also felt very certain that the Utah company's business would be ample to meet the amount of the lease--$35,000.00. It was estimated that unless this contract were entered into, the Utah Power Company, by underbidding and cutting prices, would take from the Union Company at least $20,000.00 of its patronage. After listening to these statements, President Snow agreed with President Cannon that to lease the Utah Company's plant was perhaps the best thing that could be done under the circumstances, and Brothers Winder and Campbell were instructed by them to have Judge Young draw up the necessary papers.
Sisters Susa Young Gates and Zina Young Card had an interview with President Snow in which they represented that they had received a communication from Major Pond, inviting them to become his guests while on their way to Washington D.C., whither they go in company with other sisters to attend the sessions of the National Council of Women. It appeared that Major Pond had previously communicated with these sisters upon the subject of delivering a lecture through his lecture bureau, but had failed to carry out the project on account of the war with Spain. Having learned that they were about to visit Washington, he now extended to them an invitation to stop over a for a day or two, and meet at his residence, say, a hundred prominent people, thus afford them an opportunity to talk about Utah and the Mormons and perhaps be the means of dispelling a good deal of prejudice. The sisters desired to know President Snow's mind about their accepting of this invitation. The President told them to accept it by all means, and invited them to come to his home this evening, where he would bless and set them apart, as other sisters had been blessed and set apart a day or two ago in the Temple. He also promised to give them a letter--such a one as had been given to Sister E. B. Wells--authorizing them to preach, teach and expound the doctrines of the Church as opportunity offered, and recommending them to lady ministers of other denominations whom they might meet.
The sum of $48.60 was appropriated to pay the expenses of Anna, the sandwich island sister, who goes to Washington, D.C. with Sister Gates and others to attend the National Council of Women.
President Snow, in a conversation with Brothers Thomas G. Webber and Franklin S. Richards, informed them of the action of the Apostles' Council on Thursday last confirming the action of the First Presidency regarding the disposition of the News corner as a site for the proposed Federal building. Bishop [William B.] Preston, calling in, joined in the conversation. It was understood that President Cannon would visit Washington [D.C.] upon this business. President Snow now requested Brother Richards to prepare the necessary legal papers, which were to contain this proviso: "The site named to be given free if it should be found necessary to make a gift of it in order to insure the location of the building on the News corner; otherwise, the committee was to try
to realize for the Church say $50,000.00 of the amount appropriated by the government for the purchase of a site.["]
7References throughout to "journal," "this journal," "yesterday's journal," etc., are to the First Presidency's Office Journal (LDS Archives), not to the Journal History.
(2)
Endnotes:
1 - Journal History; Abraham Owen Woodruff, Diary
2 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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