-- Apr 21, 1899; Friday
At 10:15 A.M. a meeting of the First Presidency and the Apostles was held, at which the following named brethren were present: Presidents Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith and Franklin D. Richards; Apostles Brigham Young [Jr.], John Henry Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson, Elders James Jack and Nephi W. Clayton. The object of the meeting was to consider a proposition made by a gentleman named Henry Altman, who had seen President Snow about procuring an option to last for six months. The question to be considered was whether this option should be given, and if so how much should be asked for the property.
It was stated by Brother Clayton that the interest of the Church in the railroad, the pavilion and the Salt works amounted to about $110,000; that the salt enterprise was paying seven percent, with a reserve fund, but that the railroad and pavilion bonds were not paying anything.
President Smith recited the reasons which had led to the starting of the lake resort. His statement was substantially as follows: At the time the Saltair pavilion was built there were places of recreation beyond the control of the Church authorities, which were drawing away the young people and placing before them all kinds of temptations: originally it was the intention to have no bar-room connected with the pavilion, and to have it closed upon the Sabbath day; but in order to keep afloat financially a bar-room had to be provided, and the most respectable liquor man in the city was engaged to conduct it. Then it was found that Sunday trains had to be run, in order to meet the Gentile demand. The salt business was already in our hands, and it had proved a good enterprise. The speaker thought that if it were decided to retain these properties, the railroad should be extended and thus be made to pay. Personally he was very much averse to selling, especially since competition had been pretty much overcome. The Mormon people were the builders of nearly every railroad in the State, but now they were out of our hands and beyond our control. President Smith, in answer to a question by President Snow, stated that he could not see that we were in any particular danger from competition, unless it might be at some time in the future.
Brother Clayton emphasized the position taken by President Smith, with this exception; that the Oregon Short Line Company might cowork against our interests and compel the Salt Company to ship the salt over their road, but if they were to do this, the Salt Company could bring its salt to this city and take advantage of a competing line; if after this were done, both lines should pool against the Salt Company, it would then have to raise the price of salt. This could be done without fear of successful competition; and in fact the company could raise the price of Salt for its own benefit if it chose to do so.
President Snow stated that he had not expressed himself one way or the other regarding this matter, but he had heard that
other brethren had expressed themselves, and he now invited them to put themselves on record.
A discussion ensured, in which most of the brethren present took part. The motives that led to the founding of Saltair were commended, but it was referred to by Brother John Henry Smith as "an overbuilt proposition" and the bar connected with it as "a standing menace" to all who congregated there. The seeming necessity for its existence was deplored by all. In spite of it, however, it was the general opinion that Saltair was the most orderly and best conducted resort in the country. It was wisdom to provide pure and wholesome recreation for the people, and all tendencies to immorality should be restrained. This had been done at Saltair. The bar had even been closed on certain days, when Sunday schools and mutual Improvement Associations patronized the resort, and everything possible had been done to properly regulate the place and keep the atmosphere free from immorality. It was hoped that eventually the bar might be dispensed with and the Church be relieved from the embarrassing position it now occupied of running a pleasure resort and requiring its officials to use an influence to work up patronage for it. The Church had only taken hold of it in order to keep it under Mormon control, and because individual members of the Church could not be trusted to hold it, but would sell it, as they had other home enterprises, to the Gentiles, who had ways of making such things pay, that our brethren were unacquainted with or were unwilling to adopt. All the brethren felt that it was the correct policy to retain possession of the properties named if it were possible.
President Cannon was very emphatic on this point. He believed it to be our duty to hold on to the government of our country in every way possible. The question of profit was secondary with him. This was President [Brigham] Young's doctrine. If these enterprises were not profitable now, he believed that matters would be overruled so as to make them profitable. Referring to the first railroads in Utah, the speaker said that Captain [William H.] Hooper was always advocating the selling of the roads to obtain capital, but he himself opposed this policy, having observed that the men who held the railroads held the key to the situation and dictated terms. He asked what kind of a fix the Saints would be in if they accepted big offers and sold corner lots in the New Jerusalem. He referred to the selling of the Black Rock property by President [John] Taylor as an event that took place while he himself was absent, and after this Brother Clayton and others who had interests on the lake shore had come to the First Presidency for counsel as to selling out, and they had been advised to hold on. The speaker had never regretted being associated with them in carrying out this counsel and holding on to these properties. Even should competition come, he felt that we should struggle against it and overcome it. He denounced the rumors against Saltair as lies, lies circulated by our own people, and compared them to the criticisms passed upon President Young for building the Salt Lake Theatre. Even the Prophet Joseph [Smith] did not escape similar criticism. He would rather have his
family go to Saltair than to any other place of amusement that he was acquainted with (Brother Clayton had previously said something to the same effect, remarking that visitors who came there and stayed in their private cars had marveled at the good order that prevailed everywhere about the pavilion). At the same time, President Cannon remarked, he would be adverse to the Church taking hold of such things if individual brethren would do it and not sell out for money, as the Church authorities could then devote themselves to spiritual matters entirely.
President Snow here stated the question to be the selling of the railroad only, it being the understanding that it could be sold without selling the other interests. A formal vote was then taken, and all voted in favor of the retention of the properties.
President Snow said that he agreed with the brethren who had expressed themselves to the effect that when we get hold of a good piece of property that was serviceable to Zion we should not only have what we now possess, but should have the whole earth. The question was, how much should we have and try to get to-day. With regard to holding on to the properties under consideration, the only question with him was, were we able to do it. It had been said that we should run this railroad to the Coast; that was all right, if we were able to do it without overreaching ourselves. The Lord had said it was not right to run into debt, even to build temples. This injunction was applicable to railroads and other enterprises as well, which might be instituted for the benefit of Zion. The Church was heavily in debt; on the 16th of June the sum of $180,000 would have to be paid, if an extension could not be obtained, and there was only about $50,000 to meet it. He did not like this way of doing business, that is, by going into debt, for it placed us in the power of men who might injure us, if they felt so disposed. He believed in holding on, but he did not believe, while holding on like grim death, in getting more and more and getting so much as to be obliged perhaps to let everything go at a sacrifice. His great aim and object was to get the Church out of debt, and being imbued with this feeling he shrank from taking upon himself further responsibilities, unless it was absolutely necessary to do so. In conclusion he reminded the brethren present that having voted to sustain these enterprises, they were now under obligation so [t]o do.
The meeting then dismissed, and at 2:15 P.M. the Presidency and most of the brethren who had been together during the forenoon, went to the lake upon invitation of Brother Clayton. (1)
-- Apr 21, 1899
At 10:15 A.M. a meeting of the First Presidency and the Apostles was held, at which the following named brethren were present: Presidents Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith and Franklin D. Richards; Apostles Brigham Young [Jr.], John Henry Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Matthias F. Cowley, Abraham O[wen]. Woodruff and Rudger Clawson, Elders James Jack and Nephi W. Clayton. The object of the meeting was to consider a proposition made by a gentleman named Henry Altman, who had seen President Snow about procuring an option to last for six months. The question to be considered was whether this option should be given, and if so how much should be asked for the property.
It was stated by Brother Clayton that the interest of the Church in the railroad, the pavilion and the Salt works amounted to about $110,000; that the salt enterprise was paying seven percent, with a reserve fund, but that the railroad and pavilion bonds were not paying anything.
President Smith recited the reasons which had led to the starting of the lake resort. His statement was substantially as follows: At the time the Saltair pavilion was built there were places of recreation beyond the control of the Church authorities, which were drawing away the young people and placing before them all kinds of temptations: originally it was the intention to have no bar-room connected with the pavilion, and to have it closed upon the Sabbath day; but in order to keep afloat financially a bar-room had to be provided, and the most respectable liquor man in the city was engaged to conduct it. Then it was found that Sunday trains had to be run, in order to meet the Gentile demand. The salt business was already in our hands, and it had proved a good enterprise. The speaker thought that if it were decided to retain these properties, the railroad should be extended and thus be made to pay. Personally he was very much averse to selling, especially since competition had been pretty much overcome. The Mormon people were the builders of nearly every railroad in the State, but now they were out of our hands and beyond our control. President Smith, in answer to a question by President Snow, stated that he could not see that we were in any particular danger from competition, unless it might be at some time in the future.
Brother Clayton emphasized the position taken by President Smith, with this exception; that the Oregon Short Line Company might cowork against our interests and compel the Salt Company to ship the salt over their road, but if they were to do this, the Salt Company could bring its salt to this city and take advantage of a competing line; if after this were done, both lines should pool against the Salt Company, it would then have to raise the price of salt. This could be done without fear of successful competition; and in fact the company could raise the price of Salt for its own benefit if it chose to do so.
President Snow stated that he had not expressed himself one way or the other regarding this matter, but he had heard that other brethren had expressed themselves, and he now invited them to put themselves on record.
A discussion ensured, in which most of the brethren present took part. The motives that led to the founding of Saltair were commended, but it was referred to by Brother John Henry Smith as "an overbuilt proposition" and the bar connected with it as "a standing menace" to all who congregated there. The seeming necessity for its existence was deplored by all. In spite of it, however, it was the general opinion that Saltair was the most orderly and best conducted resort in the country. It was wisdom to provide pure and wholesome recreation for the people, and all tendencies to immorality should be restrained. This had been done at Saltair. The bar had even been closed on certain days, when Sunday schools and mutual Improvement Associations patronized the resort, and everything possible had been done to properly regulate the place and keep the atmosphere free from immorality. It was hoped that eventually the bar might be dispensed with and the Church be relieved from the embarrassing position it now occupied of running a pleasure resort and requiring its officials to use an influence to work up patronage for it. The Church had only taken hold of it in order to keep it under Mormon control, and because individual members of the Church could not be trusted to hold it, but would sell it, as they had other home enterprises, to the Gentiles, who had ways of making such things pay, that our brethren were unacquainted with or were unwilling to adopt. All the brethren felt that it was the correct policy to retain possession of the properties named if it were possible.
President Cannon was very emphatic on this point. He believed it to be our duty to hold on to the government of our country in every way possible. The question of profit was secondary with him. This was President [Brigham] Young's doctrine. If these enterprises were not profitable now, he believed that matters would be overruled so as to make them profitable. Referring to the first railroads in Utah, the speaker said that Captain [William H.] Hooper was always advocating the selling of the roads to obtain capital, but he himself opposed this policy, having observed that the men who held the railroads held the key to the situation and dictated terms. He asked what kind of a fix the Saints would be in if they accepted big offers and sold corner lots in the New Jerusalem. He referred to the selling of the Black Rock property by President [John] Taylor as an event that took place while he himself was absent, and after this Brother Clayton and others who had interests on the lake shore had come to the First Presidency for counsel as to selling out, and they had been advised to hold on. The speaker had never regretted being associated with them in carrying out this counsel and holding on to these properties. Even should competition come, he felt that we should struggle against it and overcome it. He denounced the rumors against Saltair as lies, lies circulated by our own people, and compared them to the criticisms passed upon President Young for building the Salt Lake Theatre. Even the Prophet Joseph [Smith] did not escape similar criticism. He would rather have his family go to Saltair than to any other place of amusement that he was acquainted with (Brother Clayton had previously said something to the same effect, remarking that visitors who came there and stayed in their private cars had marveled at the good order that prevailed everywhere about the pavilion). At the same time, President Cannon remarked, he would be adverse to the Church taking hold of such things if individual brethren would do it and not sell out for money, as the Church authorities could then devote themselves to spiritual matters entirely.
President Snow here stated the question to be the selling of the railroad only, it being the understanding that it could be sold without selling the other interests. A formal vote was then taken, and all voted in favor of the retention of the properties.
President Snow said that he agreed with the brethren who had expressed themselves to the effect that when we get hold of a good piece of property that was serviceable to Zion we should not only have what we now possess, but should have the whole earth. The question was, how much should we have and try to get to-day. With regard to holding on to the properties under consideration, the only question with him was, were we able to do it. It had been said that we should run this railroad to the Coast; that was all right, if we were able to do it without overreaching ourselves. The Lord had said it was not right to run into debt, even to build temples. This injunction was applicable to railroads and other enterprises as well, which might be instituted for the benefit of Zion. The Church was heavily in debt; on the 16th of June the sum of $180,000 would have to be paid, if an extension could not be obtained, and there was only about $50,000 to meet it. He did not like this way of doing business, that is, by going into debt, for it placed us in the power of men who might injure us, if they felt so disposed. He believed in holding on, but he did not believe, while holding on like grim death, in getting more and more and getting so much as to be obliged perhaps to let everything go at a sacrifice. His great aim and object was to get the Church out of debt, and being imbued with this feeling he shrank from taking upon himself further responsibilities, unless it was absolutely necessary to do so. In conclusion he reminded the brethren present that having voted to sustain these enterprises, they were now under obligation so [t]o do.
The meeting then dismissed, and at 2:15 P.M. the Presidency and most of the brethren who had been together during the forenoon, went to the lake upon invitation of Brother Clayton. Pres[ident]. [Lorenzo] Snow put into my hands a screde of type printed matter sent him by Pres[iden]t Geo[rge] Q Cannon. I was very sorrowful after reading it for I knew it was not right to attempt to pass over to Pres[ident]. Snow his (Geo[rge]. Q. C[annon's].) dedicated stock of Bullion Beck mine in that manner, it hurt me more than I can tell. Pres[ident]. C[annon]. is as Pres[ident]. S[now]. remarked is off at times. so I leave it with God and my brethren. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
2 - Journal History; Brigham Young Jr., Diary
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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