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Show 440 HISTORY OF SANPETE COUNTY. prosperous from the beginning, and numbered many of the young people of the town among its pupils. The house was completed in 1884, at a cost of about §3,000. The chapel was dedicated in April, 1886, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. S. L. Gillespie. Mrs. Green erected a reading-room and put up a belfry and placed the first bell in position in the city. The building is a neat stone structure, 25x45 feet, erected from native material. Several citizens of Gunnison are members of the Presbyterian church in Manti and elsewhere, and the mission is in a satisfactory condition. The Latter-day Saints organized a ward with the first settlement of Gunnison, and the church has prospered ever since, with all its auxiliary organizations. H. H. Kearnes was the first Bishop, and introduced every new industry to develop the public enterprise of the citizens. The present Bishop is C. A. Madsen, who has served for many years and enjoys the good-will and confidence of his people. The Sunday School, Y. M. M. I. A. and other church societies are prosperous and. directed by earnest, conscientious men and women, interested in the cause of enlightening humanity. The church has a fine meeting-house, and the Relief Society owns a commodious hall, which is generously used for many public purposes. In 1S91 the Rio Grande Western railroad was completed to the borders of Gunnison, and thus opened up the avenues of American commerce, enabling the farmers and ranchers to ship their grain kets of the world. The and live stock to the mar- financial interests then received an impetus which is rapidly transforming the town into one of the important cities of Sanpete county and a leading commercial and trading point for south-central Utah. The Sanpete Valley railroad will no doubt be built into the town limits within a short time, and thereby place the |
