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Show PRELUDE. HE Utah Pioneers, in their exodus from the confines of civilization and their toilsome and perilous march across plains and mountains to the heart of "The Great American Desert"-redeemed and glorified by their patient industry- created an epoch unparalleled in history. The placation of the savage; the battle for life with crickets, grasshoppers and drouth; the adoption of irrigation; the conquest and colonization of a sage-covered, sun-baked wilderness; with a thousand and one manifestations of wisdom in all the affairs of the infant colony and the subsequently matured commonwealth, testify unmistakeably to the courage and sagacity of the Pioneers, and of their great leader, Brigham Young. That the memory of these heroic men and women should be perpetuated in bronze and marble, is conceded; but that is a work for the future. The more humble duty of today is to preserve in the archives of the State the precious record of their names. For this purpose these volumes have been compiled. Herein will be found the names, not only of the Pioneers proper-those who entered Salt Lake Valley July 24, 1847-but, so far as can be ascertained, of all who came into the Valley during that memorable year and were identified with the pioneer colony. A special feature of the compilation is the signatures-727 in number-of the survivors of these original settlers. These signatures, which can never as a whole be duplicated, since several deaths have occurred among the signers-most of whom are stricken in years-combine with other features to make this Book of the Pioneers a work unique in character and of universal interest. |
