All was flourishing.--Attaining to independence.--Factory burned.--Sent
a chill to Lorenzo's heart.--Instead of discouragement it was proof
of the strength of their compact.--Everywhere manifest, even in
the Children.--Union could not be broken.--Impregnability of their
Order.--_Deseret News_ speaks.--Commendatory.--Sympathy.--Calamity is
proof of the strength of the Co-operative system.--Determination to
rebuild.
While everything in connection with the United Order was in a
flourishing condition, and the people, through their extensive
departments of home industries, were fast attaining to a comparative
state of independence, in the providence of God a serious calamity
befel them. Their woolen factory, one of their most productive and
important departments, with all it contained, was destroyed by fire,
which will elsewhere be fully explained.
After all the deep study, intense anxiety, constant labor and
long-continued watchfulness in behalf of the interests of the people
dependent on the success of their united efforts, the burning of their
factory, although at the instant it sent a chill to his heart, was
proof to Lorenzo of the power and strength of their grand compact.
Instead of discouragement, misfortune actually seemed to draw the
people more closely together, and more firmly cement the bonds of union.
This principle was everywhere apparent--even actuating the little
children, as was shown in instances when little girls and boys, of
their own accord, came forward with the small fractional moneys they
had been carefully saving for Christmas, saying, "_We will give it
to Brother Snow to help build another factory_." Children, with few
exceptions, are an index to the parents, and the foregoing little
incident goes far to illustrate the general feeling in Brigham City
after the burning. Their subsequent losses, although heavy, and
aggravated by injustice and oppression, had not sufficient power to
disrupt the bond of union in which those people were linked together.
By the help of the Almighty they had constructed a fortress that was
proof against calamity, and impregnable to the common vicissitudes of
human life, for the vital reason--_it was founded and conducted on
eternal principles_.
Relative to this subject, the _Deseret News_ expressed as follows:
"The intelligence of the destruction, by the devouring element, a
few days since, of the Brigham City woolen factory, caused a general
profound feeling of regret and sympathy in the minds of the Latter-day
Saints. That little community in the northern part of the Territory
have been engaged, for a little over a dozen years, in demonstrating a
principle of intense importance--the feasibility of a self-sustaining
co-operative policy. In this direction they stand in advance of
the people of the entire West. In fact, considering the numerous
disadvantages under which they have labored, we doubt if a more
satisfactory development of material interests exists anywhere on this
globe.
"The eyes of the Latter-day Saints have been turned in the direction
of the people of Brigham City, and their co-operative system has been
watched perhaps more closely than was imagined. It was thought that
the burning of their excellent factory would retard the development of
their home industrial pursuits, and delay the further demonstration
of the great truth that a community, even a small one, can exist and
flourish in a condition of measurable independence of the changes and
fluctuations in operation outside of it. Apparent misfortunes are,
however, not deficient of benefit. This seeming calamity exhibits,
perhaps as much as any other circumstance could, the extraordinary
vitality and consequent power existing in a comparatively united
community, whose business is done on a co-operative mutual protective
system.
"Nothing daunted, those good people, inspired by the example of their
leaders and advisers, and by the spirit of the Gospel say, 'We will
build another factory,' and at once commence to carry their commendable
resolution into effect.
"Coupled with this determination, is another to provide labor and the
means of subsistence, in the meantime, for the operatives thrown out of
employment by the burning of the factory.
"Such a community shows its independence in the true sense of the word;
and every right thinking person cannot do otherwise than wish such a
people well.
"We understand there are between forty and fifty home industrial
branches of business carried on under the Brigham City co-operative
system."