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Show part of the lake so fresh that it has frozen over in winter, though the more salty water on the other side of the track never freezes. Great Salt Lake is the most wonderful of American lakes and the trip across it the most wonderful of lake journeys. Every day in the year the Southern Pacific Line's Overland Route trains via Ogden to and from San Francisco, the "San Francisco Overland Limited," "Pacific Limited" and "St. Louis Express," take their passengers across the strange old bed of Lake Bonneville and the silent and beautiful sea of Great Salt Lake-a delightful and unique experience and one of the scenic features which make this transcontinental route to and from San Francisco so enjoyable . SEAGULLS (Page 15) The seagulls are sacred birds in Utah. There's a monument to them in Temple Square, Salt Lake City. Here's why: In May, 1848, the first Mormon settlers were threatened with ruin and starvation when hordes of crickets descended on their sprouting crops. Men, women and children fought the pests with fire and 28 water but only wearied themselves. Food scarce, all their grain and other seeds in the ground, no chance of replenishing their supplies nearer than San Francisco, 800 mtles away, and nothing faster than an ox-wagon to get there-or the Fast, easier to reach but 1200 miles distant; their situation was desperate. Great prayer meetings were held. One day, as they prayed, there appeared in the sky myriads of white-winged birds. They were seagulls, hungry from a long flight and in fine fettle for a feast. All day the gulls gobbled crickets. The birds disappeared at night but were on the job again at sunrise and in a few days the cricket menace had passed. Public gratitude took the form of a law making it a crime to kill a seagull, and the erection of the monument. ANTELOPE ISLAND (Page 15) On Antelope Island (see map page 4) which can be seen on a clear day from the train is the largest herd of wild buffalo in the United States. The original herd, 2/ in number, was put on the island 40years ago. There are now 300 of them. The buffalo scenes in "The Covered Wagon" were "shot" on this island. The island contains 32,000 acres, including some of the finest gracing land in the state. It is irrigated by numerous fresh water springs. 29 |