Personnel
of the Lower House of the Utah Legislative Assembly.
Orson Pratt, Sen.—The best read man in the House. Like other great men, he don’t indulge much in nonsensical, light speeches, but deals entirely in the substantial; is positively against extending charters for toll roads, ferries and bridges; argues that the Legislature has the same constitutional right to charter a hotel, and prevent another party from building one within twenty miles, as it has to regulate ferries in that manner; can’t see the plea of companies who ask for unusually liberal charters, on the ground that they are exposed to Indian depredations, when at the same time they provide in their charters that not a white man shall establish himself within twenty miles of them; a well posted and useful man.
[Deseret News, Feb. 26, 1868]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Sept. 2006]