Joseph Smith, Jr. Monument PDF      Email to a Friend      Printer Friendly Version

George Albert Smith's Account of Erecting the Joseph Smith Monument¹

"Many people do not understand what a great task it was to get this monument in position. The shaft itself weighs somewhere near forty-three tons. It is erected upon high ground, and had to be carried five and a half miles from the railroad upon a specially prepared wagon, the wagon weighing eight tons, the tires of the wheels being twenty inches wide. The country road could not bear the great weight of the immense blocks of stone of which the monument is constructed, and a track of oak planks was laid upon the ground and the big wagon was rolled upon that. When the first effort was made to haul it, twenty of the best horses in that country could not move the wagon.

Afterwards, by means of block and tackle, it was successfully moved, although sometimes only a few yards, or a few rods a day, until the monument was gradually taken to its destination. The people of that country said to Brother Wells, 'You will not be able to get it into position because of storms and snow; the roads will be so slippery that you cannot haul it.' Brother Wells said to them (evidencing the faith of his lineage) 'We will get there, the Lord will open the way.' So the storms held off until the monument was in place, the cottage roofed, and the doors and windows roughed in, then it began to snow. The people of that country refer to this two months of pleasant weather, at a time when ordinarily they have snow, as Wells' weather, in compliment to the man who had faith in our Heavenly Father in carrying out the purpose undertaken.

Another thing was called to our attention, which interested those who lived there, the railroad men were afraid to carry the heavy stone across the railroad bridge over White river, so it was unloaded from the railroad car onto the wagon, and then it was found the wagon bridge would have to be strengthened. Investigation showed that the bed of the stream was quicksand. Brother Wells, therefore, had planks placed on the quicksand to sustain the heavy timbers required to strengthen the bridge, and by that means they were able to accomplish what they desired. Thus roads and bridges were made, and the people cheerfully assisted in the work. The block and tackle referred to had to be fastened to trees along the road and those who lived in that section permitted their trees to be used for that purpose, although it either barked or uprooted them.

One place on the road was an especially bad obstacle; it was very marshy; and Brother Wells went to the Road Supervisor and asked if he could have it filled up. He smilingly replied that it was a noted landmark in the country, and it would be impossible to fix it, the oldest inhabitant unpleasantly remembers that disagreeable mudhole, 'but,' he said, 'it is the only way you can go, and I am afraid we can not do anything to help you.' The same evening they got there with the monument shaft, a hay-press sunk in the mire, and they could scarcely get it out. That night our Heavenly Father was petitioned to assist, for the great rock had to be taken over that bog next day. During the night the temperature dropped 30 degrees, the mud was frozen solid, and it proved to be about the best piece of road they encounered on the trip.^"

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SOURCE

¹ George Albert Smith, Conference Report, (April 1906), 54-55.