2 governors, 1 train, lots of delight

THIS IS THE PLACE HERITAGE PARK — "Brigham Young" joked that the first time this happened, in 1869, no governor showed up for the driving of the golden spike, a ceremony that involved two railroad trains.

This time, he said, two governors showed up — but only one train.

The two governors were himself, Utah's first territorial governor played by actor James Arrington, and Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. The train that did show up for its dedication was a replica of the Central Pacific Railroad's "Jupiter." The replica of the Union Pacific's 119 was delayed a few days by unspecified problems and missed the dedication.

But both scale models, which barrel along on tires and paved routes, will be hauling visitors throughout the sprawling Deseret Village park throughout the summer.

The hundreds of delighted spectators and re-enactors in pioneer garb didn't seem to mind that only one of the replicas was present. Children in broad-brimmed hats and bonnets waved streamers, uniformed members of the Mormon Battalion performed as color guards, schoolmarms in gingham closed the schoolhouse door, and pioneer children sat in the veranda of the Huntsman Hotel munching corn dogs.

Brigham Young, who was territorial governor from 1850 to 1858, noted that back in 1869, glitches happened, too. The first such ceremony "was delayed two days 'cause of lots of different things. ... and I didn't go," he said.

"I didn't go because I had a beef with the people putting it together," he added.

Huntsman explained that Brigham Young had been upset because the Transcontinental Railroad — whose joining of the rails in 1869 has been celebrated on May 10 ever since — did not go through Salt Lake City. Also, he said, there was a question of some unpaid debts by Union Pacific, bills which Huntsman hoped have been resolved by now.

Those quibbles must have been resolved because this time, nobody aired any beefs.

As the Young Artists Chamber Players performed an overture from the opera "Rodeo" four little girls spontaneously twirled a few square dance steps. Women beamed beneath the shade of their parasols and some gents wore top hats.

Brigham Young said that when he and other pioneers "came to this desolate place, there was nothin' here. We came all this way because we had to. ... We had to bring everything with us." Wagons were loaded high and the livestock included "oxen with three legs and cows that barely gave milk."

That all changed when the railroad arrived in 1869, offering much easier transportation from east and west.