The New International Encyclopædia/Ogden

OG′DEN. A city and the county-seat of Weber County, Utah, 37 miles north of Salt Lake City; at the confluence of the Ogden and Weber rivers, and on the Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Oregon Short Line, Ogden and Northwestern, and Rio Grande Western railroads (Map: Utah, B 1). It is the seat of the State Industrial School (reformatory) and of State institutions for the deaf, dumb, and blind, of Sacred Heart Academy (Roman Catholic), and of Weber Stake Academy (Mormon). The principal buildings are the city hall, county courthouse, and several of the public school buildings. Union, Lester, and Liberty parks, respectively 5, 10, and 10 acres in area, are notable attractions. The Ogden Cañon, opening at the city limits, is noted for its wildly picturesque scenery and for its waterfall. A pipe line serves to convey an immense electrical energy supplying light, heat, and power for Ogden and Salt Lake City. The city has valuable natural advantages from its location in a productive agricultural, fruit-growing, and mineral region. An important railroad junction, it controls large commercial interests in an export trade in beet sugar, canned goods, grain, and fruit, and as a distributing centre for the surrounding country. Its industrial enterprises, also important, are represented by woolen mills, canning works, brick and tile works, a broom factory, pickle works, etc. Ogden was founded in 1848, was laid out as a city under the direction of Brigham Young in 1850, and was chartered in 1851. The original charter previously governing the city, dated 1861, was repealed by the Legislature of 1898, which enacted a general law for the government of cities and towns of the State. Under this statute, Ogden is governed by a mayor, elected every two years, a unicameral council, and administrative officials, of whom the clerk, auditor, treasurer, attorney, and police justice are chosen by popular vote, and all others appointed by the executive, subject to the consent of the council. Population, in 1890, 14,889; in 1900, 16,313.