The man in charge of digging the foundation hole for the Salt Lake Temple also dedicated the completed edifice 40 years later.

He was Wilford Woodruff, who, on Feb. 21, 1853, was appointed to take charge of the "tithing hands." In this instance, he referred to tithing hands as the digging crew made up of immigrants on public works supported by tithing donations and those contributing labor as their tithing. Forty years later, in 1893, as president of the Church he dedicated the temple.After he received his appointment in 1853, Elder Woodruff took a day to familiarize himself with his duties. He studied the plans of temple architect, Truman O. Angell, and on Feb. 23, "I commenced my labour this morning on the temple Ground in digging out the earth for the foundation. I found it a busy place."

Teams of horses and oxen pulled implements, appropriately called scrapers, that dug up and then hauled away soil. Workers hacked away with pick and shovel at the hardpan that had broken plows of the first pioneers six years earlier.

Work continued, and on March 1, he noted, "This is my birth day. I am 46 years of Age this day. This birthday finds me having charge of the tithing hands in commencing to prepare for the building of Temple to the . . . most high God. may the Lord enable us to finish it."

Evidently, his role was not limited to that of supervising. His journal notes that on April 4 and 5, "I spent my time at hard labour to prepare the Temple ground for laying the corner Stones of the Temple."

An elaborate cornerstone ceremony was held April 6, 1853, at which time Foreman Woodruff switched coats and became Elder Woodruff at "the largest Assembly of saints ever gathered together in Deserett on the occasion."

Elder Woodruff's journal records that President Brigham Young concluded the ceremony with a prayer for "my Father in Heaven to encircle you [those attending the ceremonyT in the Arms of his love & mercy protect us untill we have finished the Temple [andT receive the fulness of our endowments therein & then build many more."

Eventually the excavation for the temple reached 30 feet deep. About 27,400 cubic yards of earth were removed by horses and oxen, the equivalent of 2,500 of today's dump truck loads. - John L. Hart

(Another in a series leading to the centennial of the Salt Lake Temple on April 6, 1993. Illustration by Deseret News artist Reed McGregor.)