Letter to Charles Coulson Rich, 28 May 1856
Historians Office. G S L City
Dear brother C. C. Rich
We feel to write a few lines to you in our monthly
correspondence and acknowledge the receipt of your letter to Thomas Bullock
We are sorry that your Son lost the seeds, for every thing
that is useful would be very acceptable in these mountain regions, and we
as President and Clerk of the Deseret Horticultural Society are specially interested
in the propogation of fruits &c please send us a few Apple and Pear Scions.
I ^(w. w.)^ have had a severe illness for about four weeks, caused
while skinning an ox which had died suddenly. I received a slight scratch
on my left arm by one of the ribs in a few days inflammation sat in,
the arm swelled to double its usual size, the poison virus got inocculated, &
mortification commenced, but thro kind nursing, frequent administrations,
& the continual prayers of the Saints, I am restored so far as to commence
operations in the Historian's Office.
The mail from California arrived on the 24th and bringing
a spicy letter from H. G. Sherwood, one from you, one from Elder Mc
Carthy, and several Newspapers.
We have also had half The U. S. has been delivered
of half a mail on the 10th instant, being five months old—the other half
we anticipate will be born out of due time, but when, we can not tell.
Mr McGraw has had an increase of 17,000 to reimburse him for his hard labor
and has his contract increased to 35,000 to induce him to be delivered twice
a year, as we suppose.
We have had delightful rains, each week for nearly
two months, which causes the wheat to grow rapidly, many are encouraged
to believe that they will cut wheat about the 20 June
All the crops in the ground look well, and the prospect
is cheering that the hard times will soon be over, and the hungry
receive food according to their day. The past year has been very hard
upon the Saints in this Territory.
The Presidency and Twelve are well, at this time.
brother P. P. Pratt is gone to Utah Co. to attend some appointments there.
