Historian's office.
G. S. L. City .
Brother George A. Smith
Dear Sir,
I take pleasure in announcing to you that the Eastern
mail arrived on the 24th Ulto., bringing 28 brass lock sacks, having left
2 by the way: it brought the last Oct. and Nov. mails. We have not
heard anything later by the East. The Mail was accompanied by
our friend J. L. Heywood; they all wintered about Devils gate with
about 20 of the brethren. They suffered much: subsisting for one
month on poor beef, and the next month on Hides. Brother Hey-
wood considers he has gained quite an experience in cooking raw hides:
they boiled, roasted, stewed and fried all ways; they all lived through
it; and left as soon as they could get through for snow, and came
near leaving the Mail at last. Many had much anxiety about brother
Heywood, and all were glad to see him come home: he looks well,
with his long sandy beard. The Mail brought me 6 letters from you,
including the one sent by A. W. Babbitt, who as you know was
killed by the way. I was truly glad to hear from you and that
you was preserved in the railroad smash up.
I was glad to hear that you had got along so well with
bro. Taylor, in getting us out so good a history of the death of
Joseph. I have not yet seen it. I have not heard how it was
sent, if by mail I expect it will turn up by and bye when the
Winter mails arrive. I called on Bathsheba and read all my letters to her:
she had received letters from you too. I was pleased with your dream,
and I believe that you will be enabled to start the cars, engine or
no engine that is visible, it will be right anyway. We will file it in the office.
We have had a hard winter in Utah, if 8 feet of snow in the
^[sideways text]
Rec[eive]d Sept. 3
1857
at Salt Lake
April 1st, 1857
Historian's Office
Geo. A. Smith
Wilford Woodruff
^Copied^
[end of sideways text]^
vallies, and from 1 to 100 in the mountains makes a hard winter;
but we have lost but little stock in comparison with last year. The
snow in the vallies has gone off so gradually, the ground is thorough-
ly soaked 3 feet deep. I do not know how much deeper. Spring has broke
upon us mild and warm, the top of the ground is beginning to be dry,
but the wells are raising.
Every kind of fruit trees; from the apple to the currant, are loaded
with fruit buds, and some of the Peaches and Apricots are ready to blossom.
I think it will be a fruitful year, for all kinds of fruit, grain and veget-
ables. The cottonwood canal is nearly finished; it has been a great job.
I expect the stone will come floating to the Temple, they are now
hauling with cattle. The Temple foundation is surrounded with stone
cutters who make rich sweet music. I expect after conference there will
be several hundreds cutting stone, and the Temple will be pushed.
We have had a great Reformation this winter, some of the fruits
are, all have confessed their sins either great or small, restored their
stollen property, all have been baptized from the Presidency down: all
are trying to pay their Tithing, and nearly all are trying to get
wives, until there is hardly a girl 14 years old in Utah, but what
is married, or just going to be. President Young has hardly time
to eat, drink or sleep, in consequence of marrying the people
and attending to the endowments. I never have had so much to do
in my life. I would think it would wear him out. There has hardly
been a ball or party for recreation through this Territory for the last
6 months. I have attended a meeting of some kind about every evening
through the past winter, & have not visited your family much, nor any body else,
not among my own but little, for 5 months. I generally get to bed about 11 or 12 o'clock. I have never
seen this people feel the importance of living their religion as much as
they have done the past winters. I hope it will continue. the power
of God has been with in preaching and teaching in all the Quorums
and Ward meetings. I commenced with J. M. Grant before he died,
and after his death the burthen [burden] of the care of the Missionaries
rested upon me and bro. F. D. Richards: who was unwell consid-
erable but attended most of the time. L. Snow and O. Hyde
have been with me a part of the time. The Presidency and Twelve
(except my self) and about 100 others are expecting to go on a summer
Trip North to Salmon river.
This Spring A. Lyman & C. C. Rich will be with us about
the first of May. I expect they will take a European mission, some
missionaries will be called to Europe, and to the islands. President
Young would like to send a mission to Siberia and the Japan-
ese islands. The Lamanites are doing well, Arrowpeene and
Kanosh with other chiefs are making great improvement. Arrow-
peene preached a short discourse in the Tabernacle lately, it
was good.
We have given up the Lead mines after making about 10 or
12.00 lbs. it is quite expensive and does not work as well as expected.
a cotton company are called to go to the Rio Virgin. We are going to
try the chinese Sugar cane this summer as far as we can get seed.
All is peace and prosperity with us throughout this Territory.
some are going to California this Spring, several in the Southern
settlements have started on the short roads, [or] cut off to go there,
and no doubt some others will follow them soon. Your family
are all well, you and the brethren associated with you are
earnestly remembered in our prayers.
As far as the History is concerned, we finished matters up to
the death of Joseph as far as we could; then brought up the other
matters including the history of the Twelve up to the organization
of the church Augt. 8. I then have taken up the history of Brigham
Young and his fathers family briefly, and now am at work on the
history of the Twelve, from their first organization in a brief form,
taking all that belonged to it, up to the 8 August 1844. We have
no trouble now with the Gentiles here in court or anywhere else. It
would amuse you to read one of the late scenes while in court filed
in our office—too lengthy to insert—with Dr. Hurt, Gen. Burr and
some smaller fry, to bullyrag all our laws and their defenders, a
part of them came armed with colts, revolvers, it ended in T. S.
Williams resignation and Gen. Burr's dismissal from the Bar; and
some others who intended to use the pistols went out of the house
in the form of a sled using the seat of their honor for run-
ners, dropping their loaded weapons while going out, which they
never afterwards found. all has been quiet since, having but little
lawing on hand.
Please not expose my succatash letter to the press, for
I write for your own benefit and amusement, not guarded as I would
while writing to men who publish papers.
Gen. Burr has written to the department as we are
informed, accusing us of cutting off and wasting the government timber
in the Kanyons. I expect he will have an invitation this Spring
of going to the upper mill in big cottonwood kanyon, and taking
a ride down to Jordan on the top of a big pine log, (if he can stay on the
top of it) and when he has finished his trip, if he thinks it will not cost
all it is worth to get it, we will pay to Government all that is over, leaving
him to be the judge.
Yours truly
W. Woodruff