Great Salt Lake City . Brother Ozem Thompson, Dear Sir
I have written to you several times during the past year Directed to
Richmond, but got No answer Uncle Ozem informed me that you are
in Lovely Street at work which explains the matter. I wish you would write
to me on the recipt of this line & tell me your calculations and situation
I would like to have you come to this valley & stop with me if your
circumstances would permit, should you be away from your family
as I understand you have been for the last year. You might
as well be in Utah as Connecticut and wages are much better here than
there I have to pay from $30 to $45 dollars a month & board to
common Hands to take a team & draw wood or to work on a farm I
have to hire a good Deal. I have a heard of cattle a heard of sheep a good
Farm & garden & orchard which will want one hand. If we have a good
season I expect to have one thousand dollars worth of fruit next fall to pick
composed of Apples peaches plums Apricotts & grapes If you was Here I
could pay you much better wages than what you get in the States should
any thing turn up that you shoud take a Notion to come out here and
you should want to lay out any money in any articles to turn into cash
when you get here. If you have money Enough buy a good span of young
Mules good size & good chicago waggon a light 2 Hors waggon is best
than you could load them with any kind of Freight this you could get
not over 1500 lbs as that would be as much load as ^any^ one pair of mules ought
to bring the lowest Freight is $15 dollars each 100 lbs which would be $225 which would
nearly pay for the mules & waggon if you had not money Enough to buy both you
might buy the mules & Join with some one they will generally fitch more Here than
what they cost there so with good chicago waggons but if I could not buy both I would
prefer the mules should you take a Notion to come out in the spring or Early
summer it would be best to Join some mormon companies. I have sent
money by Elder Erastus Snow to buy me one of Cooks sugar Evaporaters I went
to get some friend to bring that out for me if the whole is sent it will weigh
240 lb cash will be paid down for the freight Erastus Snow Address is
New York City but I will stop talking about this. I wish you would
give me Azmons Address whare to direct letters to him & give me any information
you can about him I woud like to write to him Ask Uncle Ozem to Read his
letter to you Father Wooduff sits by my side as smart as he was 25 years ago
for any thing that I can see He will saw more wood in a Day than I can & not
be half as tiered come night I would like vary much to see you & talk over
matters I am satisfied there is soon to be great trouble through the United States
the government will soon be broaken up & an awful war will soon follow
& it is nigh the door & there will be more safety in Utah than in any other
part of America for we shall have peace in this country while war will
Reign allmost Evry whare Els if you see Uncle Alson, Titus or any of our
or any of our relatives give my Respects to them I do not know where ayny of them
the family of Uncle Titus is or any of our cousins I suppose they have all looked
upon ther Cousin Wilford as a Desperate crazy fellow but He will come out
as well as any of them in the End. I wish you would give me any news
you my have about my Relatives & your own prospects or intentions tell me
who you are to work for & what you got & oblige me Yours Truly W Woodruff