W Woodruff.
St John purchase &c
Dec 26 [18]79
Sunset Apache Co
Prest. John Taylor
Dear Brother,
I write to say a messenger has just arrived
from Colorado Meadows with a letter from Bro
Tenney informing me that we have secured the purchase
of all of St Johns except one water claim and 2 1/2 acres
of land. Our purchase secures to us 3 water ditches
all the land both sides of the river, and the town inc-
luding the toll bridge. We got this purchase for 700
Cows to be paid in one year, from two to six years
old. We have also taken possession of the Colorado
Meadows, I think some 25 or 30 claims entered and
we are the first on record to secure the water of the
Little Colorado to water 4480 acres of the land of this
Meadow. We were none too soon in securing this meadow
for our claims to the water and the possession of the
land had only just been obtained before the
Mexicans came to enter the water and secure and take
possession, and they were very much astonished to find
and have the Bishop at Johnson get some teams to go
to Upper Kanab and get the lumber that is sawed for
that boat and have it carried to the ferry or have
the boat made in the Settlements and carried down
on wheels. It seems to be absolutely necessary that
something should be done. I cannot do anything
about it while I am here, and again they want me
to go to St Johns and the Meadows to assist about
the settling of the country there.
I remain your Brother in the gospel
they were too late. We are coninually sending men out
of our settlements to take and hold possession until we
can get the emmigration of our people to ^take^ possession
I understand there is a large emmigration of both
man and beast of our people on the road, and as fast
as they arrive and have no appointed destination I am
counseling them to go to St Johns until we can get enou
gh to take care of the place.
I have been suffering for a few days with a severe
cold upon the lungs until it was leading to the Congestion
of the lungs. My throat and lungs became so sore and
raw that I could scarcely swallow or raise anything
and what I did raise was like fresh blood. I was using
dry sulphur and other things but appeared to do me no
good and as the matter was becoming somewhat serious
w^i^th one and while thinking of what I should do the
thought came to me to try pulverized charcoal. I imme-
diately had some prepared and I dropped near a teaspoon-
ful of it dry into my throat, and soon drank a table-
spoonful of it in some warm water and it relieved
me immediately. it stopped the soreness and bleeding
of throat and lungs and in 24 hours I was all right
again except somewhat hoarse. The reason why I am
particular about making this statement is, I would
recommend a trial of the same in case of that fatal
disease the Diphtheria. I do not see why it would not
have a good effect in such cases as well as in adults of
sore throat and lungs they are both near the same
nature
Bro Flake has just arrived to-day from Beaver
with a herd of stock on his way home to Snow Flake.
He has been to purchase stock to finish paying for
his purchase of Snow Flake. He says he has good suc-
cess but has lost stock on the way some, as nearly all
emmigration is doing the feed is so scarce on the way.
I wish again to say a few words about the boat at Lee's
Ferry. We shall be under the necessity of having a new
Boat soon there or stop ferrying it is so racked to
pieces that it is hardly safe to carry people at all.