Dear Sir
It has been a good while since I have heard from
you. I have just written a letter to Uncle Ozem Wooduff & I concluded to write
to you. I have Just sent you a copy of the Deserett News containing the Report of
our annual State agricultural State fair also some preaching at the conference
we are Doing all we can to Encourage Home Manufacturing & agriculture
I sent you papers occasionally but do not know as you got
them for the post Masters frequently steal them we had the best fair
this fall we Ever had in this Territy I have been a member of the
Board of Directors from its first organization. we appoint committees
to examine & award premiums upon evry Branch exhibited at the fair I
Had the first premium awarded me upon the following Article this season
Best fenced & cultivated farm Not Less than 20 Ave $5 Best fencd & cultivated
garden $5. Best Acre of sugar cane $5. Best 3 Acron squashes $2. Best
6 sugar Beets $2. Best quart Bush Beans $2. ^Best 3 Cantilopes $2 Blooded & wooled^ Second Best French Merino Bush $3
second Best 3 watermellons. diploma. 4th Best Apples Diploma. 4th Best grapes diploma
My daughter Bulah Woodruff 9 years old Crozien Needlework Cottan 7th Diploma Our list
of premiums are very Numerous Here the prizes are small we have had a very fruitfull
season in evry thing exept fruit most of which was killed by a hard winter & late
pests when all fruit trees was in Bloom No peaches in this city this
year & but a light crop of Apples & grapes I think we raised a million
and a half Batch of wheat in this country this season & a good crop of corn
oats, Barley, potatoes, suger cane & vegitables of all kinds that are raised in this
Territory. a great Deal of the grafted fruit from cuttings sent from the
states has been a cheat of the worst kind, crab apples & the west that could
be found yet we have a good many kinds which are gennuine we have the
best seedlings that I ever saw in any part of the world. We have a great
county for stock as well as grain the following are some of the prices Oxen
from $75 to $100, Cows 40, Beef 10 cts Mutton 10 & 12, ^pork 25 cts pr lb^ wheat & corn 1.50 to $2
flour $6 pr cut Apples 50 to $1, pr doz peaches 25 to $1 pr doz grapes 75 to $1 pr lb
strawberries 40 cts pr Quart, plums 30 to 60 pr Quart, &c. We are all well Father
is 82 years old & works in the garden daily Wilford is 20 years old takes charge
partly of the farm is now running my sugar chinese sugar cane Mill. I have
3 Acres of cane which I am making up & make some for other people
shall make some 1500 gallons it such for $3 pr gallon which is quite
a help in the family I wish you to write me on the Draft of this
Letter give me all the News you have with you give my respects to
your family & to Brother Azmon I understood that some of his Boys
was in Calafornia I wrote them a letter but got No answer please
tell me how Azmon is & his family & I wish you would
give me your address & Also Azmun I would like to write to
him. I have spent most of my time in the Historians office for
second years past, I however attend to all budding, grafting, & pruning
of my orchards & vineyards &cs. I would like much to see you but I
do not know [w]hen it will be. If I should Ever go East again I should
calculate to make you a visit, & perhaps the day may come when you
will visit Utah as strange things as this have happened I am
satisfied that the day is not far distant when there will be much
trouble through the United States the Nations is becoming divided &
will be Broaken to pieces and great calamities await the people
but they will never acknowledge it untill it comes upon them
But all mem will soon find that great changes & Revolutions are at
their door, & many will want to find a place of Reffuge in that
day & Utah will be the safest place upon the continent in that
day & we shall be glad to see any of our friends in this county
whenever they feel disposed to come. write soon
As Ever I Remain Yours Truly
W. Wooduff