Dec 1^st
Read David H. Burr and was done before Judge G. P. Stiles
Furgeson then asked if the court intended to open & exam[ine]
the Records of Judge Stiles He said he should as far as
was necessary to try his case. The court then sent for
the records & red some in them. Mr Smith then spoke
and said that as it was a personal nature he wished the
two Atturneys to manage the matter themselves without
any assistance forom either side if Mr Furgeson has help
upon the other side I wish to help Mr Burr Mr Ferguson
said several of my Friends volunteered their services
But I prefered to act alone upon my side that Mr Burr
might upon his side. The Judge then red some more Law
or the same Law over again. Thomas Williams then notified
the court that He should file an action against James Furguson
to be stricken from the roll as an alien. The court told Mr
Fergurson that as there was so many changes in the charge
against him that He would give him time if he wished
He asked for time till next Friday. The Judge Gave it to
him & adjourned till next Friday night. I spent
the afternoon in the office and evening with President Young
& the committee on the Deseret Alphabet The Jordan Dam
company met at the Historians office and decided to build the
dam on dry ground in a crook of the river and turn the
river through it instead of building it in the river thinking
it could be done much better & safer than in the river Brother
Forsyth offered to dig out the Earth & stop up the river for
$1700 dollars the channel has to be dug out 16 Rods long
70 feet wide 7 feet deep the Earth is composed of sand
clay & hard pan

December 2, 1858 ~ Thursday

2nd We had a cold night & we have a cold morning and
it remained extremely could through the day I spent the day
through in the office Journalizing & scraping I spent the evening
with President Young & the regency in reading the first Book
in the Deseret Alphabet {alphabet} Thare were present B.
Young D. H. Wells O. Hyde W. Woodruff G. A. Smith E. T. Benson
F. D. Richards Samuel Richards Hosea Stout G. D. Watt R L.
Campbell W^m Willis, & Brother S^c^honefeld we were dismissed
at 10 oclok

December 3, 1858 ~ Friday

3^rd A vary cold night & morning I called at Presidents
Youngs at 10 oclok He concluded to go to court I went at
11 oclock the House was nearly full mostly of mormons soon
President Brigham Young came in with G A Smith O pratt
John Taylor and a croud of Friends soon Judge Sinclair
with his Lawyiers Doctors &c including Burr, Hurt, Forney & a number
of others there were about 300 persons present. The court was
ordered opened the minutes were read. the Judge called up the
business James Furgerson then presented a De murr the Judge
then ordered Burr to make out New Papers which he did then
Furgersson asked for more time the Judge gave him till monday
11 oclok the court was then adjourned till next monday 11 oclk
thus this court has now set & ben open over 60 days & no business
of any account has been transacted the cost of court to day met

Dec 1st

Read David H. Burr and was done before Judge G. P. Stiles Furgeson then asked if the court intended to open & examine the Records of Judge Stiles He said he should as far as was necessary to try his case. The court then sent for the records & red some in them. Mr Smith then spoke and said that as it was a personal nature he wished the two Atturneys to manage the matter themselves without any assistance from either side if Mr Furgeson has help upon the other side I wish to help Mr Burr Mr Ferguson said several of my Friends volunteered their services But I prefered to act alone upon my side that Mr Burr might upon his side. The Judge then red some more Law or the same Law over again. Thomas Williams then notified the court that He should file an action against James Furguson to be stricken from the roll as an alien. The court told Mr Ferguson that as there was so many changes in the charge against him that He would give him time if he wished He asked for time till next Friday. The Judge Gave it to him & adjourned till next Friday night. I spent the afternoon in the office and evening with President Young & the Committee on the Deseret Alphabet. The Jordan Dam company met at the Historians office and decided to build the dam on dry ground in a crook of the river and turn the river through it instead of building it in the river thinking it could be done much better & safer than in the river Brother Forsyth offered to dig out the Earth & stop up the river for $1700 dollars the channel has to be dug out 16 Rods long 70 feet wide 7 feet deep the Earth is composed of sand clay & hard pan

December 2, 1858 ~ Thursday

2nd we had a cold night & we have a cold morning and it remained extremely could through the day I spent the day in the office Journalizing & scraping I spent the evening with President Young & the regency in reading the first Book in the Deseret Alphabet {{alphabet}} Thare were present B. Young D. H. Wells O. Hyde W. Woodruff G. A. Smith E. T. Benson F. D. Richards Samuel Richards Hosea Stout G. D. Watt R L. Campbell Youngs at 10 oclok He concluded to go to court I went at 11 oclock the House was nearly full mostly of mormons soon President Brigham Young came in with G A Smith O pratt John Taylor and a croud of Friends soon Judge Sinclair with his Lawyiers Doctors &c including Burr, Hurt, Forney & a number of others there were about 300 persons present. The court was ordered opened the minutes were read, the Judge called up the business James Furgerson then presented a De murr the Judge then ordered Burr to make out New Papers which he did then Furgerson asked for more time the Judge gave him till monday 11 oclok the court was then adjourned till next monday 11 oclk thus this court has now set & ben open over 60 days & no business of any account has been transacted the cost of court to day met