I write you in regard to the St. John purchase. It seem the Lord has indeed
moved upon those Barth Bros. I saw two of them
last night. "Saul" the oldest & the one, says he must
have 125 first class cows the 15th of Nov. without
fail, if those are furnished he will give un
til next May for the bal. about 475. If they
are paid after May 1st they must have calves
with them. He would blike bro Tenney and I
to take the 475 for five years, by paying
double the number at the end of the five years.
We could take them if thought best and
thus get more time if you & the Brethren think
best. The 125 cows must be paid. Would it not
be best to have that number driven down
by some of the Brethren this fall. I am quite
sure bro Tenney cannot make the payment
& it is almost out of the question to expect
those poor people who have settled there, to
pay anything like that amount, and Bro J. N.
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Smith has order on the Bishops, for more
than the tithing stock will come to. I Know
that nothing is expected of me in the matter
not even my suggestions, altho' you told me
when last we talked, to try & back up what
you had started—which I have tried faithfully
to do. Not one letter written by yourself, or,
any of the Brethren has even refered the peo-
ple to me in any matter, but on the contrary
things have been said, espicially in this rail-
road matter, which I consider some uncall-
ed for & unjust.
The contract first taken Bro. J. N. Smith A.
M. Tenney & myself were associated together as
partners. We took the work at 18¢ per cubic yd.
Waste & borrow. We have let it out to the people
at 15¢ furnishing them everything on the ground
with sna small advance above prices here & cost of
freight. We completed the organizations of the
Board of Trade at Snowflake & the prices were
set according to their sanction. Winter drawing
near bro Smith felt he must go in & build
for his family last from Utah. The Board of Trade
feel that bro Tenney & myself are the ones to take
the contracts & before bros Smith & Man his connector
left camp they with several of our best men
fixed the prices we are to pay the people in
future, and the following was consedered all
we could pay & be safe. For teams from 4$ to 5$
per day they furnesh themselves at a cost of about $1050 per week. Men from 1$ to 2$ per day and
board. Those prices are almost double what other
contractors are paying. If we choose to do so (&
I don't Know but what we may be forced to
if the people do not come out) we could hire mMexicans & Indians to do the work for one half
what our people will do it for. I do not wish
you Brethren to think that speculation is the
motive on our part for it is not the case
Thousands of pounds of flour, have already
been sent into the settlements & thousands of
dollars will be thrown into the hands of the
people. I do not wish to weary you but thought
a few words would be acceptable.
Bro Tenney is out on the work. I am here to
get teams (buy them) & eu Luella to Denver where
I expect her mother will meet her.
You told me to go ahead & do my duty no
matter what anyone said or thought, & with the
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help of the Lord I will do so. I never felt
more humble & I Know I never was more prayer-
-ful, & my whole desire is to build up the Kingdom,
& labor heart & hand with you my Brethren.
May God bless & preserve you & all the members
of the Quorum. Remember me to Bro Taylor and
all my prayers are ever for you all