President's Office
Gt. Salt Lake City,
July 16th, 1867.
President George Nebeker,
Honolulu, Oahu, Sandwich Islands.
Dear Brother:
Brother James Lawson reached home on Saturday last, the 13th instant, and spoke from the stand in relation to his mission the next day. His description of affairs on the Islands was by no means flattering, and the people who listened to him would not be likely to get a very exalted idea of matters there.
Since my last, nothing of special importance has transpired here. The people have been pursuing the even tenour of their way, everybody busy, and work crowding upon all, as is usual at this season of the year. We have had fine growing weather for some weeks, and corn has been making very fast. The streams, generally, are falling, though the Jordan is still unusually high. The Aqueduct, built by the City Council down North Temple St., has proved a great success. Some few rocks have been displaced; but the canal, as a general thing, is still permanent. City Creek has been higher this year than we have ever known it to be; but the canal held the water easily, and would have carried a much larger body of water than came down it. A great quantity of gravel has been deposited at the mouth of the Aqueduct, which is close by where Jesse W. Fox used to live. The City Council bought several lots that were rather low <there> and threw them open as a place of deposit. If the material is taken out and hauled on to the Streets, they will have the finest streets there of any party of the city.
The grasshoppers are doing considerable damage to the crops in Cache Valley, and from reports, it is very doubtful whether the people will raise enough to bread them, in fact in some of the Settlements they will not save their seed. In other parts of the Territory, and especially in Weber, Davis and Gt. Salt Lake Counties, crops look very fine; further south they are reported, as only tolerable. Our fruit crop this year will not be near so heavy as it was last; but taking all things into consideration, we are likely to have a fruitful season, and have great cause for thankfulness.
We have heard but little of Indian difficulties east, since I last wrote to you. Our missionaries got through safely, and sailed from New York a few days since. We exercise faith for those who are returning as well as for those who have gone, and we feel assured, that with attention to their prayers and being vigilant, they will come through in safety.
My sons Brigham and John W. and Brigham's family landed in New York from England last Monday. They expect to leave for the West in a day or two, and will probably come home in company with our freight trains. We are importing considerable woollen machinery from the east this season, which, if properly conducted after it reaches here, will be a great blessing to our Territory.
There have been no new depredations by the Indians in San Pete and that neighborhood since I last wrote. The brethren are exercising all the vigilance they can, and we trust that the sad occurrences of this season will make them more guarded and careful than they have ever been.
The work on the New Tabernacle is progressing finely. We expect to have the part that is roofed in all plastered by the latter part of next week. Then the carpenters will proceed to build a stand and arrange the seats, and the large new organ will be put in its place and finished. The east end is yet open. We have had great difficulty in getting timber out of the canons this spring. The plank for the bents for the roof is now coming in, and the carpenters are at work at them. If we should not get the east entirely enclosed by Conference very comfortably.
There has been some excitement for a week or two back in this City and neighborhood through the reported discovery of gold mine not far from the upper crossing of the Sweetwater. The gold brought into the city is said to be more pure than any found in the neighboring territories. Those who have found it think they have found a good thing; whether it will prove as good as they imagine, remains to be seen. We expect to hear more about it in a few weeks. It will be now as it ever has been in excitements of this kind -- they who stay at home and attend to their business will make the most.
We had a very fine celebration on the 4th July, the particulars of which you will doubtless gather from the papers. In the evening there was a grand ball in the Theatre, the parquette of which was floored. There is to be another ball there to-night -- the anniversary of the enlistment of the Mormon Battalion, and we intend to have still another on the 24th inst -- the anniversary of the arrival of the Pioneers.
One of Brother Heber C. Kimball's boys -- Brigham Willard -- came over from England in delicate health, and reports reached here that he was dying. His brother Heber P. started east to bring him home, which he is now doing, and he is said to be doing well.
Give my love -- in which Presidents Kimball and Wells and Bro. Geo. Q. join -- to the Elders and their families, and accept the same to yourself and family. Praying the Lord to bless you in all your labors, I remain
Your Brother
Brigham Young
P.S.
Proceed with your cane planting, as it appears that cane is the only thing you can get to grow successfully. When there can be a mill obtained cheap and you can purchase you had better do so. If there is any one comes along who can purchase the farm, and you can clear expenses, you had better dispose of it.