Presidents Office, Salt Lake City
1 June 1870.
President A. Carrington.
42 Islington, Liverpool.
Dear Brother:
Without having any of your favors to answer, or any special news to communicate, I take the opportunity to address you a few lines, before leaving for a trip to visit the saints in the northern settlements of the Territory; <as> early next saturday morning I shall start by the Utah Central Railroad to hold a two day's meeting with the saints in Brigham City, on Saturday and Sunday, from whence I shall proceed to the Malad, and from there across the mountains to the settlements around Bear Lake returning by Cache Valley. President D.H. Wells, Elders W. Woodruff, J. Taylor and B. Young Jun., and others will accompany me from this city. President Geo. A. Smith, and a number of other brethren will go along with us, as far as Brigham City and return by a special train on Sunday evening. President Smith will take charge in the city during my absence.
To day I enter my seventieth year, feeling as full of life, joy and satisfaction in the blessings of the Lord, as ever I have done since my earliest remembrance. These feelings are increased by witnessing, year after year, the growing strength of the Kingdom of our God, the impotency of our enemies -- be they apparently ever to powerful, to hinder the progress of His work, and the development of the faith and diligence of the saints. As to our enemies, they are not prospering. Notwithstanding the acquisition of Amasa M. Lyman, "the movement" is loosing ground every day. Two or three of its most prominent advocates have seceeded, and several others are only waiting for a plausable excuse to do so. On the other hand the nomination by President Grant of gentleman to supercede Secretary Mann and Chief Justice Wilson has produced an unpleasantness in the midst of the Federal office-holding fraternity here, as these two gentlemen consider that their colleagues had much to do in bringing about their removal; we are promissed some interesting revelations, all of which will no doubt tend to the good of the citizens of Utah.
The great summer stream of trans-continental tourists is steadily flowing westward. Most of those traveling for pleasure, pay a flying visit to Salt Lake City; among the latest and most influential of these parties was that of the members of the Boston board of trade and their friends, numbering in all about 130, who arrived here last saturday night and left again on Sunday evening. During their short stay they "did the lions" of Salt Lake City, attended the Tabernacle &c. Myself and several other brethren dined with them on Sunday afternoon on board their commodious "city on wheels". This is the first train that has traveled the entire distance from the Atlantic to the Pacific without changing as the same cars in which the party left Boston carry them to San Francisco. The train consists of eight luxurious cars, equipped with every thing necessary to promote the comfort and pleasure of the passengers, including two well stocked libraries, two organs, and a printing office. From the latter is published as they journey a lively, well printed, little sheet styled the "Trans-continental." No. 1. being dated "Niagara Falls, May 24," No 4. "Ogden May 28th." At night the train is ingeniously lighted with gas. It is indeed astonishing to reflect how fast events croud along in this age, a few years ago we should have scarcely dreamed of these magnificent palace cars resting in our city for a few short hours and then again whirling away westward to the Pacific; or even thought of cars being fitted up with organs, libraries, and above all a printing press. But the "Trans-continental," published at the rate of forty miles an hour is now one of the facts of the age, a sign of the times.
The last few weeks have been busy ones with most of our farmers and agriculturists. A concerted attack has been made on the hords of grasshoppers everywhere surrounding us and eating up our fruits, grains and vegetables. Various ingenious plans have been put into operation for the destruction of these devourers, and many thousand bushels have been destroyed, by which means we hope by the blessing of the Lord to preserve a portion of our crops for ourselves and families. Had the saints in past years of abundance, listened to the counsel that was so urgently impressed upon them and stored up their grain, there would have been no necessity of thus fighting for our food. Then our barns and granaries would have been full, and we could have let the land rest for a season or too, and directed our attention to building the Temple of God, preaching the gospel and making ourselves wise by study; leaving the grasshoppers to fatten on the sage brush and greese wood, until they left for other parts, where the land in its wildness brought forth more generously. But as it is, the bins of most of the saints are empty, and the seed must be sown and the grasshoppers faught, or some might go hungry.
Notwithstanding the action of Congress, deciding where the junction of the two great railroads shall be located, viz, some six miles beyond Ogden, the companies do not seem very enerjetic in removing from that City; and it is possible their excitement may subside and they will remain at Ogden, although it is a "Mormon" town and they cannot have things entirely their own way.
I shall be pleased to welcome you, and my son Heber home, at as early a date as the interests of the mission will permit of your leaving Liverpool and reaching this city.
With love to yourself, and the Elders and Saints in the European Mission, and praying that the richest blessings of heaven, may rest upon you and abide with you.
I remain, Your Brother in the Gospel of Peace
Brigham Young