The Brigham Young Center

Elder John Jaques
Liverpool

Dear Brother:-
Your letter of 17th ult has been received. I was much interested with its contents. My letter from Toquerville published in the "Star" which makes a reference to Elder Samuel Gould contains an error with regard to his age. I have learned from his wife that he was in his ninetysecond year, instead of his eighty-sixth as before stated. I wrote from memory which you are aware is treacherous.

Presidents Young and Wells are on their visit to the Saints in the north, and are now in Bear Lake Valley. They have visited Soda Springs and the brethren in Southern Idaho. I accompanied them by rail as far as Brigham City, where we had a most interesting meeting. About 150 brethren and Sisters from Salt Lake City were present, and a general gathering of the Saints of that county, say between three and four thousand. The President and party are expected home again between this and the twenty fifth (25th)

The Theatre has recently been open on Saturday nights. Our enterprising fellow citizen, bro. John W. Young, has got together a very fine collection of the animals, birds, minerals, fossils, relics manufactures and other interesting specimens of the productions of Utah, which he has on exebition in his Museum and Menagerie. It is already a field of science and art, and is worthy of the examination of every visitor to this city, who not only are amused but highly instructed.

Baptisms for the dead are adminsitered every Wednesday in the font. The University of Deseret has in successful operation, two branches in this city and one at Provo. The scarcity of money is severely felt, as a circulating medium, in all the settlements. The Co-operative Mercantile Institutions are generally succeeding well and giving satisfaction. At Brigham City a large tannery on co-operative principles, and a woolen factory on those principles are being erected. The corner stone of the Provo Woolen Factory was laid by Bishop Smoot a few days ago. This is also the work of a co-operative company.

We understand that at a meeting of the friends of the Methodist church in this city, held some time since, a board of counsel and finance, auxiliary to the M.E. Church, was organized, composed of the following officers: President, Rev. G.M. Peirce; Vice-president, Judge Hawley, U.S. Court; Secretary, C.C. Clements, Surveyor General; Treasurer, Judge Strickland, U.S. Court. Finance Committee: Judge Strickland, Chairman; Gen. Maxwell, U.S. Land Agent; Col. Patrick, U.S. Marshal; R.H. Robertson Esq; and J.M. Moore P.M. Salt Lake City.

Gov. Shaffer is East, where he went to bury his wife. He continues in feeble health, but is expected to return with his children and mother in law. He seems too near his grave to conscienciously be made a tool in the hands of designing knaves to oppress the innocent and violate the principles of religious liberty. Time must tell. He is unacquainted with Territorial affairs; but I am satisfied he went away from here with better impressions towards the people than when he came. Should Cullom's bill become a law he will be beset by a hungry horde of Office seekers, who, like carrion birds around a herd of buffalo to await the falling of some straggler, are desirous of an office, that they may fat themselves at the expense of industrious and constitution loving Latter-day Saints.

Congress appears to be rather too slow on Utah affairs, to suit our enemies. The ring who got up the Cullom Bill feel very impatient of delay, and seem to have vented their splein on Acting Governor Mann and Chief Justice Wilson, having prevailed on President Grant to nominate their successors. The questions are still pending in the Senate.

Grasshoppers have made great havoc amongst the crops in the Territory. Those we raised here have got wings, and have principally flown away. We are however subject any day to visitations from new arrivals, and more hungry swarms. Sanpete is pretty thoroughly cleaned out of grain; their crops are nearly all destroyed. Cache Valley has generally escaped. Most every settlement has been a sufferer to some extent.

Considerable numbers of visiting strangers attend worship here every Sabbath. They generally express astonishment at the beauty and good order of our city, praise the music at the Tabernacle and go away favorably impressed. But many of them forget to tell the truth about us when they get away.

With love to yourself, and the Elders around you, in which the brethren here join, and with constant prayers in your behalf

I remain, Your Brother in the Gospel
Geo. A. Smith