Great Salt lake City, January 25th 1854
Sam[l]. P. Hoyt Esqr.
Dear Brother,
I received your letter per Bro. Brunson, and proceed to answer a portion of your inquiries. We are anxious to let out jobs upon the State House if we could get a good chance. We would of course prefer to let the whole at once to some responsible person, and if we cannot do this we will let it out in parcels, and if you can do this to advantage we wish that you would. It is our desire to complete the building in progress as soon as practicable, would like to have the wall up and the building enclosed the coming season. Let all of your calculations and conduct which you make for us, to answer, be upon a cash principle, as we are as likely to pay cash or its equivalent as anything else. If you let it out in jobs, we of course avoid making roads, workshops, &c. which are such an everlasting expense without availing anything. Of course we want you to get in our debts, that are owing in that place, also get what you can on tithing, especially on labor tithing, hauling stone, timber &c. If you let out jobs see what you can get the stone hauled for by the cord, measured in the wall, what the Lime can be furnished for per bushel; also sand, lumber, timber, shingles &c; as also mason, carpenter and joiner work etc. We would have less objection to labor, if so much time was not lost in literally doing nothing that accomplished the work. We expect to build it all of stone; see what you can do and write particulars the first opportunity. In regard to [?] I am quite oblivious indeed if ever anything was said to me about it I have quite forgotten it. I have inquired of [?] about it, and they knew nothing about it.
Since writing the above I have been doing [?] and find that there is a mistake about it, [?] James [?] the Cutler whom they have have [?] meant as he had paid him for making [one] [?] I informed Bro McG of it and presume that he will [?]
Bro. Bullock has furnished a list of a [few] names who are indebted to the Emigration Fund. The question has been asked if we will take Auditors Warrants on donations for the Fund. We answer that we will and also in payment of debts due the Fund, I do not presume that those warrants are quite as plenty with you as in Iron County or here, but still it may be in their way to pay in those funds; of course they are not preferred, but we can use them and prefer to take them rather than not have that account settled up.
The returning number of the Legislative Assembly will bring you all the news, which by the way is not very much as we have had no very exciting times this winter.
Why is there no heat in the tithing office in your place. Did you rai [?] has the Bishop [disbursed all] [?] out by exchange? We did not anticipate making the exchanges on the office at Fillmore. Please write the first opportunity, and ever believe me, very truly your brother in the labor of the last days
Signed D. H. Wells