G. S. L. City, U. T.
August 31st, 1854
Elder Milo Andrus
St Louis Mo.
Dear Brother,
Presuming that you have been long enough at St. louis, to wish to hear from the mountains, I deem it courteous & politic to write you a few items of suggestions and general News.
You are aware that the Church business is daily becoming more extensive, and involving larger amounts of capital, hence requiring greater prudence and forethought in its management.
The Church funds and business are in a very fair condition, and her credit good, and it is desirable to keep it so. To do this you will be obliged to exercise great caution and prudence in incurring liabilities of any and every description, lest, in the multitude of unforeseen events, something might transpire to injure our business credit.
Another item of much consequence to me and the people here, is for you to forward, by the earliest reliable, & responsible train next season, the cards, and other articles for which I sent by Erastus Snow. This course will expedite very much our manufacture of Cloth, and it will be best perhaps to arrange to have the freight payable here, but if you cannot effect that arrangement without materially delaying the articles in question, you can pay the freight there.
The natives are still at peace with us, and among themselves.
So far as I know, your family, and the people generally are well.
Public & private improvements are progressing at a goodly rate, and Saints in the Valleys of the mountains continue to flourish, and are liberally and promptly sending men, teams, and provisions to aid the brethren on the plains, who, though far back, will doubtless arrive before the weather becomes severe.
Bro Franklin D. Richards has informed me that he thinks of shipping two or three ship loads of the brethren to New Orleans at an early date. In regard to these and all other companies of Saints who may arrive in St. Louis on their way here, you will find it highly advantageous, & conducive to their comfort and health to forward them on as they arrive, up the Missouri to the region of the starting point for the plains. This course will prevent their being unhealthily crowded into rooms at St. Louis, on expense; and where they can help themselves but little if any, and give them an opportunity to labor for Cattle, provisions &c, in the healthier localities of Upper Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, & Kansas, from which points, they can concentrate as fast as they get ready, and be enabled to start earlier in the season, & travel more in accordance with the strength of their Teams.
Sept. 1st, Yours of July 15th arrived by Mail last evening. Thos. Margetts borrowed $34.60 from the Liverpool Office to help him home, and agreed to return the amount on the 1st of October 1854; and John C. Armstrong borrowed $50.00 of the same Office for the same purpose,
which he agreed to pay on the 1st of February 1855. I wish you would collect the above amounts when they mature, and inform them that you <are authorized to collect those amounts,> receipt in full <which> will free them from all liabilities on those amounts.
I Remain as ever
Your Brother in the Gospel
Brigham Young
P. S. The late arrival of the July mail on the P.M. of the 31st ult prevented my remitting you the $4000. you borrowed of John J. Anderson & Co and due the 20th Oct next
