The Brigham Young Center

G. S. L. City, July 16, 1862

Elder Ezra T. Benson
Logan, Cache Valley, U. T.,

Dear Brother:

Yours of the 10th inst. is before me. In relation to the grain for the Mail companies, the contract was made with a view to benefit the brethren as far as it might reach, as you learn in the circular you have, and of course Cache is not wished nor expected to furnish a single kernel, unless they prefer to, for two or three other counties would alone be glad to furnish and haul the whole amount; but we expect to give you your proportion, if you wish.

In looking out and working a road for your valley easterly, from what I have noticed and understood, Blacksmith's Fork is I think, all things considered, the best stream to follow up Be this as it may, said road should be located, so far as the mountains will permit, with a view to intersect the emigrant road at or near Fort Bridger, or at some point this side of that place. You will have to go some 50 miles north to go by Bear River bend, which will make over a hundred miles travel out of the way to get on to the new mail route from Bridger to Denver by the Bitter Creek route, or Cherokee trail. Bridger is about 15 miles south of east from you, and a road worked through as nearly as that line as the country will admit will always be an advantage, for it will greatly benefit the turning off of immigration to your place, the sending of teams East, &c.

Do the brethren in Cache imagine that the tithing wheat is off their hands as soon as it is delivered there? If so, they are laboring under a mistake, for equal pains should be taken to preserve it as their own, until it can be safely delivered at the General Tithing Office in this City.

There has been and is plenty, and to spare, of tithing labor there to secure all tithing, so it be <in> on hand should be hauled from there as soon as possible, both on labor tithing and on shares, and we will also send teams as quickly as we can.

I presume you have kept a correct account of what labor tithing you have used for your own benefit, and, until further advised, I wish you to omit using any more in that manner, that it may be on hand to apply as it may be needed for public benefit.

I know nothing about Weber Tom and his yarns.

I was pleased to learn that our slate market is likely to be supplied by home manufacture, and hope the slate will be of good quality and at reasonable price.

Joseph W. Young, at Florence, informs me by telegram that br's Murdock's and Duncan's companies arrived there on the 12th inst., in good condition. Congress, our dispatches state, is to adjourn to-day; should they do so, we may expect br. Hooper home soon.

All's well.

Your Brother in the Gospel,

Brigham Young