G. S. L. City, April 13th 1864.
Elder Joseph W. Young,
Nebraska City, Nebraska Territory.
Dear Brother:
Since last writing, March 28, Your favors of March 20 and 24 have come to hand, also your telegram of April 5, 8 and 12.
From your description of the place I am much pleased with Wyoming, and should think it would be comparatively very healthy and possessed of many superior facilities and advantages as an outfitting point for our immigration. If this conclusion is correct, and the state of funds will permit, I think it will be well to accept the offer you mention as being made by one of the proprietors of the town, to wit:-- "to sell his interest for the cost of surveying and recording, with the Government price added", that is, if his interest is located where it can be used to advantage for our purposes. It may also be well, if, as before stated, funds will permit, to make other purchases, both in the town and near it, providing you can do so upon reasonable terms, and with [gap in typescript] to their availability for our wants there.
It will be well to confine the other party as strictly as possible to that part of their agreement in relation to dram shops, &c., not to be permitted within the town nor its immediate neighborhood: in short, that there be none within troubling distance. That was a well thought of feature in your articles of agreement.
I presume all our traders and freighting citizens will make Wyoming their outfitting point. Messrs Hooper & Eldredge, Kimball and Laurence and Mayor Smoot have informed me that they shall outfit there, and perhaps make some investments in property there all others will doubtless follow suit.
The timely and abundance snows and rains delayed the departure of the 2nd Cal. Cavalry until the 11th inst., when they passed through the City on foot, enroute to their animals in Rush Valley, and probably from there by easy marches, from time to time, until they reach their homes in California.
Gen. McDowell has relieved Gen. Wright in the command of the Department of the Pacific, and probably the influences that brought about that change may also, ere long, effect a march of the remaining troops to a point where they may have a chance of doing some service for the country, in return for the enormous expenditure in their behalf.
The mule train is expected to start about the 25th inst., and the 5 ox trains at about the same time. Pres. Wells, my son Brigham and probably other missionaries will go with the mule train, but I wish you to say nothing about br. Wells' going, until you learn that it is publickly known.
The stormy weather that delayed the cavalry march, also prevented many who intended to come from our more distant settlements to attend the General Conference; though there were a goodly number from the settlements, who, with those from the City, were far more than could be convened in the tabernacle, in which the cool but pleasant weather caused us to hold our meetings. A peaceful, harmonious and intelligent spirit and conduct characterized both speakers and hearers during the five days they were assembled, the conference adjourning on the 10th inst., to 10 a.m. of the 6th of October next. There was not a large number of Missionaries selected.
You can inform all who inquire that up to date, so far as I can learn, there are no Gold diggings in Utah, after all the hunting, hue and cry, false reports, &c., and I do not learn that the lead mine in the West Mountain is so much as paying expenses, or likely to do so. Nearly all the miners who wintered here and in other settlements have left for the mines north and west, and the rest are preparing to leave as soon as possible, which shows the estimate they place upon the reports of Gold in Utah. And the residents, almost without exception, are busily engaged in plowing, seeding, fencing, woodhauling and the other usual avocations of the season, which I am afraid would not be so much the case were there gold diggings within our borders. The health of your family and friends is good so far as I learn, and all's well in Utah.
Your Brother in the Gospel,
Brigham Young