The Brigham Young Center

464 - 465

Great Salt Lake City
Utah Ter., Feb 15 1865.

E. Creighton Esq.
Superintendent Pacific Telegraph
Omaha. N. T.,

Dear Sir:

I am desirous of calling your attention to the condition of affairs in the Office of the Eastern portion of the Telegraph Line in this City.

The Manager of the Line here should not be selfish, ignorant or a slave to prejudice which would prompt him to make distinctions between citizens on account of their religious or political opinions; but a gentleman, who will not stop to ask whether a person with whom he is brought in contact, in a business capacity, is a Catholic, Protestant or a Mormon. These qualifications, I am sorry to say, the present incumbent does not possess, and we should be pleased if you would remove him from the position of Manager of your Line in this City, and let us have a gentleman in his stead. A man of understanding, and of brain, who has a good heart and knows what belongs to his business, and will attend to it strictly, and with whom the intercourse of our citizens will be agreeable. Our people here are not hard to suit; they only require the ordinary courtesy and proper behavior common to gentlemen. When they witness such conduct, they are united, without regard to any religious views such a person may entertain.

There is another matter in this connection which I wish to bring to your notice. A line has been recently put up -- by whose authority I cannot tell- which connects Camp Douglas so closely with the main line, that no message can go to or come from the Eastward here, as I understand, without passing through Gen. Connor's Office. By this arrangement every public and private message, as nigh as I can learn, is open to inspection. Our publishers in this City pay a good price for the telegrams which come over the line; but instead of getting them as they should do, another Office gets them and it is thought by many get them gratuitously-- through its superior facilities by being connected with the main line, and frequently publish them in advance to the exclusion of the City papers. These things cause many inquiries to know why they are so, and are operating injuriously against the interests of the line. We do not know but this arrangement is by your Authority, if it is, I would like you to let me know as soon as possible.

I have understood that you contemplate visiting this country in the Spring. We should be very happy to see you, and I think your visit would attended with good results.

Respectfully,

Brigham Young