Presidents Office
Gt Salt Lake City April 15 1866.
Elder Thomas Taylor
Box 3957 New York Post Office
Dear Brother:-Your letter of March 23rd came to hand yesterday and was perused with much interest.
We have been anxious to hear from you respecting your arrangements for the coming seasons emigration, and also to learn at what point you intended to land the Saints to meet the wagons which we shall send from here. From your letter we conclude that you have decided upon Wyoming as the point of starting. You state that you have closed a contract with the Boston R Road company for the carrying of our people at 15 dollars 50 cents per adult, with 100 lb luggage free, extra to be four dollars per 100. From all that you say I expect that these figures are very reasonable; but I fear that Boston will not answer so well as a port of debarkation for our people on this side of the water as New York. The laws of Mass. are much more stringent than the laws of New York respecting the landing of emigrants.
On one occasion bro. Orson Pratt had to pay passages of a number of people back to England from Boston, who had crossed to that port in one of our ships, while bro. F. D. Richards had the presidency in Europe. But this probably would not be so much of an objection with our passengers this year, as they will nearly, if not all, come on to the fruntiers; I fear that ships cannot be obtained in Liverpool so readily and on such good terms for Boson as for New York and the Presidency in Liverpool may be subjected to inconvenience and extra expense to send our people to that Port.
Upon this point however you will doubtless have definite information by the time this letter reaches you, as I expect that as soon as you closed your contract you corresponded immediately with Brigham jun., advising him of what you have done; his reply will give you a better idea of the suitableness of the Boston as a port of landing, than anything that I can say. Probably you may be able to make an arrangement with the Company to whom you have given the contract to have the passengers brought from New York by Rail or Steamer to Boston in case Brigham should be compelled to ship them to that poin<r>t. This has been done between both places on reasonable terms by companies who have secured our contract <in past years> and you may be able to do it again.
I have written a long letter to Brother Hiram B. Clawson, in which is a copy of telegrams that have passed between Gen. Sherman and myself; he will doubtless favor you with a perusal of them, and save me the necessity of rewriting them. From them you will learn what our enemies are doing <and> on account the stories they circulate respecting us to accomplish their wicked ends.
Bro. Stenhouse who carries this letter will be able to give you all the items of news.
Hoping to hear from you often, and praying the Lord to bless you, bro John T. and all the Elders associated with you,
I remain with love Your Brother,
Brigham Young
P. S.
Of course, you will counsel freely with brethren on all matters connected with emigration