Elder H. B. Clawson,
60 East Twenty-seventh Street,
New York City.
Dear Brother:-
Alice's very welcome favor of March 29, and yours of March 30, April 1, 2, 5, 12 and May 3, came safely to hand, and were perused with much satisfaction. I was pleased that you found time to pay br. Hooper a visit and cheer him up, also to learn that Gov. Cumming still retained a kindly remembrance of his sojourn and friends in Utah. Should you again meet him, please give him my best respects, and assure him that he is remembered by the people of Utah with a great deal of kindness.
In my reply to your telegram, "Omaha, May 11," "to let the matter rest for the present," I had in view the result of the proposal made to me by Mr. Durant to take the grading of the track from the head of Echo Canon to Salt Lake. I expect Messrs Reed and Seymour here directly to make arrangements about that contract, and think that I can include in those arrangements very favorable terms for our immigration from Omaha to the terminus; that is why I telegraphed to you "to let the matter rest for the present," and I will further advise you on that point as soon as I can learn.
I have concluded to have my garden wire fencing done <wove> here, and wish you to purchase for me and forward to the terminus One Ton of No 9 galvanized wire, and the balance, to the amount of $1,000, No. 14. galvanized wire, the $1,000 to cover cost and freight to terminus; I also wish you to purchase for me two dozen large bottles of pure olive oil for my own use; four or five quintals of best freshly cured codfish; needles and silk and thread, assorted colors, for sewing machines; two latest pattern water closets; sixteen window shades and fixtures, the shades to be 57 inches <high and 36 inches> wide, the body to be green, with such ornamentation as your taste may select; 1 doz good, stout chair fur suitable for a parlor or sitting room; 1 doz good charis for bed rooms and upper parlor; six single mattresses of the best quality; 200 yds of the best three ply carpeting; one looking glass plain gilt frame 2 feet 7 inches in width from outside to outside, in highth <length> to suit yourself; calicoes, delaines, best bed ticking, 200 lbs feathers, bleached and plain domestic, as I spoke to you about, for family use. I wish you to expend the $2000 of my money, that you took with you, for the articles named after the looking glass, as we talked about, and I will send you money by br. D. O. Calder to pay for lookingglass, and articles preceding it; in both cases the cost of freight to terminus is to be included in the purchase, if convenient, if not, I can send you more <money> if you need.
I expected Messrs Reed and Seymour here yesterday, but presume the bad state of a portion of the road has delayed their reaching here. I am postponing a visit to Provo in order to meet those gentlemen upon their arrival, when I expect to accompany them over the portion of the line they wish me to contract to grade, and shall probably then soon be able to advise you what effect our conclusions have upon fares from Omaha to the terminus.
Money continues scarce and business, as a consequence dull. the grading from the head of Echo, money will be plenty
Affairs remain quiet, and the people are industriously pursuing their usual avocations, varied by an energetic and pretty successful war on the young grasshoppers, with present favorable prospects for excellent crops.
My health is good, as is also that of your family, <Sister Staines> and friends generally. Alice's boys are as happy as bees in clover and as hearty as little bucks.
Your brother in the Gospel,
Brigham Young