The Brigham Young Center

Salt Lake City. U.T.
April 12. 1869.

Elders Jos. A. & John W. Young.

My dear Sons:-

The welcome letter of March 28. has been received & was duly appreciated. We were all gratified to hear of the safe arrival of the company, and the comparatively little delay experienced in travelling. I sincerely hope that you are all well & enjoying yourselves. So far as I know all are well at home & everything is moving along in about the usual way. My health for the last 10 or 12 days has not been good.--I have been suffering from an attack of cold accompanied with a very severe cough, which was exceedingly troublesome & sometimes kept me awake almost the entire night, but I am better now, the cough is entirely gone, and I think I may say, I am about as well as usual, for which I feel very thankful.

Our April Conference terminated on Thursday.--there was much larger assemblage than was expected. as the weather for several days just previous to Conference had been wet & stormy, but it cleared off on the 4th & the result was, we had a good turn out of the Saints & a very pleasant three days' conference

The most prominent item brought before the saints was the necessity of unity of action in temporal as well as spiritual matters & I believe that a more correct understanding of the subject was arrived at than hitherto & that considerable good will follow therefrom. There were 46 Missionaries called mostly for England. among whom were Hamilton G. Park George Rommey. J. Quincy Knowlton. Anthony Godbe & Samuel P. Teasdel. John W. Young was appointed president of this stake. I believe this was the only new appointment made.

I expect to start for the Cotton country on the 13th accompanied by Bro. Wells; Joseph Young Sen Brigham: Geo. Q. Bro. Woodruff & others. the trip will occupy in the neighbourhood of 4 weeks. We have heard nothing from the east pertinent to Railroad money matters since you left & excepting the despatches last evening Railroad news were not very encouraging: we hope however for satisfactory results in the end.

I understand that the Grass Kanyon Coal company are progressing finely, new mines are being opened up as fast as the snow disappears. A considerable quantity of lumber is now on the ground for the erection of a house & it is probable that a requisition for some six teams each will be made from the members of the Company shortly.

Nothing more has been done about the Utah Central Rail Road. Bro Fox & all his force are now engaged tracing general lines surveyed in the neighbour hood of the rail roads that the settlers may be able to secure their lands, after which they will proceed with the Utah Central.

I received a letter from Mr. Schetler a few days since expressing regret, offering indemnity for bad timber &c. this, of course, was the result of your call upon him. 

I would like you to telegraph me when you are ready to start for home. 

I presume Amelia is with you ere this & I shall expect to see you all return home together.

Brigham joins me in sending his regards to you both, to your wives, to Amelia, Nettie, James F. & Julia Little, the Canfields & all friends. & may God bless & preserve you all to return in peace & safety.

Your Affectionate Father,
Brigham Young