The Brigham Young Center

Utah Territory,
Great Salt Lake City, Jany 31st/54

Dear Sir,

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of October 21st, 1853. In reply, permit me to state that the mail, due on or before the 1st of December ultimo, did not arrive until the 15th, which prevented my answering you at an earlier date.

There will probably be but little difficulty in obtaining the amount of temporary house room you desire in this city, but the rent, in common with every thing else, will be very high, compared with prices in the States.

It seems to me that it must be well known at Washington that prices range from three to fifteen times higher here than in the States, hence I am surprised that Government do not allow the Judges of Utah larger Salaries, to enable them to support themselves and families in reasonable style and comfort without having recourse to other branches of business to help out their pittance.

The Legislative Assembly, during its late Session, assigned the newly appointed Judges to the several Districts, giving to you, out of courtesy, the 2nd Judicial District, in which Fillmore City, the Capitol of Utah, is located. Fillmore is 152 miles South of this city, and as yet has but few inhabitants, and its population has been somewhat retarded by the recent Indian difficulties, and may be again, though I presume it will make quite a respectable city in the course of years.
As I do not know in which Settlement, in your District, you will prefer to locate, I am not able to aid you in the matter of house and other accommodations therein.

The youth of our oldest Settlements,-- the disadvantageous circumstances under which they have been made, and continue to be increased, prevent my giving so favorable an account as you may expect, or desire.

Trusting that a plain statement will prove more satiafactory in the end, than one colored by hope, & sanguine expectations.

I Remain Respectfully
Your Obt. Servant 
Brigham Young

Hon. S. G. Kinney
West Point
Iowa