The History of Salt Lake City and its Founders, Volume 1 - Edward William Tullidge

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his brother Orson under date July 8th, 1849, says: "The present travel through this place, or near it, will, it is thought, amount to some thirty or forty thousand persons. All will center here another year, as much of it does this year. This employs blacksmiths, pack-saddlers, washing, board, etc., and opens a large trade in provisions, cattle, mules, horses, etc. Scores or hundreds of people now arrive here daily, and all stop to rest and re-fit."

      The Frontier Guardian, giving the news of the arrival of the gold-seekers in Great Salt Lake City related the story thus: "The valley has been a place of general deposit for property, goods, etc., by Californians. When they saw a few bags and kegs of gold dust brought in by our boys, it made them completely enthusiastic. Pack mules and horses that were worth twenty-five dollars in ordinary times, would readily bring two hundred dollars in the most valuable property at the lowest price. Goods and other property were daily offered at auction in all parts of the city. For a light Yankee wagon, sometimes three or four great heavy ones would be offered in exchange, and a yoke of oxen thrown in at that.

      Common domestic sheeting sold from five to ten cents per yard by the bolt. The best of spades and shovels for fifty cents each. Vests that cost in St. Louis one dollar and fifty cents each, were sold at Salt Lake for thirty-seven and one half cents. Full chests of joiner's tools that would cost one hundred and fifty dollars in the East, were sold in Salt Lake City for twenty-five dollars. Indeed, almost every article, except sugar and coffee, were selling on an average fifty per cent, below wholesale prices in the eastern States."

      In the fall, a company of Mormon Elders started from Salt Lake City, designing to work for a while in the gold mines, after which some were to proceed on missions to the Sandwich Islands. The company consisted of General Charles C. Rich, Major Hunt of the Mormon Battalion, Captain Flake, captain of the company, George Q. Cannon, Joseph Cain, Thomas Whittle, Henry E. Gibson and other prominent Mormons. This was the first company that undertook to go to California by the southern route. The expedition started with only about thirty days' provisions; yet sixty days on the road were passed before the first settlement was reached. The men went with pack animals. In crossing the desert they had often to turn back and re-take up their march in some other direction, which made the journey very long and severe, killing nearly all of their animals, so that the last three hundred and fifty miles were mostly performed on foot. But it was a fine company of men, and they were enabled to survive one of the hardest journeys ever made to the State of California.

      CHAPTER VIII.

       ARRIVAL OF CAPTAIN STANSBURY. HIS INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR YOUNG GOVERNMENT SURVEY OF THE LAKES. COMMENCEMENT OF INDIAN DIFFICULTIES.

      

      In August of that year (1849) Captain Howard Stansbury, of the United States Army Topographical Engineers, with his assistants, arrived in the valley for the purpose of making a government survey of the lakes. He was accompanied by Lieutenant Gunnison who was, like Captain Stansbury, one of the earliest and most intelligent writers upon the Utah community. Of his arrival, Captain Stansbury thus reports to the chief of his department: "Before reaching Great Salt Lake City, I had heard from various sources that much uneasiness was felt by the Mormon community at my anticipated coming among them. I was told that they would never permit any survey of their country to be made; while it was darkly hinted that if I persevered in attempting to carry it on, my life would scarce be safe. Utterly disregarding, indeed, giving not the least credence to these insinuations, I at once called upon Brigham Young, the President of the Mormon Church and the Governor of the Commonwealth, stated to him what I had heard, explained to him the views of the Government in directing an exploration and survey of the lake, assuring him that these were the sole objects of the expedition. He replied, that he did not hesitate to say that both he and the people whom he presided over had been very much disturbed and surprised that the Government should send out a party into their country so soon after they had made their settlement; that he had heard of the expedition from time to time, since its onset from Fort Leavenworth; and that the whole community were extremely anxious as to what could be the design of the Government in such a movement. It appeared, too, that their alarm had been increased by. the indiscreet and totally unauthorized boasting of an attaché of General Wilson, the newly appointed Indian agent for California, whose train on its way thither had reached the city a few days before I myself arrived. This person, as I understood, had declared openly that General Wilson had come clothed with authority from the President of the United States to expel the Mormons from the lands which they occupied, and that he would do so if he thought proper. The Mormons very naturally supposed from such a declaration that there must be some understanding or connection between General Wilson and myself; and that the arrival of the two parties so nearly together was the result of a concerted and combined movement for the ulterior purpose of breaking up and destroying their colony. The impression was that a survey was to be made of their country in the same manner that other public lands are surveyed, for the purpose of dividing into townships and sections, and of thus establishing and recording the claims of the Government to it, and thereby anticipating any claim the Mormons might set up from their previous occupation. However unreasonable such a suspicion may be considered, yet it must be remembered that these people are exasperated and rendered almost desperate by the wrongs and persecutions they had previously suffered in Illinois and Missouri; that they had left the confines of civilization and fled to these far distant wilds, that they might enjoy undisturbed the religious liberty which had been practically denied them: and that now they supposed themselves to be followed up by the General Government with the view of driving them out from even this solitary spot, where they had hoped they should at length be permitted to set up their habitation in peace.

      "Upon all these points I undeceived Governor Young to his entire satisfaction. I was induced to pursue this conciliatory course, not only in justice to the Government, but also because I knew, from the peculiar organization of this singular community, that, unless the 'President' was fully satisfied that no evil was intended to his people, it would be useless for me to attempt to carry out my instructions. He was not only civil Governor, but the President of the whole Church of Latter-day Saints upon the earth, their prophet and their priest, receiving, as they all firmly believed, direct revelations of the Divine will, which, according to their creed, form the law of the Church. He is, consequently, profoundly revered by all, and possesses unbounded influence and almost unlimited power. I did not anticipate open resistance; but I was fully aware that if the President continued to view the expedition with distrust, nothing could be more natural than that every possible obstruction should be thrown in our way by a 'masterly inactivity.' Provisions would not be furnished; information would not be afforded; labor could not be procured; and no means would be left untried, short of open opposition, to prevent the success of a measure by them deemed fatal to their interests and safety. So soon, however, as the true object of the expedition was fully understood, the President laid the subject matter before the council called for that purpose, and I was informed, as the result of their deliberations, that the authorities were much pleased that the exploration was to be made; that they had themselves contemplated something of the kind, but did not yet feel able to incur the expense; but that any assistance they could render to facilitate our operations would be most cheerfully furnished to the extent of their ability. This pledge, thus heartily given, was as faithfully redeemed; and it gives me pleasure here to acknowledge the warm interest manifested and efficient aid rendered, as well by the President as by all the leading men of the community, both in our personal welfare and in the successful prosecution of the work.

      "Matters being thus satisfactorily adjusted, as the provisions which had been laid in at the beginning of the journey were nearly exhausted, I left the city on the 12th of September, with teams and pack-mules, for Fort Hall, to procure the supplies for the party which had been forwarded to that post by the supply train attached to Colonel Loring's command; and at the same time to carry out that portion of my instructions which directed me to explore a route for a road from the head of Salt Lake to Fort Hall. The main party was left under the command of Lieutenant Gunnison, with instructions to commence the survey upon the basis already laid down."

      Returning from his exploration of a route from Great Salt Lake City to Fort Hall, and reconnaissance of Cache Valley, Captain Stansbury

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