Transcript

Having a large amount of machinery and merchandise to purchase, I concluded to visit the Eastern cities and manufacturing districts, and accordingly left St. Louis per steamer Shenango , for Cincinnati, arriving on Dec. 3 ^rd . After spending several days in Cincinnati, investigating and examining machinery, we proceeded to New York and other eastern cities. From New York I visited several manufacturing districts in the New England States, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and spent several days in Washington. While in New York, I made purchases of merchandise and settled considerable business for W.H. Hooper, soon leaving for the West, and arriving in St. Louis on the 23 ^rd of February.

April 2^nd, I again left St. Louis for Chicago to purchase more wagons, finding that I needed more than I had engaged. After settling with Mr. Schuttler for the wagons already engaged, I contracted for seventeen more for my own individual use, and returned to St. Louis.

On April 23^rd, I left St. Louis for Parkville, Mo, to purchase more cattle. While on board the steamer, John D. Parry, on our way up the river, we came into collision with the steamer Michigan in which the latter and her freight were much damaged. I purchased seventy-five yoke of oxen and eight mules of Mr. Thomson, sent them on to Florence in charge of James Brown and James Lemmon, and returned to St. Louis on May 3^rd.

Having completed purchases for my first train, I shipped the balance of my freight for this train and a number of passengers on the steamer Isabella for Florence, leaving St. Louis on May 18th.

On the 19^th, I closed my business up to that time, and having negotiated a loan from J.J. Anderson & Co. for $4,000 on my own account, I proceeded to Florence where I loaded my own wagons, and moved out into camp. It was the handsomest train that I ever saw on the plains. It consisted of seventy-two wagons, all of uniform style, each drawn by three yoke of oxen, and rolled out under the charge of Capt. Horton D. Haight, provided with all the necessary outfit. It reached Salt Lake in seventy-two days, all in good trim, about the quickest trip that a freight train of that size ever made.

On June 12^th, I visited James [S.] Brown's camp, a few miles from Florence, consisting of about 50 wagons of emigrants. Having organized them, on the 13^th they also moved out and proceeded on their journey. After attending to the loading and starting of my own train, under the charge of Jas. [James] Lemmon, with 17 wagons, loaded with my own merchandise, I returned to St. Louis, accompanied by F. [Feramorz] Little and his son, James, to make further purchases and to load several mule teams that had been sent from the Valley by Prest. [President] B[righam]. Young, H[eber]. C. Kimball and others.

July 5^th, we closed the most of our purchases and settling our bills, shipped the goods and prepared to leave. On July 6^th, I left for Florence and arrived on the 10^th. I there commenced preparations for a start as soon as the steamer Emigrant arrived with our goods. Leaving the mule train in charge of F. Little, I left Florence with a light carriage and mules, taking with me J.W. Coward, accompanied by Joseph W. Young and a few others with light vehicles for making good time, intending to overtake the trains that had started.

We arrived in Salt Lake City August 15^th, with tired teams and ourselves pretty well worn out.