Transcript
Transcript for Gardner, James, [Reminiscences], in "Utah Heroes Who Pulled Their All Across the Plains," Deseret Evening News, 1 Sept. 1906, 20
"The British Isles were all aglow at that time with the thought that the P. E. fund had abandoned the old way of carrying the saints to Utah, with the slow ox teams, and was providing a way for them to come with "Pullman" cars. It caused considerable excitement at that time.
"With about 800 emigrants I sailed on the good ship Enoch Train. After rolling in the billows of the mighty deep for about 40 days we landed in the port of Boston about the 1st of May.
"Making our way as speedily as possible, we arrived at Iowa City, then the Mormon outfitting camp. There for the first time we saw some of the carts that were to carry our baggage and little children a distance of 1,300 miles.
"As there were only a few of the carts ready for use, we had to wait a month for the number required for the 800 emigrants.
The carts were of very frail construction. Instead of having rubber tires, we bound the wheels with rawhide. All being ready we broke camp at Iowa the 9th of June. The season being a wet one, and the many rivers we had to cross, stretched the raw hide tires so we had to substitute strong hoop iron to tire our wheels.
"After about three weeks' march we crossed the Missouri river and pitched our tents at the old Winter Quarters camp ground. Our 300 miles travel had proven that our company was too large. It was then divided in two companies. Capt. [Edmund] Ellsworth taking the English part and D. [Daniel] D. McArthur taking the Scotch and a few from other lands.
"After being fully organized with a captain over each 10, our baggage reduced to 17 pounds per head, we were ready to cross the wide plains. Capt. Ellsworth desired the honor of leading the first handcart company to Salt Lake, which was granted him. His company pulled out from us about the middle of July. McArthur's company remained in camp three days longer when we started out.
"There were about 400 men, women and children, 90 handcarts and two ox teams which carried our flour and tents.
"Capt. Dan. As we called him, purchased a little yellow mule, which was made to do good service in carrying the old ladies across the rivers. Our day's travel varied from 15 to 20 miles per day. One day we covered 30 miles in order to camp with the pioneer company as it was called. We rested the next day to let our friends get out of our way again. This was repeated three times.
"On the 26th of September, McArthur's company camped near the summit of the little mountain. Capt. Ellsworth's company was camped two miles and a half near Salt Lake. Quite a number of teams and friends camped with us there. The next morning most of the women and children were taken by friends. The male portion were left to pull the carts. Before the mouth of Emigration canyon was reached. McArthur's company had closed up with the pioneers. When we entered the bench out of the canyon all eyes were set on Salt Lake City.