Transcript
Transcript for Hudson, Henry J., "Correspondence from the New Settlement," The Mormon, 15 Aug. 1857, 1
July 1st, 1857.
EDITOR of THE MORMON— Dear Sir:
According to the instructions of Presidents J. Taylor and E. Snow, I take up my pen (as Historian of the Nebraska Mission,) to inform you of our progress and prospects. As already published in THE MORMON, through a communication from Bro. A. L. Cunningham, we left Florence for this place on the 11th day of May, and reached our destination after a tedious travel of 5 days. In consequence of the lateness of the season the feed was poor scarcely a blade of grass a finger long was to be seen, nevertheless all arrived in safety and commenced putting in the plow. We have very little wheat; but intend to sow liberally in the Fall. Our farm lies south and south east of the city it contains about 750 acres bounded on the south by the Beaver River, south east by the Loup Fork, north and west by a sod fence. This farm is occupied chiefly by the Florence and St. Louis companies; the Alton company are not included in the above, but are located 14 miles north, in a bend of the Beaver River, containing 100 acres. Our crops are of the most flattering character; corn, potatoes, buckwheat, and garden stuffs are looking finely, and if our corn escapes the early frosts that are peculiar to this latitude, it is the opinion of some of our best judges the yield of corn will be form 60 to 70 bushels per acre. We have our saw-mill in operation, and expect enough lumber will be got out this season to help us put up houses sufficient for our present population. We have a brick yard in full blast, and expect soon to be able from such auxiliaries as saw-mills, brick yards, and willing hands, to build a city not a whit behind any other in Nebraska. The city of Genoa is about 102 miles from Florence, contains about 400 acres, 10 acres in a block, from centre to centre of streets, 8 lots in a block, 18 rods long, 9 rods wide; the streets cross at right angles, 4 rods wide. It is laid off on a beautiful eminence near the bluffs on the north, gradually descending to the east, south, and west. As the ground is a little the highest in the centre, standing on the public square, you have a fine view to the east, some 20 miles. Looking to the south, the Loup Fork presents itself with its ever shifting sand bars, and zigzag course, spotted with Islands of Cottonwood, Box elder, Willow and some Cedar; still farther in the distance you see the bluffs rising, the dividing ridge between the Loup Fork and Great Platte Rivers. Strain your vision a little more, a dark blue line presents itself, that is the bluffs. Beyond Platte, some 30 miles off, south west, groves of timber, the Loup, Bluffs, and a sea of grass meets your eye. At every turn west, bluffs in majestic grandeur covered with ancient ruins, telling us plainly, without any translation, that their occupants understood the arts and sciences; for we have found specimens of both copper and earthenware, being another link in the great chain of testimony of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. I will now give you a statistical item and then leave the subject to be resumed upon our further progress. We number 97 men, 24 momen [women], 40 children, 42 yoke of oxen, 20 cows, 6 horses, and some two dozen chickens, 20 hogs and 2 cats, and dogs plenty.
We are expecting plenty of sport in the Fall for we are surrounded with all kinds of game. Our streams are teeming with fine fish, and hope soon to have both time and inclination to indulge.
HENRY J. HUDSON.