Transcript

Great Salt Lake City, U.T.,
September 7, 1859.

The immigrant trains arrive slowly, and are mostly taking the mail route. The Mormon immigrants are mostly in. Including the hand-cart train and those on the road, their number is at least 3000 persons. It is certainly a very singular sight, to see hand-carts moving along the road, dragged by women. There are ordinarily six persons to every cart, and often all of the six will be young women. In the carts are their clothing and provisions; the latter, however, often times get very much reduced. In previous years they have come in very late, and great suffering has existed; this year, however, they have been more fortunate, although some little distress has been experienced from want of provisions. A large proportion of the immigration now in, are, I judge from Europe; their personal appearance denote a long and wearisome journey, and they express much satisfaction at reaching their resting place. On arriving in the city they march to a large open square and encamp, when provisions are sent to them, and they are visited by their friends or relations and taken to their homes. Those who have no friends are provided with homes by the Bishops of the different wards. An unmarried female finds but little difficulty to obtain shelter, and more particularly if good looking. . . . On Sunday afternoon, at the Tabernacle, Heber C. Kimball informed the Bishops of the different wards, that the hand-cart train would arrive in this city at 5 P. M., and instructed them to prepare provisions, &c. for them upon Union Square. At the appointed hour the train was seen descending the bench lands, which form the eastern section of the city. They entered preceded by a mountain escort of some fifty men, followed by two bands of music playing martial airs. Then came the train of handcarts in single file. Each cart was covered with a ticking cover, some drawn by men, and others by women and children. They numbered forty-two. Next came thirteen wagons with men, women and children. The rear was brought up by a multitude of lookers-on—some in wagons, others on foot. The train went through the northern part of the city, passed the residence of Brigham Young, to the square, whre a large table was set for them well filled with provisons of all kinds. The streets through which they passed were lined with spectators, and some thousands were upon the camping ground awaiting their arrival.

They seemed travel worn and fatigued, and were surprised at the reception they met with. After supper, the performances of the day closed with preaching and prayer. The train contained three hundred and forty-one persons.