Transcript

July 4, 1852, saw the beginning of the great journey across the plains. From Fort Leavenworth Mr. [Philip] De La Mare directed his caravan--which, in addition to his own wagons now consisted of a number of emigrant families who had joined them at Fort Leavenworth and along the way--directly west.

Out into the great uninhabited plains they traveled. Each day they drew further away from civilization. The first beet sugar refining machinery that had ever been brought to the Western Hemisphere was being transported across the great western plains [in] forty ponderous Sante Fe Wagons, each drawn by from four to eight yoke of oxen and carrying from 5000 to 9000 pounds each of iron machinery.

What a splendid sight it must have been to see this great train en route. It was the realization of the poet when he wrote "Westward the course of Empire takes its way." Days, weeks and months came and still they traveled. The long hot days of summer were now drawing shorter and cooler and the falling of the leaves from the trees predicted winter.

At Sweetwater river they experienced their first severe snow storm. Snow fell to the depth of two feet and the thermometer dropped below zero. The night of the storm many of the cattle got away and ran in every direction. Most of them were rounded up but some were never heard of again.

The commissary got low and they were compelled to kill some of the remaining cattle. Necessarily they were forced to travel far slower. While traveling through Wyoming they were met by Mr. Jos[eph] Horn[e] who had been sent by President Taylor to meet them. The provisions and articles he brought were of great assistance to the almost famished emigrants.

At Green River in South Western Wyoming they purchased some cattle from two trappers "Descamp and Garnier" to replace the ones they had eaten. These trappers had purchased their cattle from people traveling in that section. At Ford Bridge[r] more assistance was received. Mr. A[bram] O. Smoot brought from Salt Lake City a load of flour, flour at this time was selling for $50.00 pr 100 pounds.

After a few days rest Mr. Smoot began his return journey taking with him several of the emigrants.

Shortly after reaching Bear River the mountainous trails were found to be so rugged and the snow on them so deep that several of the largest boilers of machinery had to be left behind. They were gotten the next spring.

The emigrants then continued their journey. After crossing the Bear River they followed the trail of the pioneers of 1847 and came through Emigration Canyon into Salt Lake. Their destination was at last reached and their journey almost ended. The families who had accompanied the train stopped off in Salt Lake and the machinery was taken to Provo City, fifty miles south. It was now the latter part of November, 1852; five months having been spent in making the journey from Fort Leavenworth, a distance of 1200 miles.