Transcript

Late from the Salt Lake.

On Tuesday evening last, several persons arrived at this place from the Salt Lake. They experienced much difficulty in getting in, a full account of which we publish below, handed us by one of the gentlemen who came in:

The merchants who left Salt Lake on the 22d of October have arrived, after a long and tedious trip. They had cold weather nearly all the way, and were in the snow twenty-seven days. The party consisted of fifteen men, Messrs. Livingston, Kinkade, Middleton, Thompson, Horner, Cogswell, Barnes, Homer, Waldon, Sledge, Antonio Selman, and four men with the United States Mail, under charge of Mr. Miligan. They brought in from 75 to $80,000. The first snow that fell was on Pacific Creek, but the next night on Strawberry Creek, a few miles this side of the South Pass, it commenced in earnest, and snowed for three days and nights. They traveled each day to keep from being closed in among the mountains, having to pass through the notorious Hells Gate, Devils Gate, and over the Devils Backbone, before they reached the open country. This snow extended for ten days travel. They then had fine weather until they got within about twenty-five miles of Fort Kearney, when one of the most tremendous snow storms that ever fell, came down on them like a "thousand of brick," they however reached Kearney safely after losing seven mules, five of which were found frozen next day. From Kearney to St. Joseph they were in the snow, except a few miles all the way. The merchants left the mail at Scotts Bluffs, but it reached Kearney before they left, and is now somewhere between Kearney and St. Joseph--it being impossible to get to Independence by the usual route along the Blue. The Sept. outward mail was met at Strawberry Creek in the storm, in rather a bad fix. Their mules having begun to give out, and they out of provisions. They were supplied with enough to take them to Fort Bridger, which will be about as far as they will get his winter, unless they go in on snow shoes. This mail had the appointment of Brigham Young, and the other officers for Utah, and will be very welcome to the Valley. The October mail went as far as South Fork, and then returned to Kearney, reporting it to be impossible to cross, but the merchants crossed within three days after without much difficulty.

Several parties of Gold Diggers had returned before they left the Salt Lake, but did not bring as much dust as their brethren expected. Mr. Rich's company which was said to have been the most successful, was expected every day. The Indians had robbed a party of seventeen man who got in the day before the merchants left. Money was very plenty, but the bad success of the Gold Diggers had made business a little dull. Messrs. Middleton and Thompson were much pleased with the kindness they met among the Mormons, and Mr. Horner being a member of their Church, of course met a brother's welcome. The officers at Forts Laramie and Kearney extended every favor and kindness that lay in their power, and are spoken of by the merchants as gentlemen, who do honor to the Army, and deserve every one of them a brevet and extra pay.--[St. Joseph Gazette.