New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-12-20

The Davenport tova) Democrat publishes the fol,

a'A'+'@'S"
lowing letter:
cla,p FLoYb, rr,H TEsa1roay,}
Dear Sir: We arrived at cur journeys end, forty
miles North Of Salt Lake City, the 18th Of Sep
TENDER last having on our route passed through the
celebrated city Of the Mormons.
The Mormon city is without exception the most
beautifully laid out and situated which ever saw,
and seems tome, in every respect, 70 fulfill the glow
ing descriptions which are given by the elders Of
Latter Day Saints to the proselytes in distant
countries. No better evidence can be given Of the
Shrewdness Of Brigham Young than the fact of bis
selection o. such spot this for the site Of the
Zion Of his religion.
Among the most noticeable features OF the ctyare
she streams Of pure and linped water which run on
both sides Of tie streets reminding one az the half
forgotten tales heard Of beautiful cities in ones child
MOOD, or Of the River Of Life in the city Of the New
Jerusalem. The population Of the city il about
tarty thousand, Of which about ninety per cent are
mormohs the majority Of the rest as am informed
having no religion, Or entertaining yery di4rihnted
ideas on the subject.
The two most costly buildings in the place, except
ing OF course the tabernacle, the dwellings 10.
habted by Brigham and his wives. Az to the nun-
Der Of ladies am somewhat in doubt from The fact
that the people here themselves seem to be some.
what in the dark on the subject-suffce it to say,
that they numerous enough to keep the houses Of
at least thirty Christian men warm, and to supply
them with an abundance of those commodities in
which the ladies' 50 frequently DEAL viz curtain lee
tures If the Mormon females have these little weak
nesieS Of CHRISTIAN ladies' 10 tu perfection, Brigham
Young, great rascal as he is, s subject Of pity
after all. as
The entire distance from Fort Laramie 70 Camp
Floyd is, as near as l can calculate, about twelve
hundred miles.
! On the way we passed the bodies Of some three
thousand head Of cattle Of Rasses train, which had
died on the road. AS am informed, this Mr. Russell
paid twentyrone dollars per hundred for the goods
which he has transported for the Government, from
Leayenworth to Camp Floyd making in all about a
million and a half dollars for the entire contract
The hauling was done in heavy wagons, loaded with
from three to four tuns, and drawn by ten yoke oil
oxen. After having been hauled this distance, coffee
is worth fifty cents per pound, tea 81 So sugar SO
cents butter SC cents bacon 80 cents potatoes 81 per
busbel, eggs 40 cents per dozen, and whisky which
is in great demand will readily bring ten dollars per
gallon Every article Of clothing is Of course high in
| proportion.
Some six hundred of the drivers belonging to the
! trains, were discharged few days ago. A few OF
them purpose returning to the States but the great
number hearing the late reports of gold at Cherry
creek have determined to try their fortunes at that
! place. As for myself, in company with about twenty
drivers, have procured teams and shall start fOl
| California. Much dissatisfaction has existed among
these drivers, who have heen discharged in cOnse
quence of an idea which they had entertained witt
what reason l know not, that they were to be EN-
ployed for a year, and then brought back by the
| Government
They are here a thousand miles away from any
place. without any means Of returning home, and NJ
means of subsistence here except by enlistng in TIT
army Their case is certainly hard one.