Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-08-31
Uo,v the Money Goes in Utah.

The invasion of Utah has cost the people OF
the United States many millions, and added
largely to the bankruptcy of the Treasury under
Buchanan. The drain is still continued and
for aught that appears is likely to be, "world
without end An army of $500 men is kept
in camp at Camp Floyd some 40 miles from
Salt Lake City, the total cost of establishing
the post to the Government being about $780,
600 Brigham Young furnished the lumber at
$40 per NJ his profits amounting to $4,000;
Brigham being allowed a monopoly of the
lumber trade by the Territorial Legislature
The Army is mostly concentrated at Camp
Floyd though some small detachmeDts are
engaged in surveying or opening roads, DC, in
different parts of Utah, all for the permanent
benefit of the Momons, of course. The Army
was sent TO Utah from Kansas in 1857, and not
the first record of useful SERVICE save to Army
contraotors and the Mormon leaders, has yet
been made.
Mr. Greeley, in one of his Salt Lake letters,
has stated some facts showing how the money
goes in the Army administration in Utah.
Utah has a good soil for raising wheat, and the
Mormons grow their own bread and to spare.
The great Army contractors ore paid by Uncle
Sam % cents per pound for transporting flour
from Leavenworth TO Camp Floyd, in addition
to the prime cost on the Missouri. They sub
let the contract at sepen cents per pound net
the soldiers eat Utah flour, and the contractors
make clear profit of Sl7O,OOO on the contract
without rsking dollar or lifting finger SO
much for the first Government rat in the meal
tub.
The Army mules are another illustration of
how the money goes, and the disposition and
sacrifice of them indicate that standing army
in Jtan is to become "a fixed fact" Some
1000 mules, about two.thrds of all the Gov
ernment owns in Utah, have been knocked
down under a recent order from Washington
to tie highest bidder The mules cost $l15
each, and brought from $50 to Sll5 each. Had
they been taken to California or Leavenworth
they would have so d for at least 100000 more
than in Utah. Greeley estimates the dead loss
to the people in the mule business at 100000,
as the army can not leave Brigham Young
kingdom without purchasing the mules back at
Mormon prices. Government has also ordered
700 wagons to be sold, costing Sl3O each,
thou. h they will bring not to exceed $50 each,
and cost nothing to keep. The Army will need
them, should it be recalled from Utah before
they tumble to pieces.
Then the Government is plucked outra geOusly
in the transportation of corn. Mr.. g. states
that 10000 bushels have recently been received
from the States at a net cost, including trans
portation, of S340, 700, OF over Sll per bushel.
1t could have been bought in Utah. delivered at
Camp Floyd, at So per bushel, or 100000 in
all The dead loss to the Treasury OH this
corn is $3.50, ,COO which has gone into the
pockets OF party iayorites, very likely inside Of
the War Department. Such are some Of the
specimens OF Government plucking under the
Buchanan administration.
Mr. Greeley giges the following illustration
of Government retrenehment;
The mail from Mi ssouri to Salt Lake has
hitherto been carried weekly in good slxmule
wagons, the coptract time being twenty two
days. The importance of frequent and regular
communication with headquarters, at least 50
long as a large army Is retained here at a
heavy extra cost, and because Of some pre-
sumed public necessity, is evident. Yet the
new Postmaster General has cut down the Mail
S,rvice on this important central route from
weekly to semi-monthly. But the contractors,
who are obliged TO run their stages weekly be-
cause of their passenger business, and because
they have to keep their stock and pay their
men whe ther they work or play, find that they
cannot carry the Mail every other week SO
chelply as they can every week. For instance;
mail from the states now consists OF twelve
to sixteen heavy sacks (most OF them filled with
franked documents), weighing as many hun
dred pounds. Double this, and NC SIX mule
team would draw it at the requisite pace, and
no baggage wagon stand the jerks and jolts of
an unnade road 80 they say, please let us
carry the Mail weekly, though you only pay US
for carrying it semi-monthly." But NO this Is
strictly iUIblddeu the Postmaster at salt Lake
has ex press written orders 10 refuse 1t, and OF
course ne at St. Joseph also. And thus all this
central region, embracing at least dozen I'M
portant Mlntary posts aud countless Indian a.
gencies, as reduced 10 semi monthly mail ser
vice, though the contractor would gladly make
it weekly at the same price
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