The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-02-03
FROM SILVER REEF, UTAH.

EDITOR Press Sir:--I believe prom
iced you a letter some time ago, viii
now try and make my promise good and
let you and your readers know that have
not forgotten old Somerset. left Somer-
set in 1868; (don't seem half 80 long ago.
my intentions were to 70 to California, bur
] landed my boat in Missouri and remain
ed there two winters and one summer; IL il
. good country and good people living
there. In the spring of 1880 again star
ted for California. but only got as far a.
Nebraska. Stayed their until the fall OF
1871. when ! returned to Somerret on
months visit. ! then returned to Omaha.
and in July 1872, again started for Cali
fornia, but landed in Idaho. a noun
famous country. stayed there until the
spring OF 1878, when went to Nevada.
like Nevada very we'll. ] think it can pro-
duce more jack rabits, sand and rock to the
square acre than any place excepting Ari
izons, / ever saw In 1874 got to Califor
mia, and found IL just "a expected; beau
tiful country, a. 6ne ss I ever saw. re
nained six months and returned to Ne
vsda. Nevada il the best state for work.
ing man in the United States. Many
man has been poor there one week and the
next rich and respectable, and wanting to
run for Office. In 1879 came to Utah hut
did not like It. and in the spring Of 1877
went to Arizo and stayed that summer.
think IL the meanest country a man ever
got into. IL is a. hot ~ blue blazes and VS.
ter very scarce. There are some beautifui
planes in Arizona, but like hens teeth
are very scarce. But ] understand it ha-
been greatly improved since left have
been at this camp nearly four years; il has
held out we'll for a sandstone country. A
great many suppo'ed it would play out two
years ago, but it ia better now than ever.
think there is about 1000 or 1.20s inhabit
ants. The shipments Of bullion are about
one hundred thousand dollars per month;
this Ia In the southern part Of Utah. the
climate il fine and very healthy. We had
About the only fatal disease we have here
is cold lead and bad whiskey. The camp
is only a little over four years old and
there has been about twenty men died with
their boots on, In three or four fights both
parties got killed, the same time there
was fellow killed man here in October
and he was clipped of to Q mormon towr
on the quiet, but the boys though, ther,
had ben kill ing enough, and some is OF
20 followed the same night, overlook tb,
Sheriff, took the prisoner and hung hin
TO % cottonwood tree. A man don't hav,
to squack very long here to get Eight
there is always some one ready to accom-
modsts him in any kind OF q way he want
IL. Sundays are not known from any 9th
er day, II any thing there is more whiske,
drank and more gambling done. There i
three gambling houses, Z or saloons ar,
stores. Miners and mill mems wages ar
four dollars day. There is four comps
nies operating here. There is one tel
stamp mill and two FIVE stamps runnin
and one ten stamp mill shut down. Th
ore is soft and eaay worked, five stamp
can crush from 35 to so tons day, q
hours.) Arirora, Utah, Idaho, and Nevs
d~ are not very good farming countryi
where there is one acre under eultivatio
there is 40 million that can not be farmed
This il about "a cheap q camp to live i
as / have ever been; 70 ty dollars montl
and every man has his own bed. Pot,
toes cents per pound, barley 5. eags
doz., butter so per pound, hay 20 do
lsrs a ton, -four dollars hundred, q
brought here by Mormons, they cell yer
cheap and sometimes haul three hundre
miles. A Mormon don't consider his tin
worth anything. / have seen considsrab
Of Mormonism since have been in Uta
and don't take much stock in il. ha,
nothing against their religion, but don
believe in any religion, but the poligam
business is outrageous and should
crushed. For my part will volunteer &
six months and pay my own expenses
help wipe 1t out don't think our 90
hAN n"ho W ~ WOutu u
let lot Of foreign scrubs come here Al
dsGle its laws. Some Of them have 6
and six women, and they generally try
get the youngest girs. Some Of the latt
are very pretty. The women az gener
thing don't go much on Poligamy. I ne
er heard but one The men are self.h al
jealous, but once In while the Gent
boys slips in on them and gets a wi
Five or six miners have been marrid
them this winter, and the girls are on
too glad to get them.
Well don't suppose many Of your re
ders are insured and too much Of Il
might not be good for them, 90 "
close and give you more hereafter.
X. f. GORDON