The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-24

against the hind Wheel OF the wagon be-
fore it; the horses and cattle were
brought inside of the inclcsure. The cor
raj thus formed was oblong, opening at
either end, where a guard was stationed.
The tents were pitched outside of the cor
rail In the evening at $50 the bugles
were again sounded as a signal for hold
ing evening prayers in their wagons, and
all retired to rest at O'Clock.
On the 21st of April the pioneers arrived
RI point on Loup Fork, opposite to
which stood Pawnee village. Many of
the Indians came across the river and
were treated by the pioneers to -four, salt
and other edibles, and seemed to be
highly pleased. They were particularly
anxious to shake hands with the pio-
neers, and would run from side to side
repeatedly for that purpose, SO as not to
miss any one.
On the 24th the pioneers crossed the
Loup Fork at point where it was about
four hundred yards wide, but very shat
low The bed of the stream consisted of
dangerous quicksands.
Early in May, as the pioneers were
journeying along the north side of the
Platte, they came to place where the
Indians were engaged in burning up the
grass. in consequence of which the
prairies and hills for miles in all direc-
tions presented a blackened surface. A
council was called to consider whether or
not it would be wise to cross the river
and strike the old road to Laramie, there
being good grass on that side OF the
river. But, in view Of the thousands
who were expected to follow IN their
track, il was concluded to continue as
before, Drawing the Indians and the
burning prairies; ''for, - said the
pioneers, ga new road will thus be
made which viii stand as permanent
route for the Saints independent OF the
old route; and the river viii separate the
Mormon companies from other emil
grants so that they need not quarrel Tor
wood, grass or water; and fresh grass
will soor grow for our companies to fol-
low us this season. - Thus the pioneers
broke a new road across the plains,
over which tens of thousands of
Mormons have since travelled and which
was famous as the ''old Mormon trail, -
till the railway came to blot almost from
memory the tolls and dangers OF jour
ney of more than thousand miles by
slow teams to the valleys OF Utah. 1t IS
a curious fact that for several hundred
miles the grade of the Union Pacific rail-
way is made exactly upon the old ''Mor-
monD road.
On the LIST of June the pioneers arrived
opposite Fort Laramie, where they tar
ried few days repairing their wagons.
Here they were Joined by q small COM
pany of Saints from the southern states
who had Wintered at Pueblo, and who
now accompanied the pioneers to the val
lev. This company consisted of seven
teen persons, with five wagons, one cart,
eleven horses, twenty-four oxen, twenty
two COWS, three bulls and seven calves.
From this point also Jour of the pioneers
We're sent to Pueblo to meet the detach
meIt of the Mormon battalion encamped
there and hurry them on to Laramie to
follow the track OF the pioneers.
On the 18th of June the pioneers ar
rived at the point where the Oregon road
crossed the Platte. Here they overlook a
company of Oregon emigrants, who paid
the pioneers for ferrying them across the
river $50 for each wagon and load, in
-four at $40 per 100 pounds; yet -four was
wO~th SO per hundred at least, at that
point. These earnings were equally di
nided among the members of the camp
and amounted to five and one-half pounds
of -four, two pounds of meal and small
piece OF bacon TO each man. President
Woodruff writes that it looked a much
of miracle TO him to see the -four and
meal bags OF the pioneers thus replenished
in the Black Hills as it did to
have the children of Israel fed with
mamma in the wilderness. During
the few following days the pioneers
ferried other companies across, ana when
18th, they left ten men in charge OF the
ferry to continue the work Of assisting
other emigrant companies across the
river.
On the 21st of June the company
reached Independence rock on the Sweet
water, and on the Goth the South Pass
On the following day they met Moses
Harris, a trapper, who spoke very dis
couragingly of the regions around the
Great Salt lake. On the 2Sth they met
Colonel James Bridger, on his way to
Fort Laramie. He camped with the
pioneers over night, and III consultation
with President Young and other leading
men of the camp he gave detailed de-
scriptiOn of the country fer which the
pioneers were aiming. This report was
anything but encouraging. On the Both
the pioneers reached Green river where
they met Samuel Brannan. who had led
company of Saints from New York to
California by way of Cape Horn the wear
previous. This man tried his best to in
f1uence President Young TO 90 to Cali
fornia, where he (Mr. Brannan) was To-
eating his company on the San Joaquin
river; but President Young could not he
sWayed from his original plan, either by
the glowing description Alr. Brannan
gave of the Pacific coast, nor by the dis
couraging reports given by Colonel
Bridger and Mr.. Harris about the region
of country around the Great Salt lake.
On the 4th of July, while the pioneers
were yet encamped on Green river, they
were overtaken by twelve Of their Nor
mon Battalion brethren, who had win
tered at Pueblo.
The 18th of July found the pioneers
encamped in Echo canyon, with Presi-
dent Young and others sick with noun
tain fever It was at this point that
Orson Pratt was instructed to take
twenty three wagons and forty-two men
and proceed on the journey and endeavor
to find Mr.. Reeds route across the noun
tains, as they had been informed that it
would be impracticable to pass through
ahead as instructed. cutting his way
through the mountains, making roads
and building bridges, and after crossing
what were afterwards designated as Big
and Little mountains, this advance COM