Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-07-24

er's opinion that it was imprudent to
bring a large population into the
Great Basin until it could be ascer.
tanned that grain could be raised
there. He was SO confident this
could not be done that he said he
would give a thousand dollars for a
bushel Of corn produced in the Salt
Lake valley. The day that Mir.
Bridger was with them, the Pioneers
departed from the Oregon road
where the California road diverged
from it, DETECTING to the south.
Tuesday, June 29, the camp
travelled into the night, and made
the longest day journey since leav-
ing Winter Quartcrs-twenty- three
and three quarters miles. Sickness
in the form Of mountain fever APP
peared in the camp, affecting quite
number.
On the 3oth, Green river was
reached, and RATS were made for
ierrying the wagons across. While
this was going on, Samuel Brannan
came into camp from the Bay oil San
Francisco, which he had left the day
before the Pioneers started for Win
ter Quarters. He thought the Nor
mons should settle on the Pacific
coast, but President Young did not
agree with that view.
The first three days of July were
occupied in ferrying over Green
rivera quite difficult work. On
the 4th five Of the party, P. II.
Young, George Woodward, A. +.
Farr, Z. Glines and r. Badger,
were sent back to meet and guide
the next camp Of emigrants, which
left Winter Quarters June ii, and in
which were the families OF many of
the Pioneers. The same day twelve
members of the Mormon Battalion
from Pueblo joined the camp; a
thirteenth had met the five Pioneers
returning to the next company and
had joined them. The Battalion
men were headed for Fort Bridger,
in advance of the detachment under
captain Brown, III search OF stolen
horses. In the Pioneer camp the
4th, being Sunday, was observed by
Sabbath exercises.
On the 5th, the company pro-
ceeded along Blacks Fork; next
day Ham $ Fork was crossed, and
Blacks Fork crossed and recrossed.
AT one OF the latter crossings there
were nine Indian lodges occupied by
the families OF trappers and hunters
who had Indian squaws for wives,
and where there were several half
breed children. In the Afternoon
the camp reached Fort Bridger, 927
miles from Winter Quarters. This
Fort was the secoi j permanent post
established on the great overland
road, and the first west OF the sum
init OF the Rocky Mountains. The
buildings were two adjoining log
houses with dirt roofs, surrounded
by stockade of logs eight feet high
In the fort and at the lodges men
toned there were fifty or sixty per
sons, white men, squaws, and half
breed children.
A day was spent in setting wager
tires, shoeing horses, and making
repairs, and on the morning OF the
9th the journey was resumed. /
was determined to head for the val
ley of the Great Salt Lake by the
nearest route. Samuel Brannan anc
few Others returned to South Pas
to meet the detachment OF the Nor
mon Battalion. On the 10th TIN
Pioneers met Miles Goodyear, who
had built fort similar to Bridger OF
the Weber river, and was engaged
in trapping and trading. He gave
them no encouragement to settI'
near the Salt Lake, owing TO tn
difficulty in raising grass and vege
tables. This day the Pioneer
N'O''e' '"e u'N''I''S iloEe uc'weei
the waters that How TO the Guli @
California and those that find thei
way 10 the Great Salt Lake. Mex
day was the Sabbath.
n =, ,