The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-04-15


Mr. Heath is 50 years of age and was a
husky youth. able. as he expresses it, to
drive a bull team across the plains. y
when he arrived. He was a member of
100 and in the same ten were ex-Police
Justice IaneyS father and mother.
Henry says that while his memory is
not as it was in those times, he has a
vivid recollection of the trip, which was
one never to be forgotten. While he
doesn't recall any more of the incidents
party, he can tell several tales of inter
est to the pioneers. Those who came
/ with the first party will remember the
old crossing at Green River. some dis
! lance below where the town now stands.
! This crossing was rough a times and the
Mormons were glad when Heath and
| Charles Spelry determined to go back
and construct a ferry.
Talk about cutting lumber with a
Whipsaw' he said yesterday. Why
Soerry and | worked there with whip
saw cutting cottonwood logs until we
had made Two f1atboats. We had nice
time of it too Cottonwood logs, especi-
ally when green and wet. do not saw as
easily as other kinds of wood am
familiar with. Before we went to work
| the only ferry they had was a govern
ment wagon bed, with a log on each side,
ard they used TO charge S25 team to
ferry one over. When we finished we
made the price $780,
IT remember we'll that there was con-
siderable travel in those days The trail
was lined with people going overland to
California. Well, Sperry and / had been
without flour for days and days. Couldn't
get a bit from any of the people goinE
ove- and we lived all this time on these
little navy beans and bacon and mighty
little bacon. | tell you. Finally ! told
Soerry that l had just got to have some
bread. An emigrant came along and he
had what appeared to be pretty good
load. tackled him and told him we had
just got to have some flour.
My friend he replied I have just got
flour enough to get to California with
and don't like TO part with any.
oh, that's all right, l said, you can
get all the flour you want when you get
t. the forks, and we cannot leave here
to 90 over.
If that the case he said I will sell
you a sack and he did for $50
Then Mr.. Heath INDUCED in laugh.
I'VE had joke on that man. He hasn't
got to the forks yet.
All of which means that there was no
But you couldn't blame, US. could
you?''
Mr.. Heath declares that the second
year the MormonS were here they re-
Kimball went over to meet the drover
who had charge of the herd. He met
them on the north fork of the Platte.
The cattle were all well and in good
the party in charge the Indians hadn
Sot away with a single head
How are you Brother - said Bishop
kimball. Il am so glad to see you. God
bless you for your work
Heath declares this benediction didn t
seem to phase the old man little bit.
He wiped his mouth with the sleeve of
his coat, shook hands with Bishop Kim
ball and then drawing him to one side
remarked Say bishop driving cattle is
awful dry work Never was so dry in
my life. You haven't got a spare bottle
with you have you?
History fails to record what the bishop
replied but the head drover was seen to
the next days march. Thy got the cat
tie in the valley all right and they did
well.
But 1 didn't tell you the first man we
ferried across on our new ferry" said Mr.. /
Heath
..He was Scotchman. and how do you /
suppose he was travelling? All by him
self with a wheelbarrow and he was /
making better time than a great many
nnd little grub and when he reached /
water ali he had to do was camp and |
up again early and off. while others |
would have TO stop and feed. We never /
Travelled early in the morning and late
in the evening. A man like that ought /
to get rich. 1t took pluck in those days 4
to march from the Missouri TO the
coast
After abandoning the ferry business,
Mr.. Heath came TO this city and settled
The big trees in front of the neat little
home which he has down on Third South |
were planted by him over 30 years ago.
They are among the largest, if not the
largest, in the city.