The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-10
Martins Handcart Company, 1856
BY JOSIAH ROBERTSON.

since commencing the writings of the
annals and narrative of Martins Hand |
cart company, l have had numerous
applications. personally, by phone and
letter, to eInbody the whole in book
form at Its completion; and as the in
terest has increased with each number
IN The Herald by its readers, and the
daily demand at the Office for back
numbers, it is more than probable that
after the last chapter it win be en-
bodied in pamphlet form, but until
then, it belongs to The Herald, with all
the valuable documents and diaries
have been favored with since begin
ming.
General r. T. Burnton's Rescuing
journal.
This week, through the kindness of
the church historian, Elder Andrew
Jensen, j was made welcome to CODY
General Robert T. Burtons camp jour
nal the relief train. and Captain
George ID. Grant to help the emigrants
or the year l have been writing about
IN the last four articles, and this in
valuable, accurate and descriptive
journal and diary which has never been
IN print before, and which contains the
history of the noble rescuers and relief
party with their teams from the time
they left Salt Lake City, Oct Z, 1856,
TIL they brought and landed the last
of Martins Hand-cart company into
TINS city Sunday morning, Nov. 80,
1900, with the names in full of the
nineteen men left at Devils Gate to
take care of the caches the whole of
that winter. All this will be embodied
and blended with Historian Bleak
diary and many incidents from mem
DRY in the next four articles, together
with data from Captain John A Hunts
journal; all three Of which 1 have be-
fore me now.
Captain Martins journal and Diary.
To make the record as full as posi-
Die, L have spared neither time nor
pains to get Captain Edward Martins
journal and diary, which I know he
Kept daily throughout the entire jour-
ney that year, of over 1850 miles. for 1
many times saw him writing, and read
his entries in his journal, and it con-
tains the names of all that died and
Iel by the way, and where buried, yet
Notwithstanding the search of his relict
ana children, who are quite willing
these names should be had therefrom.
as yet IT has not been found.
More of the Cart, Fuel, Etc.
ihe cart wheels: they were from four
md a half to five feet in diameter.
Goth the covered and open carts, thus
!ittinS the axle of each at least two
ana half feet above the ground. The
covered cart had an iron tire bolted
through the felloe or rim of the cart,
but the open cart had only hoop iron
tire, not nearly SO thick as the tire on
the covered cart, and fastened to the
wooden rim by nails or screws.
The lubricating oil with which to
Srease the aXles mainly consisted of
soap, with the addition of a bacon
rind, enthusiastically. Our fuel for
cooking, from the Elkhorn or Loup
Fork, sixty miles from Florence, Neb.,
10 Fort Kearney. Laramie, and till we
crossed the North Platte, fifteen miles
above the Platte bridge. mainly con-
sisted of buffalo chips, with a few
tWigs of trees and cedar.
Start From Fort Laramie.
Thursday, Oct 9-Traveled three
miles today.
Why we didn't proceed farther today
! cannot find in the record, as the
weather was favorable and the roads
good for travelling and making good
time over.
This afternoon we were advised. and
likely Captain Edward Martin had
been before, of the, purchase by Pres
ident Franklin d. Richards of seventy
five 10 100 buffalo robes at Fort Lara
mic as he passed there some two weeks
previous. and after camping here and
supper over ten handcarts, with two
able-bodied men to each cart, were de-
tailed to go back to Fort Laramie and
get the robes.
The writer and his elder brother,
William, were among the number de-
tailed, with nine others with cars, I'M
der and in charge of man named Will
liam Singleton, a large and tall Eng
lishman, but l am not certain that this
IS his right name, though afterward, in
1872, / met him in Panaca, New. We
went back to Fort Laramie that night
after dark, a distance not less than
seven or ten miles, got the buffalo
robes, seven to ten loaded on each cart
and got back to camp by midnight
Another good laurel leaf in the crown
of Franklin ID. Richards, and that
saved nearly half as many lives during
the next 500 miles journey. They were
distributed next morning judiciously
and with general satisfaction.
Friday. Oct. 10.-TraveIed fourteen
miles today. The roads were very
rough-mountain roads.
Proximity of Handcart and Wagon
companies.
To show the connection, as promised
some time ago. and the proximity of
the travelling of John A Hunts and
Captain HOdSett's wagon companies
with our handcart company, l viii
quote a few paragraphs from Captain
John 4. Hunts journal:
"Wednesday. Oct. S.-Traveled TWEEN
ty miles today"
Thursday Oct 9.-Traveled twenty
miles today, over some very soft, sandy
ROADS; hard ana heaVy hauling.
Camped about mile or two from Fort
Laramie. WyO., at p. M" so readers
of this and hsndcart suryiv-
ors will see that Hunts wagon compa-
ny, at Fort Laramie. and lin the next
paragraph) that Hodgett's wagon COM
pany We're only seventeen miles or less
behind us at this point.
Note the next line. from Hunts jour
nal:
Friday, Oct 10.-We were visited by
some OF the brethren from the wagon