Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-23
FRIDAY, JULY 2s, 1871.

John Pack and Joseph Mat
thews were dispatched as messen-
gers from the main pioneer camp In
the valley to the rear camps TO inform
Prest. Young and the persons who
were with him about the progress OF
the advance companies and OF their
discoveries and explorations. The mes
sengers carried a long letter dictated by
Willard Richards 10 Prest. Young. The
camp commenced to move about I
o'clock O. m. and took the back track
for about a mile, then they turned
northward and travelled about two miles
to small grove OF cottonwood trees.
standing on the banks of a beautiful
stream OF water, sSirted ON both sides
with willows and shrubs. This was
City creek. and the ground
selected here by the pioneers for a more
permanent camping ground and a farm
is now part oil the Eighth ward, Salt
Lake City. near the spot where this
City and County building stands, This
camping ground was. according TO
William Clayton's deduction. 1913 miles
from Winter Quarters. the way the
pioneers had travelled. Segregating. the
pioneers had Travelled 1888 miles from
Winter Quarters to the Junction OF
North and South Platt. thence 227
miles to Fort John CFort Lar9mie),
thence S9T miles TO Fort Bridger, and
thence Lie miles 10 the camp on 'City
creek
About $3.50 a. m. the pioneers were
called together on the new camping
ground and after few Introductory
remarks by Orson Pratt, he offered up
prayer and Thanksgiving in behalf OF
the pioneers. all of whom had been so
wonderfully preserved on the whole
journey from the Missouri river to the
valley, and he dedicated the camp and
the land unto which they had come 10
% hlpg<inNa nv
on their abors and all that pertained
unto them. The meeting was then adj
dressed by Willard Richards and Orsop
Pratt, after which various committees
were appointed to attend to different
branches of business. preparatory to
putting in crops.
Thus Shadrach Roundy, Seth Taft,
Stephen Markham, Robert Crow and
Albert Darlington were appointed y
committee to look out place for plant
ing potatoes, corn, beans. etc. They
Immediately left the meeting to ac-
complish their task. Charles a. Har-
per, Charles Subway and Elijah New
man We're appointed committee to
stock plows and drags and to call to
heir assistance what men they wanted,
Henson Walker, VIM Wadsworth ana
John Brown were appointed commits
tee to superintend the moving and the
rigging of the scythes. stephen Mark
teams and to see that fresh teams were
hitched up every few hours. 1t was
also decided by vote that every man
should plant his own potatoes and
seeds as he pleased. Almon Williams
was, by vote. appointed to oversee the
making of a coal pit. DR.. Richards adj
vised that no man should leave the
camp before he had attended 10 his
seeds and put them In the ground.
Geo. A. Smith recommended that the
men should gather out the dead tim-
her and leave the live timber stand
ing and TO use as little wood as pos
sihle for cooking About 1880 a. m.
the committee ON planting reported that
they had staked off a piece of fine
e,round--40 by 20 rods---for potatoes;
also suitable place for beans. corn
and buckwheat where the soil was
fertile. consisting of "fria BILE Joan
with fine gravel At IL o'clock. noon.
or about two hours after the arrival
of the pioneers on their new camp
ground on the banks OF City creek.
blowing was commenced short dis
lance northeast of the camp. three
plows having been rugged for that pur-
pose.
Thomas Bullock writes that at IL
o'clock the first furrow was turned by
Capt. Taft's company" but adds that
"TaSt's pillow broke He. however,
does not mention any other name.
From other Sources however, we learn
that VIM. Carter, Geo. W. Brown and
Shadrach Roundy took part in plow-
ing the first burrows ever made by
white men in tho valley OF the Great
Salt Lake. This blowing was done
where Main Street east Temple street,
now intersects First South street. or
directly In front of the present site OF
Goddess drug store. The soil was ex-
~1-- .irt, ~