History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

GENERAL EPISTLE OF THE TWELVE. 417
work righteousness, and come home speedily. Prepare
against another season to come by tens of thousands;
and think not that your way is going to be
opened to come in chariots, feasting on the fat of all
lands. We have been willing to live on bread and
water, and many times very little bread too, for years,
that we might search out and plant the saints in a
goodly land. This we have accomplished, through
the blessing of our heavenly father; and we now in-
vite you to a feast of fat things, to a land that will
supply all your wants with reasonable labor; therefore
let all who can procure a bit of bread, and one
garment on their back, be assured there is water
plenty and pure by the way, and doubt no longer, but
come next year to the place of gathering, and even in
flocks, as doves fly to their windows before a storm."
These words were repeated by hundreds of elders
throughout the United Kingdom, and no second invitation
was needed. Men offered themselves by thou-
sands, begging for passage to the land of the saints,
promising to walk the entire way from St Louis to
Salt Lake City, and to assist in hauling the provisions
and baggage. To meet this demand, it was determined
to despatch emigrants for the ensuing season
at the low rate of £10 sterling per capita for the entire
journey, 49 including provisions, and nearly one
thousand persons availed themselves of the opportunity.
There were now four classes of emigrants:
first, those assisted from the fund by order from Salt
Lake City; second, assisted emigrants selected in
Great Britain; third, the £10 emigrants; fourth, emigrants
who paid all their own expenses and sent forward
money to procure teams. 50 The entire outlay
i9 Linforth's Route from Liverpool, 12. In the Millennial Star, xv. 618, is
a notice that the first ship of the season would sail early in Jan. 1S53. Each
application must be accompanied by a statement of the name, age, occupation,
and nativity of the applicant, and by a deposit of £1. Parties were to
provide their own bedding and cooking utensils. Richards, Narr., MS., 32,
remarks that vessels from New Orleans could be chartered at low rates, as
they could seldom obtain return freight.
50 At this date the price of a team, including wagon, two yoke of oxen, and
two milch cows, was about £40. Linforth's Route from Liverpool* 12.
Hist. Utah 27