Show 1 I In nth n t the h e Beg B Beginning e g inn I n n i n g 9 By B J. J Cecil cr Aller First Freighters A Utah population greater than the present city of Logan almost as as' many as now reside in m Provo transportation service in 1849 other than its own animals ani am- mals and wagons worn down and Ind out by the original journey over the mountains and nd later transformed transformed transformed trans trans- formed into farming equipment and uses Did 3 a man find it it imperative impera impera- tive to t take ke a trip back bark to the states he probably bly sought out others of the same desire until a sufficient number of men and animaLs animals animals ani ani- mals were available for mutual safety And ond to assure the accomplishment accomplishment o of their mutual aims Indeed with minor exceptions the Mormon church authorities on behalf of the people generally organized organized organized or or- the several companies and directed their movements While many Utah men thus returned to the states in empty wagons on horseback or afoot to fetch merchandise mer- mer chandise machinery machiner implements and assist with the emigration perhaps per per- haps only one woman the wife of a dissenter is definitely known to have ever faced the cruel trail the second time and returned from Utah in the first few years Cargo From rom St. St Louis But let us see cee what the pioneers pioneers pioneers pio pio- themselves said and did about their transportation needs and Md about launching the first public carrying company compan earliest operator operator operator oper oper- ator as legitimate predecessor of or orthe the Union ilic system The season a of 1849 ISH was an epoch marker in western transportation for in that season the population of Utah S was wa-s' nearly doubled and nearly twice the gross Utah population continued westward to California That year for the first time freighting freight ing and passenger hauling companies companies compa compa- nies ales were organized and trains set forth laden with other peoples people's goods and with public passengers Elder William Hyde relates that was he appointed to the charge of a atrain atrain atrain train of 63 wagons carrying be be- forty and Wt fifty tons Ions of merchandise merchandise merchandise mer mer- chandise for Livingston Li and Kinkade Kin- Kin kade which moved from St St. Louis Bj By the thc time this and other trains p plans ans were pretty well defined 1 and the problems understood under under- stood tood President BrIgham Young counseled the brethren on October 2 1849 1841 to gather money mOley for purchasing pur pur- i chasing chasin and transporting d disc c from the thc state stale and a little UlUe later proposed that a passenger I train be started both ways between between be be- tween Salt Lake City and the Missouri river The proposition was accordingly introduced October October Octo Octo- b ber r C 6 6 1849 to organize a carrying company compan as proposed by President President President dent Young Sales Argument Published In November 1849 John Taylor reported to the Frontier Guardian Shadrach Roundy M. M Grant Abraham O. O Smoot and md others have associated for forthe the purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose o of forming a carrying company com corn pany to carry goods from this place Kanesville or Council Bluffs Iowa to the valley They also intend establishing a Swift Swift- sure Passenger Line to convey persons from front this place to Sutter's Suiter's Fort The company compan were selected and organized by the government of the state stale of or Deseret Part of their heir number are in the valley part of or them here and part of them are going to the Pacific coast And as their location and knowledge of the route at affords them a facility of or obtaining horses mules and so forth to with and as they are arc men of energy enterprise and respectability they are more competent to carry out an enterprise of or this kind and to establish a cheap speedy and safe sale conveyance to and from the dig dig- dings than any company that could be bc organized on this side of or orthe the plains On December 26 1849 a n prospectus prospectus prospectus pros pros- of the Great Salt Lake issued by Sh Shadrach drach Roundy Jedediah Jede- Jede diah M. M Grant John S. S Fullmer George D. D Grant and Russell Homer proposing to run passenger and freight trains from the Missouri Missouri Missouri Mis Mis- river to the California gold regions by way of Great Salt SaU Lake J City The following advantages were set et forth in the document The company compan possesses fac facilities that few at present avail themselves themselves themselves them them- selves of ot owing to their peculiar situation or 01 loc location tion Living as most of them do in the vall valley C of the Great Salt Lake they can em canby canby by active exertion obtain fresh supplies of anim animals to aid in the enterprise e they trust to the full fuU fulland fulland and entire satisfaction o of all con con- Two or more of ot the firm will remain In the valley to see that suitable horses or mules arcon are arc on hand to aid the line when it sh shall require their assistance from the valley to Sutter's Suiter's Fort Terms For p passengers to fort in adv advance mc and in Great Salt Lake City For hauling goods to Great Salt Lake valley 1250 per hundred pounds or a ton two-thirds two to 10 be paid In advance ad The public was in informed for m e d through the frontier newspapers and by circulars especially those who were desirous of going Jo 10 o or sending goods or packages to the Great Basin or to 10 the valley of the Sacramento that the company would be prepared to them Our passenger and freight trains will both leave as early in the spring of 1850 as there will be sufficient grass on the plains to sustain the animals one circular read in part Light wagons wa wa- wa gons will be used and so arranged as to three passengers each and the driver Including po pounds of ot baggage to a person this comprises all all their eatables clothing bedding firearms and so forth The company assures passengers gers gem they can in m the valley with everything needful groceries exempted excepted The point chosen to start from is the Missouri Mis Mis- river 18 miles from anes- anes miles below the mouth ville mc two of the Platte They would travel on the south side of the Platte under the direction of one or re mo-re more of the proprietors to each organ- organ is intended to permanent and sure from year to year car until the great national railroad shall super supersede ede its Hs n necessity Ozone an and Scenery ry Though companies and outfits had broken down and aDd suffered heavy losses th the promoters pointed out that all nil had been amply compensated compensated com corn p by the improved state of otheir their health owing to the mountain moun noun tain air pure cold water with change of diet and scenery thus fitting them splendidly for digging gold from the thc mines in n California Yet we do not want anyone to think that it is a play spell to cross the mountains Each wagon waon wa wa- cagon ca for lor the gon on designed fine line e will vill be drawn by four horses or mules with a sufficient number of loose animals as a reserve in inC incase incase C case le of n accident or failure Wagons with merchandise will will be drawn by oxen Tho Those c wishing a through ticket will vill do well to s secure ure it by br the first of April S |