History of Salt Lake City, Part 146

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194

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HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

already on the ground, and the balance is lying at the railroad depot in Park City. The engine was manufactured by I. P. Morris, Philadelphia, is of 2,500 horse-power, and, it is estimated, will hoist 2,000 gallons of water per minute from a depth of 1,800 feet. There is no larger pump en- gine in any mine on the Pacific Coast. The other masonry and machinery at No. 3 shaft corres- pond in size, capacity and ability to the above, and the whole will make not only the most complete but the largest work of the kind in the United States."

RICHARD B. MARGETTS.

A sketch of the life of the late Richard B. Mirgetts, as related to the early industries of our city and Territory," was given in Chapter LXXX, but further notes may be made of the later efforts of his busy life.

In 1871, Mr. Margetts gradually worked out of the tanning business and established a brewery on the premises formerly occupied by his tannery. For the next three years his means and atten- tion were divided between brewing and mining. After spending several thousands of dollars in trying to develop silver mines, he gave that up; but being satisfied that coal and iron would yet be the foundation of lasting wealth for Utah, he thenceforth devoted his efforts and means in the" de- velopment of those interests. At the time of the disorganization of the Salt Lake Foundry Com- pany, through a law suit between Thomas Pierpont and his partners, Mr. Richard B. Margetts, Philip Pugsley and others came to the help and the company was re organized under the name of the Salt Lake Foundry and Machine Company. Richard B. Margetts was president ; Elias Morris, vice-president ; P. Pugsley, secretary and treasurer; directors, William White, William Howard, Thomas Pierpont, and G. F. Culmer, Pierpont superintendent of the works.

Richard B. Margetts and Philip Pugsley also purchased coal lands of the Government in Pleas- ant Valley and patented it. At the onset there were associated with them W. S. Godbe and others, who, however, went out of the concern, leaving the coal claims in Pleasant Valley to Mar- getts and Pugsley. Under Pugsley's direction the first coke ovens were built and started up. The Coke was brought to the city and sold to the smelters. Margetts and Pugsley next agitated the question of the iron and coal enterprises in the Salt Lake Herald. Their project was digested by both but the communications were in the name of Richard B. Margetts. A few extracts will illus- trate their projects. He wrote :

"It is a very remarkable thing that there is scarcely one industry in this Territory that is worked upon the natural productions of the country. True, we have our foundries and machine shops, our blacksmiths and wagon makers, and various other industries in our midst, but the material they work on is mostly imported.

" To come to the point: The first question to be asked in this case is, what stands in the way and where is the hindrance to the development of our home industries? The answer flashes back like lightning-the lack of cheap fuel ! We have abundance of the raw material. We have at hand very large deposits, I might say mountains, of rich iron ore carrying from 40 to 65 per cent. of metallic iron ; we have very large deposits of good coal, suitable for all purposes, right in this Ter- ritory, and much better than that imported ; we have a railroad running directly to the coal beds; this coal can be put on the cars at say 75c. or $1 per ton ; the cars will run at least fifty miles of the distance without a puff of steam, and yet we lack cheap fuel. The question arises, why is this? The answer is very plain, and will be understood by all-tlie railroad companies own coal land ; other parties own coal land also, containing as good coal as that owned by'the railroad companies, and in some cases easier of access, but the railroad companies are not common carriers and will not transport coal over their roads for other parties, hence all competition is shut off. The only alterna- tive is to pay the price demanded, or go without and "grin and bear it." I do not hesitate to say if we could get a good quality of coal put down in this city, or the nearest point to iron ore, at a

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reasonable price, iron smelling would be commenced, and when started on a proper basis who can form any idea how it would extend ? and then would start up many other industries equally depen- dent for success on cheap fuel.

The only way to accomplish this is to build a railroad of our own from this city to the coal fields of Pleasant Valley. Experience has taught us that no private enterprise of this kind can be long held in the interests of the people, and it appears to me the only way to obtain relief from the burdens we are now oppressed with, is for Salt Lake City to obtain a special grant from the Legislature to build a railroad and issue bonds for the construction of the same ; then run the road for all parties, not so much for large profits, but for the benefit of the people ; it would require very little, if any, extra taxation to pay the interest on the bonds. If any were necessary it would only be during the construction of the road, and who would not gladly respond to a demand of that kind, when the benefits to be derived therefrom are understood ?"

The partners, however, were not able to accomplish this public enterprise, and Richard B. Margetts dying during their efforts, the Pleasant Valley coal claims were sold by Pugsley to the Utah Central directors for $33,900, in behalf of himself and the heirs of his late partner.

Mr. Margetts also contemplated establishing chemical works on an extensive scale, supersed- ing his brewery, but death also interrupted this and other laudable designs which occupied his ac- tive industrial mind to the end of his mortal career,

Mr. Richard B. Margetts died at his residence in the Nineteenth Ward, March Ist, 1881. He was born at Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, on the Ist of February, 1823. His disease was a fibrous tumor in his stomach, which made its appearance a long time previous to his demise but was not at all painful till within about four or five months of his death. He was buried on the 3d of March, Bishop R. V. Morris of the Nineteenth Ward, directing the services, which were attended by a very large company of the relatives and friends. Professor E. Beesley of the Tabernacle choir, on this occasion led the Nineteenth Ward choir ; Elder George Romney offered prayer; President Angus M. Cannon and Bishops Morris, R. T. Burton, and George Dunford delivered the funeral addresses, and Bishop L. W. Hardy pronounced the benediction. One of the most exten- sive corteges ever seen in this city followed the remains to the last resting place in the cemetery, where President H. S. Eldredge offered the dedicatory prayer. Gentiles and Mormons alike were present, and thus was the memory of the life and works of the late Richard B. Margetts honored by all classes of our citizens.

PHILIP PUGSLEY.

The early portion of the life and activities of Mr. Philip Pugsley, down to the date of 1865, has already been sketched in chapter LXXX on our home industries, from which date the following is the supplement :

In 1865 Philip Pugsley was sent to the Sandwich Islands, by President Young, to investigate the propriety of starting a tannery there, to be worked by the native Mormons, but he found it not practicable or promising and so reported. He traveled over the Islands, visited Kalakaua Bay, saw the spot where Captain Cook was massacred and wrote his name on the stump of the cocoanut tree -covered with copper by a sailor-on which visitors write their names in honor of the great voy- ager who " sailed round the world three times " and then was massacred by the natives of the Sandwich Islands.

. Pugsley returned from the Islands and arrived home in October, 1855, and again turned his attention to home manufacturing industries In 1867 Randall, Pugsley & Co. built a woolen fac- tory, near the mouth of Ogden Canyon, of rock, at a cost of $60,000. They commenced the man- ufacture of linseys, jeans, cassimeres and all kinds of domestic goods. The water right was bought of Lorin Farr for $6,000; Lorin Farr and W. C. Neal were the Co .; Randall was the man- aging partner for awhile, but James Whitehead was the practical man in charge of the factory. Pugsley put into the concern $20.000; and with President Young, R. T. Burton and Abraham O.

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Smoot he may be classed in the industrial list as one of the first importers of woolen machinery into our Territory. Randall continued with the firm about four years, after which the firm became Pugsley, Farr & Neal, by whom the concern is still owned.

Our enterprising citizen has also been largely identified with the Utah iron and coal interests, About eleven years ago he bought out the Salt Lake Foundry from the New York company and organized a new company, with George Atwood, William Howard, Philip Pugsley, George W. Thatcher, John W. Young. R. J. Golding, and Albert Dewey as the incorporation. William Howard was president; George Atwood, vice-president ; Philip Pugsley, treasurer and secretary ; William Silver, superintendent and manager.

Having this industry in view Pugsley went to Iron City, Iron County, and bought $76,000 worth of stock in the Great Western Iron Co. For the foundry he purchased the first iron made in the company's works -- about 400 tons. This company tried to get the privilege of making the water pipes for the city but did not succeed, and finally failed for the want ,of public patronage necessary for so vast an undertaking.

As noted in the forgoing sketch of Mr. Margetts, Mr. Pugsley and others next reorganized the Salt Lake Foundry and Machine Company, and with Mr. R. B. Margetts he purchased coal lands of the government in Pleasant Valley. The account of their joint enterprises are recorded in the foregoing, including the sale of the Pleasant Valley coal claims to the Utah Central directors for $33,000 in behalf of himself and the heirs of his late partner.

There have been numerous other interests of the industrial and manufacturing class in which Mr. Pugsley has invested his money. After the move south he purchased the flouring mill in the Nineteenth Ward, originally known as Old Samuel Snyder's flour mill, which has been running ever since. About fifteen years ago he added a salt mill to it, which has ground in a year as high as 900,000 pounds of salt brought from the Great Salt Lake. It has ground nearly all the fine table salt used in the country. A few years ago he also helped to start a soap factory, of which Pugsley, Snell and R. T. Burton were the principals, Burton being president of the company and Pugsley's son superintendent of the soap works. In fine as recorded in the chapter on home industries, Philip Pugsley, since his arrival in Salt Lake City in 1853, has been one of the foremost men in developing those home industries ; and therefore, he is entitled to be classed in our history as one of Salt Lake City's representative men.

JUDGE SMITH.

Elias Smith, the chief and best representative of the Mormon jurisprudence in the history of Utah, is the first cousin of the Prophet and founder of the Mormon Church. His father Asahel Smith, was one of seven brothers-namely : Jesse, Joseph, Asahel, Silas, John and Stephen. There were also four sisters-Priscilla, Mary, Susannah and Sarah. His grandfather's name was also Asahel. The Judge has some leaves of a geneological record in his grandfather's handwriting, quite a hundred years old, in which he traces the Smith line back in America to 1665, giving names, births, marriages, deaths, etc., so that the family which gave birth to the founder of the Mormon Church were among the founders of the American nation itself.

Grandfather Asahel Smith married Mary Duty, of Irish descent, daughter of Moses and Mary Duty of Essex County, Massachusetts. Father Asahel Smith married Betsy Schellenger, of Dutch descent. Her ancesters were among the first settlers of New Amsterdam-afterwards named New York. Grandfather Abraham Schellenger was born on Long Island.

Judge Elias Smith, of Utah, was born September 6th, 1804, in Royalton, Windsor County, Vermont, near Sharon, where his cousin, the Prophet was born. In 1809 his father emigrated to the town of Stockholm, St. Lawrence County, New York. There Elias was raised in the wilder- ness, with but few opportunities for schooling. Most of his knowledge was acquired by observa- tion and " study without a master." In his youth he assisted his father in clearing the wilderness and making a farm. After he was twenty-one years of age he entered public life and held various offices of trust in the new town, Stockholm. He also taught school several terms.

The announcement of the mission of the Prophet and the rapid growth and strange career of

E.Smith

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the " Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints " very naturally drew into the faith several of the Smith family. The famous apostle, George A. Smith, who was decidedly one of the very greatest men of the Mormon dispensation' was a missionary of the Church at the age of 16, but his elder cousin Elias was 3r years of age when he embraced the faith. His mind was well matured, for he had already been ten years in public life.

Soon after the Prophet had his remarkable visions which resulted in the raising up of the great Latter-day Church, he communicated with his uncles Asahel, Samuel, Silas and John, all of whom lived in the same neighborhood. After the organization of the Church Uncle Joseph Smith, first Patriarch of the Church, with his son Don Carlos, paid the families of his brothers a visit in August. 1830, and brought them the Book of Mormon. They all believed it pretty much, but none of them were baptized till 1835, excepting Uncle John Smith, afterwards the Patriarch of the Church and father of the Apostle George A. Uncle John was baptized on the 9th of January, 1832, and started for Kirtland on the Ist of May, 1833.

In 1835, in the month of June, Hyrum Smith and David Whitmer came into the neighbor- hood, and the families of Asahel and Silas were baptized, most of them on the first day of July. but Elias was not baptized until August 27th, 1835, his cousin Hyrum administering ; the next morning he was ordained an elder.

In the town and neighborhood of Stockholm they raised up a branch of the Church, and in May, 1836, the two families of the Smiths before named, with their converts, making quite a little company, started for Kirtland, Ohio. The company took steamer at Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County, and sailed up the St. Lawrence River to Rochester, where a portion of the company dis- embarked, at the mouth of the Genesee River, on account of the boat being so loaded, one part of the company, including the brothers Asahel and Silas, continuing by land, while the other part un- der Elias, came from Buffalo by steamer, where he landed the company of Saints bound for Kirt. land. With him was his grandmother, aged 93 years During the landing of the company, he sat her on the wharf to give her fresh air, but a shower coming on, he sought a public house near by for a room for her during the night, but was refused ; whereupon he went to a hotel on the same block, and was cordially treated. While he was taking his grandmother to the hotel, Joseph, the Prophet, his brother Hyrum and T. G. Williams from Kirtland, came down to the wharf to meet them. They followed to the hotel, and Joseph and Hyrum went into the room to see their grandmother, but would not make themselves known that night. They left their grandmother there for the night in comfortable quarters, and with their cousin Elias returned to Kirtland, in the midst of the storm, arriving very late. Next morning they took carriage and drove down for their grandmother, while Elias hired teams and went down to the emigrants, whom he had sheltered for the night in a warehouse.

The meeting between the grandmother and her prophet descendant and his brother was most touching ; Joseph blessed her and said she was the most honored woman on earth. She had de- sired to see all her children and grandchildren before she died, which, with one exception was prov- identially granted her, and she passed away contented. Mary Duty Smith arrived in Kirtland on the 17th of May, 1836, died on the 27th, aged 93, and was buried near the Kirtland Temple.

Elias Smith and his cousin Joseph had not seen each other since they played together when small boys until they met at the hotel at Fairport.

In 1837-8 Elias Smith taught school at Kirtland ; but in the latter part of 1837 the great apos- tacy occurred at Kirtland, when several of the original Twelve and two of the witnesses ot the Book of Mormon-Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer-sought to divide the Church. The Prophet, his brother Hyrum, Sidney Rig lon , Brigham Young, and others of the leaders fled from Kirtland to save their lives, while a company of over six hundred of the faithful was organized to follow them to Far West. The company was under seven captains, namely: James Foster, Josiah Butterfield, Zera Pulsipher, Joseph Young, Henry Herriman, Elias Smith and B. S. Wilder. The company was principally organized and sustained by the Seventies, of whom Elias Smith was at this time secretary. They undertook the removal of this part of the Church from Kirtland to Mis- souri ; and it was done greatly on the co-operative plan. Not having sufficient means to get through the company stopped on their way and took a big job on the Springfield and Drayton turnpike. They left Kirtland on the 5th or 6th of July and arrived at Far West on the ad of October. From Far West they went to Adam-Ondi-Ahman, where they disbanded.

But scarcely had the company disbanded when the exterminating army of Governor Boggs, un- der Generals Lucas and Clark, marched upon Far West to drive the Mormons en masse out of Missouri. The brethren nobly took up arms to defend their people, as massacres and extermination

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threatened the whole, from the Prophet leader down to their last born babe. Already, before the fall of Far West, had occurred the horrible massacre at Haun's Mill, where men, women and chil- dren were actually butchered by the mob. ,. During the dreadful scenes of the extermination of the Saints many were wounded and murdered and several women were ravished to death. That the defenders would have fought heroically in defence of their people is certain, but they were , be- trayed by their own commander into the hands of General Lucas.

1." I saw, " says . Brigham, ‘, Brother Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman Wight and George, W. Robinson delivered up by Colonel, Hinkle to General Lucas, but expected that they would have returned to the city that evening or the next morning, according to agreement and the pledge of the sacred honor of the officers that they should be allowed to do so, but they did not so return. The next morning General Lucas demanded and took away the arms of the militia of Caldwell County, assuring them they should be protected ; but as soon as they obtained possession of the arms, they commenced their ravages by plundering the citizens of their bedding, clothing, money, wearing apparel, and everything of value they could lay their hands upon, and also attempted to violate the chastity of the women in the presence of their husbands and friends. The soldiers shot down our oxen, cows, hogs and fowls, at our own doors, taking part away and leaving the rest to rot in the street. They also turned their horses in our fields of corn."

At this time General Clark delivered his noted speech, in which he said : " You need not ex- pect any mercy, but extermination, for I am determined that the Governor's orders shall be executed.

"As for your leaders, do not think, do not imagine for a moment, do not let it enter your minds that they will be delivered and restored to you again, for their fate is fixed, the die is cast, their doom is sealed.

" I would advise you to scatter abroad, and never again organize yourselves with bishops, priests, etc., lest you excite the jealousies of the people, and subject yourselves to the same calami- ties that have now come upon you."

Judge Elias Smith was present at the time when the speech was delivered, and when fifty-seven of their brethren were betrayed into the hands of the enemy as prisoners.

General Clark told the Mormons that they must not be seen as many as five together. " If you are," said he, "the citizens will be upon you and destroy you ; but you should flee immediately out of the State. . There is no alternative for you but to flee ; you need not expect any redress; there is none for you " :

Elias Smith was one of those defenders of Far West, who were forced to give up, their arms, and one of the Committee chosen to effect the removal of the Saints from Missouri into Illinois. After the exterminating address to them of General Clark, a meeting was held at Far West, January .26th, 1839, to devise plans for the removal. The meeting was called to order by Don C. Smith ; and on motion, John Smith was unanimously called to the chair, and Elias Smith appointed secre- tary. Several gentlemen addressed the meeting on the subject of the removal of the Saints from that State; and the following committee were appointed to formulate the initial plans, namely : John Taylor, Alanson Ripley, Brigham Young, Theodore Turley, Heber C. Kimball, John Smith and Don C. Smith. On the 29th of January, the brethren met according to adjournment, when John Smith was again called to the chair, and Elias Smith appointed secretary.

." On motion of President Brigham Young, it was resolved that we this day enter into a cove- nant to stand by and assist each other to the utmost of our abilities in removing from this State, and that we will never desert the poor who are worthy, till they shall be out of the reach of the ex- terminating order of General Clark, acting for and in the name of the State.

"After an expression of sentiments by several who addressed the meeting on the propriety of taking efficient means to remove the poor from the State, it was resolved that a committee of seven be appointed to superintend the business of our removal, and to provide for those who have not the means of moving, till the work shall be completed.

" The following were then appointed, viz : William Huntington, Chas. Bird, Alanson Rip- ley, Theodore Turley, D) miel Shearer, Shadrach Roundy and Jonathan H. Hale.

" Resolved, That the secretary draft an instrument expressive of the sense of the covenant en- tered into this day, by those present, and that those who are willing to subscribe to the covenant should do it, that their names might be known, which will enable the committee more judiciously to carry their business into effect. The instrument was accordingly drawn, and by vote of the meeting the secretary attached the names of those who were willing to subscribe to it. .

" We, whose names are hereunder written, do each for ourselves individually hereby cove-

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nant to stand by and assist each other to the utmost of our abilities in re.noving from this State in compliance with the authority of the State ; and do hereby acknowledge ourselves firmly bound to the extent of all our available property, to be disposed of by a committee who shall be appointed for that purpose, for providing means for the removing of the poor and destitute who shall be considered worthy, from this country till there shall not be one left who desires to remove from the State; with this proviso, that no individual shall be deprived of the right of the disposal of his own property for the'above purpose, or of having the control of it, or so much of it as shall be necessary for the re- moving of his own family, and to be entitled to the overplus, after the work is effected ; and further- more," said committee shall give receipts for all property, and an account of the expenditure of the same."

The committee who had been appointed for removing the poor from the State of Missouri, namely :' William Huntington, Charles Bird, Alanson Ripley, Theodore Turley, Daniel Shearer, Shadrach Roundy and Jonathan H. Hale, met in the evening of that day at the house of Theodorc Turley, and organized by appointing William Huntington chairman, Daniel Shearer treasurer, and Alanson Ripley clerk, and made some arrangements for carrying the business of removing the poor, into operation. President Brigham Young, got eighty subscribers to the covenant the first day, and three hundred the second day.

"Thursday, 3Ist. Mr. Turner's bill of the 16th instant, passed the Senate. I sent the poor brethren a hundred dollar bill, from jail to assist them in their distressed situation.

. .

"Friday, February Ist. The committee met according to adjournment at the house of Theodore Turley ; John Smith was present and acted as chairman, and Elias Smith as secretary, The meet- ing was called to order by the chairman.

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History of Salt Lake City, Part 146

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194