DIARY NOTES AFTER RETURNING FROM MISSION TO ENGLAND
The next three months I was at home and yet could not be seen for fear of being arrested. Part of the time I worked on the Railway then being built by the D & R G through Sanpete Co about 8 weeks. I was on the mountains East sawing timber first for Nielsen boys then later for George Tucker in which I earned some 88 dollars. Not feeling satisfied with this kind of life I determined to move to Mexico. At noon of the 25th of November 1890 left Fairview in company with Arthur and Otis arrived at Thistle at 9 PM. Had a pleasant evening with cousin R W Westwood sold him my rocky sage brush claim in his homestead for 10 dollars. Left Thistle at 12:25 arrived at Grand Junction at 9:30 A.M.
The country so far is very uninviting but as we approach the mountains it is more pleasant. Glenwood Springs where we eat dinner is a very pretty place. Then we pass up Grand Canyon the granite walls towering up 2000 feet, Eat supper at Leadbury, at Spikebuk we were switched off to let another train pass we waited for her two hours after she passed we pulled out and run about ¾ of a mile when we met No 8 coming up at full speed. Both engines were jammed up together our tender and first baggage car was telescoped. The cars of the other train were worse used than ours were. No 8 was a narrow gauge. Our long delay was very annoying as I would miss my connection at Pueblo I was engaged in silent prayer when the wreck occurred and was asking that the result might be to my benefit. When I saw so many cars wrecked and scarcely anyone hurt I thought we had had a marvelous escape arrive at Pueblo 2:20 PM where the company gave us a free dinner at the Union Depot Hotel. Pueblo is a business town. Left Pueblo 5:30 arrive at LaJunta about 7 PM got a good nights rest at the National Hotel Atchinson Topeka and Santa Fe being late it was 11 A M before leaving. We run fast but stop often and long. St El Moro and Trinidad are extensive coal mines. Here we commence climbing the Raton Mountains. We go through a tunnel at the top and enter into New Mexico slept some during the night.
29 November 1890 at daybreak we were on the Rio Grand arrive at Deming about 4 in the afternoon.
30 Sunday have taken a heavy cold feel sore.
1st December 1890 spend the day in examining goods and prices
2 Started about noon with Bro Jackson for Diaz camped on the desert Coyotes howling all night close to us.
3 Drove nearly to the Mexican line
4 Drove into Mexico about 7 AM nooned at guard quarters on the Boco Grand 8 miles farther and camped.
5 Arrived at Diaz about 7 P M stayed with M M Sanders
6 Went over to La Assension to pass Custom Office
7 Sunday spent forenoon at F G Williams attended meeting in the afternoon spoke 30 minutes freely, wrote letter to P H Hurst
8 With M M Sanders examined some lands and later visited President Teasdale
9 Rode over the river and find the land of excellent quality but not enough water.
10 Went up the river with M M Sanders he got a load of corn and 3 oxen at Franc__ ranch. It is no wonder the Mexicans farm poorly their plows are but a block of wood with an iron point their ox yokes but strands of sticks.
11 Rained heavy did little but watch them kill two cows for beef.
12 Went over to Acords helped them kill 4 hogs. Had quite a sick spell vomiting often with much pain caused I believe by eating 4 castor beans.
13 Went with Rowley and Hays to the western hills
14 Sunday wrote letters home attended meeting
15 Went with Brown and Beck towards Cassa Grande
16 Camped at night on the new townsite of Dublan cold wind from the East
17 Helped survey the townsite
18 Helped survey the route of Canal from the River Casas Grandes to the reservoir East of
19 & 20 continued taking levels. We noticed that part of the route was over the bed of canals which had been used centuries ago.
21 Sunday with James Mortensen visited the lands formed a good opinion of the land we _____purchased attended meeting preached my first sermon at Dublan on first principles of Gospel
22 Drove out on the dry beach toward Diaz
23 Our mules left us during the night got them about noon arrived at Diaz 6 P. M.
24 Raining got letters from Philip H Hurst that he and family had arrived at Deming and Arthur was expected with a car load of teams and; ____ get free lists of Sec Rourke. Started at 5 p.m. for Deming Bro M M Sanders loaned me a mule and cart drove 30 miles and camped alone on the Bocco Grandes.
25 Christmas arrived at Guard Quarters at 4 A.M. rested 3 hours drove 25 miles on to the desert and camped alone divided my canteen of water with my mule
26 Started at 4 A M breakfasted at 3 Windmills arrived at Deming at 12 o clock. Arthur had arrived and on the 30th our teams started south
31 Got our papers and caught up with _____teams about 8 P M
January 1, 1891 Crossed the line into ____Mexico
2 Passed the guard on the Bocca Grande drove late and arrived ____the Spiers
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