1860-05-01-Underwriter
Arrival of Mormon Saints, The Mountaineer
Arrival of Mormon Saints, The Mountaineer, 2 June 1860, p.163. (source listed - N. York Herald)
On Tuesday last, however, an arrival of more than ordinary interest took place, in the shape of the ship Underwriter, Captain Roberts, with a living freight of five hundred and ninety-four Mormon emigrants, en route for Utah; and in view of the interest which necessarily attaches to the movements of such a body of people, united in a single object, who have left their homes across the water, sundered the associations with bound them there to relatives and friends; sacrificed the pleasures and privileges of the time honored customs of their own country, and undertaken a journey eight thousand miles in length, to participate in a social, political and religious experiment unparalleled in the history of mankind, we give below an account of a visit paid to them yesterday, by one of our reporters, and some particulars which will probably prove new to the majority of our readers.
Arriving at Castle Garden, about three o'clock in the afternoon, we found that the Underwriter had discharged her cargo, and that a majority of the emigrants had been transferred to the steamer New World, of the New York and Albany line, preparatory to leaving the city on their long Western tour. One or two hundred however, remained for the moment in the rotunda, under the direction of Brother George Q. Cannon, the president of the Church of the Eastern and Middle States, who was busy in perfecting the arrangements and providing for the thousand and one details incident to an occasion of the kind devolving upon him as superintendent of the arrival and departure of Mormon emigrants. From this gentleman we learned that the present shipload is the largest which has arrived at this port since last May, when the ship William Tapscott landed seven hundred and twenty-five passengers. ...
Diary of Henry James Harrison
Harrison, Henry James. Diary, 1860 Mar-Jul. Ms 1472, pp.38,41,43,45,47,49,51,54; Acc. #18058] (CHL)
May 1. Rather damp morning and everyone busy packing up their luggage ready for landing. We got on board the tug at 12 o'clock for New York and landed at Castle Garden between 1 and 2 o'clock. We all felt cheerful to think we are on land again the end of the ship journey to New York to Castle Garden and to Florence. We have to give our names &c at the office in the Garden. We do all appreciate the bread again after having none so long. We had a walk in New York and it was very muddy in the town but there was some beautiful buildings. We have got to learn to understand the American money & coins. We had to all sleep in the Castle Garden on the floor except a few that went out in the town to sleep which was very hard to sleep on the floor &c.
May 2. Uncomfortable through the day and I went out in the town in the morning. The town was very wet through the day and I got every wet myself and in the afternoon a shifting luggage and I got very warm and I felt rather ill. We started for Albany at 6 o'clock in the evening and traveled all night. I slept very well considering it was on the luggage. I woke up early in the morning May 3 we had a beautiful ride up the river we to Albany at about 1/2 past 7 o'clock it was pleasant coming up the river to Albany is a very nice looking place. ...
