1860-05-11-New York Herald-Departure of Philadelphia Mormons for Salt Lake

Departure of Philadelphia Mormons for Salt Lake

New York Herald, 11 May 1860, p. 10

From: Philadelphia Ledger, 8 May 1860

Yesterday afternoon a crowd assembled at the depot of the Reading Railroad, at Broad and Callowhill streets, for the purpose of witnessing the departure of a large number of Mormons for the great haven of Mormon saints—Salt Lake City. The emigrants for that distant point numbered 250 adults, about one half of whom were females, and about eighty children, thirty of whom were required to pay half fare, the others being too small to deserve the notice of the ticket agent. Of the whole number, over fifty were natives of Philadelphia, but principally descendants of English, Swiss and Germans, and the remainder, with the exception of about twenty that arrived last week in New York from England, have been residents of this city for some time, and connected with the Conference which has its officers in this city. This Conference embraces the States of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and part of Connecticut, and connected with it is a saving fund, where the faithful, who have an eye on Utah, with a view of making it their abiding place, deposit their savings, until they accumulate a sufficient amount to take them out, and provide for their wants until they get into business. But few ever go until they have taken unto themselves a help mate, and never more than one, they say, leaving the question of a second or third wife to be decided after their settlement in the new country, and ascertaining their capabilities of taking care of a plurality of these household conveniences. Most of them acknowledged that it was hard work to take care of one wife in their present locality, and unless the land of the Prophets should be more abundant in the fat things of this earth, they should be adverse to making any more knots in Hymen's silken cord. The party that left yesterday were evidently a hard working people, and, judging by appearance, their lives have not been spent in the ways of the rich or prosperous. The women were evidently more to be sought after for their power to faithfully labor in household duties. They seemed to be indifferent about their departure, and moved about more with the spirit of those who were fully carrying out the Scriptural injunction, "Wives, obey your husbands." But here and there could be seen a countenance that plainly indicated that the separation from friends, home and a native city, was painful, not only to them but to relatives who had assembled to bid them a fond adieu. Many tears were shed, and the parting in some cases was distressing and tearful, even to the spectators, who felt no particular interest in the matter. One mother received a daguerrotype from a son, who, with his young wife, was about seeking a fortune in that far distant country, and another gave the agent money to buy little comforts for a daughter, whose tears and sobs told how agonizing was the parting. The men, as a general thing, did not exhibit much feeling, but acted and looked as if their condition could not be damaged by a flight to Utah. One man from Wilmington, Delaware, was about leaving, when an officer arrested him, he having left that city owning an individual $200. The friends were soon notified of the fact, and a few minutes before the train left the money was collected, and the Wilmington Mormon allowed to depart in peace. The emigrants are under the special charge of O. J. Merser, a German, and a resident of this city. His orders are supreme, and the emigrants are expected to obey them implicitly. The party are ticketed for Florence, Kansas, where some of them will remain, but a large majority of them will proceed direct to Utah.