Page:History of Utah.djvu/339



(lent and others of the church dignitaries worked in- defatigably with their people, carrying mortar and making adobes, hauling timber and sawing it. There w^ere but 450 log cabins within the stockade, and one thousand more well-filled wagons had arrived this season.

A county government was organized, and John D. Barker elected sheriff, Isaac Clark judge of probate, and Evan M. Green recorder and treasurer. ^^ Two hunting companies in December were formed, under the leadership of John D. Lee and John Pack, for the extermination of wild beasts. There were eighty- four men in all, and their efforts were successful.^* From the 1st of December until the end of February there were heavy snow-storms. On the coldest day the mercury fell below zero,^^ and on the warmest marked 21° of Fahrenheit. On account of the snow in the canons it was difficult to bring in the necessary fuel. As the previous winter had been warm, the settlers were unprepared for such cold weather, and there was much suffering. ^^

^^ ' George Conlson, Andrew H. Perkins, and David D. Yearsley, county commissioners; James Sloan, district clerk; Jacob G. Bigler, William Snovr, Levi Bracken, and J onatlian C. Wright, magistrates.' Hist. B. Young, MS., 77.

36 « n^[^Q tvvo hunting companies organized last Dec. report that they have killed 2 bears, 2 wolverenes, 2 wild-cats, 7S3 wolves, 409 foxes, 31 minks, 9 eagles, 530 magpies, hawks, and owls, and 1,C26 ravens.' Mist. B. Young, MS., March 1849.

" ' To 33° below freezing-point on Feb. 5th. ' General Epistle of the Twelve, in Fronti'-r Guardian, May 30, 1849.

^^ 'At Fort Briilger the winter had been unusually severe, and the traders, it was reported, had suffered almost starvation.' It was resolved that no corn should be made iuto whiskey, and that if any man was preparing to distil corn into whiskey or alcohol, the com should be taken and given to the poor. Hist. B. Youwj, MS., 1849, 4.