"The Smelter", and Diary of Erastus Snow, transcription, undated

Typewritten copy of "The Smelter" by Will Brooks from 1963; documents from Nevada Law enforcement; and a typewritten copy of the diary of Erastus Snow. Includes notes from Juanita Brooks.

THE S:MELTER by Will Brooks 1963 Chief Mechanic and machine man, Samuel Adams, built a copper smelter near the Ice House west of St . George in the 1890 ' s , on Diagonal Street 0 They mined their copper ·ore at the Apex Mine in the West Mountains . The road down Main Street turned west around the south point of the Black Ridge , then south to Bloomington . Just before entering the town of Bloomington, the road turned west , going up a steep slope for about 12 miles to the mine . About 20 to 30 men were employed there . Mary Morris and May Br ooks ~arris ran the boarding house there . At times they had as high as 45 men working there . Strings of ore teams, 4 - horse outfits, hauled the ore to the smelter on this route . The Smelter was designed and built by Machinist, Samuel Adams , good citizens . This smelter furnished work for some 35 men . on the nearby hills above Dame roh Vall e y and up Cottonwoood or Flat , made many charcoal pits where they burned pinion pine to charcoal , also imported some hard coal . one of our They went Washington get A great many of the features were improvised . The fire was started in the round furnace, well covered with clay supported by Iron- had a blower ±kJCE through wiers into the furnace . A layer of wood or kindlings, then coal, then charcoal (later coke) then several inches of ore, keeping the heat high untiJ. the copper would melt. The side of the furnace was punctured through the clay , then a flow of molten lava poured out of this hole into the slag pots on wheels . It was hauled on the yard and allowed to cool , then dumped on the ground . Large buttons of the copper in the bottom of the slag pots weighing 150 to 400 pounds . It was hauled by teams to Milford, later to Modena onto the market . This was operated ;bout 7 years . Later it was abandoned and moved to the Santa Clara Creek at Shem. The road was changed from the Apex mine over the west mountain, down the Highway now 91 to Shem . The road went from Shem to the Meadow Valley wash, past Mart Larson & the Nelson ranches to the rail reed at Acoma 25 miles west of Modena . Not Practical , the wa~on road was all washed out and never repaired . No more copper smelting in Dixie, Ore is still mined at the Apex by Emerald Cox and hauled to the Murray Smelter~ I· T:FE SHELTER y Will Brookn 1963 lech::-1 i c e~ nd mac ine man , Samuel Ac aw~, buiJ t ci c per sme1 tcr Cllie nca · the Ic Rot r_e t1 est o St . George in ..,he 189oi s , on Dir gonal Street . he. mi ned their eop er ore ~t the , pex Mine in the \' 1est Mo mtains . J;hc rd n ~in Ptraet t rn- nest around the so•t point of the BlEck i ?_ft , then cortb to Bloovr in -ton . Just b or., -enter i ng the to1:m of 1loomin~ ton , 1 the road t1.rned west . going up a stee slo e for a ou t 1 2 1J1..iles to t he "1 ry 1•,orris and 1-fay -- ·:a.: :bks .tlna . ft bo 1. t 20 to 30 nen were mpl o e t here . .tiarris r !j the bo..,rdin. ho 1 se here . .At imes they had s high as 11-.:; men wo king there . Str::ng;o of ore teams • 4 - horse outfits , haul d the e re to the s~elts on t ·s route . "' ELMS t bu _Lt by l·iachini~ t , So.mu<~ The Sr1el ter \;!~ s dGsig?it::d ;. T is 1 e ter f'utni shed · r1 tifor. 6!">"10 35 lj(a h 1.· zens . ;'O0c) o'!'l ·Lif-l r, arby :"::.lls above D meron V~l1ey ~nt{ up Co4:tc • or-d or ? ~a : , rnt1de 11a:ny c.-..orc oal pi ts :tJhe:r . t _e y urned cl :1 .... Coal t also ir.1porte;d ""'ome h ~d. c 1. one of .:-,ur 'T:,ay . re1 t rfos llj_ng.i. on g et 1 · .he :i:i.re €-S start~d j r r;rea t 'l!e ny 0f' tne f . t.l tu. ff - "''.e:r .ir4p ovised . with clay s -p1;0I ·ed by ran- had a blo--. ·er the i~opnd f ·rn c~, ~- elJ e"" ·:ers into ·l:e :f.1:r·nnce . fl. 1ey~r of ,ocd .r l~iL:.'litig s , then co'"'l , i:h 11'1; , t he1 sev ,r::11 i n h0s c,f o:r-e , ,.,..e pin; tht"· he t ( a ter coke) b.iG- until the cc p .~r . . ,01,· t me-l t. ·... he side of t.he f tn ·n.scc 11as .,unct11red thrcur:}1. the clay , -~hen a i:l ·o v of , ..ol t n 1 a ~1a -po ired o ll t o · this hole ·--. rd and a:..lmrn d .fh ,u ls . It ao hau ed on th in1:o t ,e s u !'.l' ~ots t h coppf'r in the of tons 'b rg L . t,rou11d the n umpf.:d c thc!1 , t c ool 1i-LO :pounds . H:; vas ha 1 ... d by to 150 bin?, v;ei. ots a ... • the a tom bet te r m,s to :-1.ilf rd , l Hter to Vocle nr- nto '- . .;_ rl-:et . thet1 c 1 ,".?,rco,~1 t v·Hs e:-.m,ndone d ancl moved to Tl : P .. as t.•porrited ; buut ? years . Lvt r t ·:e f;antt1 Clc,ra C.ree at s~tem . The n;-,, z,, s chc•nrrc·d frorr. the A ex 1 !YI.in over t H? vrest m unt r' in , dC'wn ;ti e Hi p:h'"h y nn • J. ·r:o ~•hem .. Tl~ r r,£> c" E; n · frcr.1 tLe ! o1~ ,rt r~ nc. r) · s r0i::;., .. e r'.d.l 1·0· d 25 1 )5St ::~c r,tl 1 es t-e6t rt Lr·1-c•on ,-J'.f. never fe o:t Net F.~ cticaJ , t~ ~epo; recd was nl ·s still ~-cd at ~:e Cr in Dixie , No iror·~ cc ~ .iPX' E:""c:e l tira E1!ter9 d C 2' and lie led to the :."i, l" ay ;·r1.,,., tcr . N.._ re . ex y n. • ± NEVADA LAW ENFCRCEMENT Pritten by VJ ill Brooks 95--Nov . 20 , 1959 1 s related to him by Wm . H. Edwards , Perry Tuttle and George Sloan , accused horse thieves , lived in or near Pioche , Nevada . '.l'hey thought to be rustlers --getting horses all through that co u ntry , Pah ranegit Valley , Alamo , Hike , Eagle Valley , Rose V8 lley ,, Henry Rice ran ch , all through Lincoln County , Nevada . They had some horses coming to St . George en route to Kanab. Officers from Pioche called officers in St. George by telegran advising of the party . They were arrested in St . George . Nevada officers came after them . En routh back to Pioche , the Nevada of£icers shot and buried Tuttle and Sloan without trial near the south volcano in Dameron Valley . Wm . H. Edwards , 14 , was drivin the baggage wagon for Ed Syphus and George Syphus and others who were taking a herd (40 head) of tithing cattle from the bishops in Nevada to St George to be delivered to NcAllister ( J . T. D. ) Leaving the old Edwards ranch early morning for St . George, young Edwards driving the team , laid down in the bottom of the wagon box and let the team go . The team stopped and he jumped up . Looking over the spring seat through the front of the covered wagon saw a man by the side 0£ the horses . I said "Hello , Jim Pe ~rson, what do you want?" I knew ?im pearson well". (I,t ;. mipht have been Jim Pearce.) He said, "I want you to stop here ahd wait until we finish our job." I got out of the wagon and walked over to where they were digging, Two dead men were laying there . They threatened me , telling me to keep still . 11 Soon they had buried than and I was permitted to go ono ,.A . R . Whitehead Dia_!:_L__ pp . 33 . St . George, Utah September 26, 1878 •• • James Pearson started with Jerry Sloan and Tuttle, Horse Theives for Pioche September 27 • •• report come in that Sloan and Tuttle were both killed o •• • T :~v iJA LA. 1 i ·· (:;;. by ,l. •'( 'i 95--f;ov . 20, 195 o ~s ~- t- ni-r1 ·,.e la· e - ~. erry rr. s, 1 lived in h rses 11 t 1ra le Valley , County , .cvr do . ose t s cornin i en r.oute o Kancb . ffiecrs by tele >ran advi in of the Neved- offi ers c a e ev da officers shot and riec in th vo1c . 'ut 1 , ., dri ,,in t d ot'.ers lLo ,e e in l~evP-da Wo . H. D~meron V~l-ej . r;h E · rd (40 ~ed) of t"thin b, d Jivered to Leavin Ed ard and let over th by the a:i: t ?" rge , young w gon box u:p . Loo ~1np· job . n I Tvo <lea st · 1 . • H. Fd w.an They Soon the~ a ... cr1itte{ to"'oon . 11 I ; ·f" b rie than a .... ......,. .. ____ .., ........ ,.. ....,,,.~..... . ..- . . . . . . ....... .. i .r •¥ -; ptE.!'.! .: er 27 • ., • I'f!{'Ort C 11 : .:_n }: ' t s:.:_ n r l - :1\ t .;1..e •J l"f.: -~ kille • •• ' RECORD OF MILITARY ORG!NIZATION OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. Kay, 1864 , a meet ing was held in St. George under rict, to organ ize the ~ilit ia the direc tion of Col. Wm. H. DAme of Iron Mili tary Dist On Monday, the 9th day of of Washington County. r was reads After praye r by Apos tle Erast us Snow the follo wing lette Gr&at Salt Lake City, Col. u. T. Apr ils, 1864. j • H. Dame, Commanding Iron Milit ary Distr icta Dear Broth ers Dist ricts it is s in your You will hold must ers and inspe ction of arms of force nigh t and also deemed wisdom for each settle ment to keep a guard pastu res and range s, may not day, for the prese nt, that hous es, stabl es, corra ls, in the nigh t-tim e, nor the day be robbed; nor men, women, no~ child ren carri ed off is too late to heln it. time, and none but the suffe rers know of it unti l it and on hand to come to ln -. ~~iti on to the ~u~~d, the b~eth~An mu~t be ready tion or demu strat ion shoul d the rescu e at a .moment•s -n otice , whenever a host ile inten your appo intme nts and place s mani fest itsel f eithe r nigh t or day. Have, there fore, a quick movement in any of rende svou s, and every nece ssary arran geme nt made for ire. direc tion, as the emergency of the case may seem to requ eauip s with the n6ce ssary For this purpose you will not negle ct to have good horse rs selec ted, where you ment , wagons, or carri ages , with the team sters and drive notic e, and depend upon know that you can put your hand upon them at a moment•s ctly made, and not wait \heir ' go··ng . Let every arrangement be Quie tly but perfe sadd les, wagonhammers, 1inch till wante d, and then have to hunt up bulle t moulds, fact, and let all of these arPins, harne ss or anyth ing else, but be minute-men in r, witho ut blus ter or hurry rangements be made imme diate ly upon rece ipt of this lette . t • • • -2- • and and herei n fail not; to attra ct undue atten tion, but as a matte r of cours e, distr ict; number of men make due repo rt to me of the cond ition of thing s in your ,. You will also fill all you can rely on and -thei r equip ment s, ammunitions, etc. vale or death s, and thus so vacan cies in the Companies, arisi ng by reaso n or femo tar as poss ible, perfe ct the organ izatio n oC your command. and Kane Coun ties, it Owing to the large incre ase of settl ers in Washington part of v our ~ist rict, is consi dered best to ~ke the organ izatio n of that a tull and canp lete withi n itsel f as p~ss ible. d to the suita ble You will of vcour se coun sel with Broth er Snow in regar with him. nomi natio ns for offic es, and other wise aot in conc ert Very resp ectfu lly, Dani el H. Well s. The follo wing appo intme nts were madea- .. Dani el D. McArthur Angus 11. Cannon : David H. Cannon Willi am Cameron 58muel Cunningham Will iaa pey Fran kli B. Woolley Henry Eyer ing John D. L. Pearc e • L. awce tt l r Saal U Kiles Olive r B. Hunt ingto n Uajo r of the 6th Bata llion • 7th " " . r. M. D. Batt 5th • • Co Capt. of L. I. M. D. Co. Grays lvir ' S " I.K.D. . Batt .•• "Co " I.»• D. " "Co. N. " D. M. I. llion Bata 6th Adju tant, D. 11. I n allio Batt 7th " D. Me I. . Batt 6th Oo. K., ~., ! " " After meet ing, Jlilit ary must er and drill . II L. th. .. I. J(. D. • )(. 7th. Batt . I. JI. D. Co. • 7th Bata.l lion I~ 11. D. et place , alao inspe ction of arms, -2- fact needs mentio ning that Jo)ln al In this conne ction, also, we feel tie aithou gh iisted ni the origin and n, Copela n Captai e D. L. Pearce did preced lion, he was known histor y of this sectio n as Adjuta bt If Company K11, 6th Batal his lite. ong the boys as Colonel Pe aroe, and retain ed this title throug hout until e s~rvic l Ri ht from the time or his appointment he contin ued in actua ,d io this ofthe lose of ctivit ies. Whether or not he was actua lly advanc that ficial rank, I have not facts or data to subm it, but this I _o know, aino Uount Spencer s. Wiltbank with others made the exped ition to the South on absent was and follow ing the killin g or members of Jlajor Powel l•s Company, for in trip this occasi on for approa iillltel y three months, having made one e This exped ition was made under Peare • during that time. e, Pearc t. Andr~s, J. D. note also that the Hayden Bill recogn izes Jam~s sectio n under tit;e of Capta in. this in served who others and n, Copela Willis a y H. L. Reid are self-e xplan atory Th exQpt from the comp ilatib ( the as to the actua l Milita ry organ izatio n of this sectio n or County and e at that origin al office ry listed therei n, and all those enlist ed for servic subjec t to time as well as later, were requir ed to serve as Minute Men, being possib le to a moment's notice and keepin g prepar ed and as fully equipt as ise on meet any e ergenc y. erving as a home guard when not actua lly otherw With your own person al experi ence you can readil y apdefin ite exped itions . esprecia te how effect ively the Eccle siasti cal sub-d ivisio ns functi oned. ations depred Indian of days r Pionee pecia lly during these turbul ent ' Charle s I am sure you will thorou ghly appre ciate the exerpt a fromdaytheoccure nces L. Walker Diary, which gives in such simple language the every herse lf a of thi period . The widow of this man alker lives here today, -ninth year noble worker and Pion er Mother of this sectio n, now in her eighty ent depend ly entire and time, the of most practi cally si tless, an:i bedfa st her. to lar on others for her daily suppo rt. other cases are si ns Having full confid ence in your effort s to assist the Ind~an War Vetera accumuof this sectio n in obt ining the consid eratio n they deserv e, we are at a ~ame d forwar will and ims cl our lating additi onal data in suppo rt of you give ·will Utah from r Senato the that e are sure Uso little later datec hearty coope ration in this connection~ ith kind person al regar ds, I remain , $-;kr;ur_:r;;_inr:;;~ zh: Jar~ - -- Box 112, st. George, Utah. Bancroft Library ') ... J 1>-F ~2!1 DIARY OF ERASTUS SNO The follo ing fragmentary dia ry of F;rastus Snow, one of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in Brigham Young's day, and a principal figure in the colonization ot .ashington County, Utah, was written at St. George, mainly between January 1-10, 1872, with an additional entry dated April f 7 and an especially signed me.t10randum concerning his property holdings in Utah dated March 17, 1873, at Northbridge, !ass. The i ·ry also includes a tew disjointed .rnem.oranda by Erastus Snow, a note , by his son ·'iillard, and a memorandwa by R. K• .ilkinaon written in the name ot his wife Virginia Snow Wilkinson. DIARY OP RRASTU.q S Jan. 1-J n. 10, 1872 (the following fragmentary diary by 1I'nstus Snow is owned by his granddaughter, Virginia s. { rs. R. K.) ilkinson, 1124 Bancroft Road, Concord, California, and was lent by her t,o Dale L. Uorgan on lfay 26, 1954. fost ot the diary is too srru.1dged to be photographed, inasmuch as it was kept in pencil, but three pages written in ink, and including Erastus Sno••s signature~ have been photographed by the Bancroft Library so that a apecim.en ot his handwriting will be available at the library. tor copyin . The diaq itself is a printed ( 11 9.6 x F.sXcelaior Diary £or 1872," 6.2 cm., boWld in leather. It passed tro Erastus Snow to his son lllard, and from. i lllard Snow to hie youngest daughter Vir inia.] 1872 Monday, January 1. Attended Leap rear Ball At 6 P• • acompang rs Lucy Young Her Daughter Luse Young floor manager a very pleasant Party. clo ed t 2 l/2 A.U. of 2d. Tuesday, January 2. I attended a Party ot the acting Lesser Priesthood at St George Hall. Bishop D. D. cArthur Presiding. and danced several times. Telegraph announced at 9 P. • th t Prest. B. Young appe rd in Court and offerd Bail, was refused ednesday, January .3. Female Reliefs Society Party t the Hall under the the Presidentess sister AMe Ivins and her Cowicillors Snow & Hannah Crosb7 nagement of s Minerva !he most pleasant pa.r ty of the season hursda.y, January 4 Att~..nded special High. council at the Hall Erastus Snow -2- Council took up labour with on of its me1ber for using stron I. P. Romney(?] dring and busing language during Leap Year B 11 on the 1 st inst. He mad humble acknowledement and was forgiven. Friday, January 5 attended Party gotten up by the young members of the female Relief society but only visited with them a short time and went home Saturday, January 6 ( de~s Birch and Cannon start.ed north on aahort preaching tour and on Factory usiness. there was a General attendance of the School on the Temple ground! visited them in the afternoon and gave directing eonceming the drains whleh they were excavating. Gave c. P. Li ton 7.71 in goods tor Indians. Sunday, January 7 ~unday, not very well but attended .oo.eeting in the afternoon and spoke over an hour . Attended Prayer circle at 5 P. M~ in trJ¥ upper roo.m in "'l asion House Bishop D. D. foArthur being mouth in Prayer. ·uonday, January 8 I visited T ple ground , with the chief mason E. L. Pary, and gave direction about Commencing to Lay rock in the drains. Drove thence to L. L. Adams near [new?) section house on East side St George Slope. In the evening attended the ,d ard Party. Tuesday, January retired at intermission 9 wife Minerva was sick during last night and today I blessed her by imposition ot hands her mother Susan stayed out of school to wait upon During the afternoon I went over to the Bench called -3- Era tus Snow Mount Rope and let contract to Bro.Neilsen to dig a ditch and open out the sprin s. In the evening I att nded the 9th ard Party ednesday, January 10 Attended to some business in the ot.fiee during f -o r noon and held a Board .meetin 1n ast o.f:f'ice during the aftemoon with th my Exechetive Oommittee ot the Utah Ca.ah.mere Goat Co adopted .measures f to secure common goats to crop with. [The bove is the last o! the regular daily entire print d dates. Th under the regularly following ia written under the printed date for January ll:] April 7th .rs Thurston ca+Led at Susan Stringham and told me she had rece•d a long letter trom her son George Thurston dated Santa Anna Las .Angeles Co. Cal.all well another dau hter [The tollo 1ng is wri-tten 1n the space provided by the printed di ry date tor January 12:] Let O. P. Liston have a ean Powder Box caps Bar lead and 3 plugs Tobaccoo for Indian labour cost in all 1-58 -------------- Did Liston get three sacks com and it so did he return sacks? _____ ....... __ Sold a. P. L. my land he sowed [ ? J 03 hi• [? l a [?] tor his mll in Pine valley. ( ·:ritten across the lace of the above page: Settled.) [Pages are now torn from the diary from January 13-30, and the page Erastus Snow -4- for January .31 is blank. On the page !or February l the following 1a writt n:] Addresses · Alva Beman l l/2 mile a f roni F.ast Avon - go from Buffalo to Ba tavia Avon Samuel. Chappel 2 l/2 from Alna · Betsey Jones lives with her daughter in Michigan Call. on · J. B. Noble brother-in-law t. V. cYl thy Covington l l/2 f. from Covington Centre County N. Y. go trom Batavia to his son's Warren 7 x• oming to•ard Covington Centre [On the page ·for February 2 the following is written: J Bro. 3IJt. Jackson ot Beaveu:• niahes me to call on his sister, wife of Tho 8 Jones at Bee-hive Di;-apeey No 6.3 Brunswick Road Liverpool · Bro &. Sister Angue wishes .me to call on her brother Tho• Patrick Tury!ord St. Calldonia ltoad Islington j.,ondon Eng- .. - ..... - .................. .. Siater Howe's brother-in-law R. Cue 17 Ca&era square Kings road Chelsea London & her nieces Mrs Skinner 95 Frederick St. Cal1don1a Road [ continued on the page for February .3:] and rs Holt Florence Grove Hampton London ... - .. - -,: - .. .. - .. - - Henry Ward Beacher rried my Cousin Inez Ann Ballard Erastus Snow -58 dollars C E [written large and crossed out:) S [The following is written on the pages for February 4-6, in ink, and signed at the end by Erastus Snow:] March 17th /73 .. Northbridge lase List or my property in part according to my present reccollection 1n haste B sldee the hom~eteads, mentioned in t cDonald tr which I .malled to A. F. several families, I hav my Will of the 6th inst Ogden, as set apart tor m:, deeds trom the layor of st George for the Large Rouse & 2 Lots as also tor Lots & Blocks known as Mount Hope and a great many dry lots •. and the Lot 3 810 2 Plot D. which I got of H. Picket and Lo~ 2 of same Block bargained for of Bro. Platt deed of which is to come trom. him after he gets his trom. the Mayor I hereby give to my son Erastus ·r. Snow or rather pay it to him for the means used 0£ his wages for my family. There are also lands belonging to me entered by others - rlz about 40 acres in the Washington field enterd by 2 aceres by Gould - (?] - l2 acers by Cunningham across the Virgen. lots in Richtield, one in Clara[?] field below stion isidee a quarter section st. George for 'Which I have U. s. Pa.tent also 25 acres in Pine Vall.1 and about 30 in Kanarra tield ·1 I have also about 9003 Stocke in Canaan Coop - about 1600 in St orge M. I. Coop 2000 1.n Rio V• • Co - Coop sheep Herd and about 50 about 450- in Cedar in St George Coop Sheep Herd 200 in Cashmere Goat Herd, - also 28 acres land in Davis Co Erastus Snow -6- Erastus Snow ['l'h following 1a written., much a udged, on the page tor February 7:] Caroline Smit Proctor [?) [Thistle?] waz [?] 1'.Qman l oods brother She was rble head as Receipt for Jelly soap To make fifty pounds, take six gallons ot clear watter-. three pounds of hard soap, :f'our tablespoontn>uls of spirits ot turpentine, ·two . ,, tablespoonfuls of spirits of a.me onu., and one pound of sa.l soda. [A number of pages re torn f r0111 the diary, a.f 'ter which on t.he page tor April 6 is written:] This Book •as my Father•a nd Left to me by other April 1st 1896 fillard sno,r (on the i;:age tor pril 7 is written:] Willard snow Died Nov. 2 1936 Salt Lake City Utah Bom Nov. 16, 1a;3 This book given me his youngest daughter Virginia Snow Vil.ldnson b;r my Sister Dora Dec. husband Kent 25, 1936. [Below this: J ritten in hand of her a K ·• (The rest of the pa es in the diary, except for the following which ppea rs on. the last pa e present, November 9, are blank. A number of pa ea hav been tom trom the little book.] Kay 21st 1881 the tollcnr.i.n namea were called t.o work in Lo an Temple by President Taylor room No 1 (?] Uinerva Snow Anna ll Pa.pland Lucy S Cardon Erastus snow -7- !Ma Pitt• Ellzabeth L Cl"Owther .Ua't!'f/ Roland lary A Dolce .. - - - . 1 - -