Sunset United Order records, 1886-1888

Typed transcript of a letter dated 13 July 1886 from Erastus Snow, Brigham Young, and George Teasdale to Bishop D. K. Udall and four others appointing them a committee to deal with land at Sunset, Arizona; and a report dated 19 March 1888 from John Bushman and others of the committee to Erastus Snow, Brigham Young, and George Teasdale, March 19, 1888, reporting on settling of accounts of the Sunset United Order.

.. Copi0.s of letters: Di~ho~) G• •-~.Udall, St Johns, and others of the Committee: To whom this Circul9.r n:.._9.y C Oi:iG • I deoin it aclYis11bl0 fo:r your com::iittee to ;-i10ot together a.t Woodruff, a.t the OQrliest ?Ossible (practicable) day and org~nize for business. Untill this done I cannot tu~n over certain ite1i1s of busine~s to you which is im;>0rtn.nt should be placed. in your hands. Hoping Breth:::-en that you will consider it your duty to aot in th6 premises promptly, Permit me to remain, Your Brother, .• B. Young P.S. I "'aould sugi~est your Committee meeting together the 10th day of August at Wood:ruff. If this meets your a?proval, please si~~ify as much. Direct to Thomas W. Brookba.nk, \'[ oodruff. & Oblige (:3p. D.K.Uda.11, Frihoff Nielson _ 4!ommi ttee (Hubert R. Burke, Thomas YT. Brookbank, John riushrra.n, B. Young D. Bp. /K. Uda 11, Ia A.scencion., Uixico, July 13th, 1886. Bro. Frihoff Eie ls on, Huoe:rt R. Burke, Thomas W. Brookbank ar.c.. John Dush1rn.n, Committee ap~)Ointed at a meeting of the former membors of the Unite d Order of Sunset who now reside in }.1exiqo, held at this place July llth, 1886. At the close of an inYestigs.tion of the affairs of the Sunset Unitec.. Orda~, held under&the direction of the First Presidency of the ~hurch by Apostla E. Sno·.-r, 3. Young,/Geo. T0as d..1 .i0 . ?rus·cing and requesting; that other po.r-ci6~ he:::·utofore associated with t:·to Si1;:1s et U.O. to vrhorn. these p_resent may co;;.c ,.._,:..:l endor..;;a the appointment of this Committee and the powers vested in them o::,• -~:~0 partie s above nar.ied, speoified and recom.'11onded by us a.s follows, to wit: 'l':-.~:.:c said Co;:-.i,/.:c·Jee r.ieet as soon ·as convenient at a place to be agreed upon in Ariz.o.:.a &nd organize by choosing a chairman and secretary, and proceed to list and a?[)r-.:..iso all ~, ro? Ei rty belonging to said company, including that which is in the pos:rnssion of, o~ Ufo:";.er the ger..ora.l control of ?rest Lot Smith or other agents of th0 Co:nl)B.r.y., and Bi"os. Joseph U. James., A.L.Rogers, C.W. Merrill and Israel Call, v:ho on ~o?c.. r o.tion from Lot Smith received -;_J roperty that has not yet been vaLled nor c~1ar .:_:ad to them· on tho Company Books. Lists of which will herevrith be placed in t:w :-.£..nds of the above named Cormnittee. That said Co:m:nittee jointly assu::-ae control of ~~id property in behalf of all those who ha-ve unsettled accounts on the Cor.1pany Books, and a 11 who invested means therein., or continued to labor in thu Ord0r, o.fter the first year of its existence, consid.aring as we do tr.at those who did :::10t :r0:.:--'1in long enough to get settled and to help to aocumulate means have no 0~ olaim on subsequent gains ~g5 increase of property accumulated in tne Order. You will proceed to settle a.11 unsettled accounts found on the Compa~ys Rooks or other claims presented to you which you may find to be just a:nd 0;uitabl0 , charging against such accounts any Company properties retaiuod in -;:hoir possession or paid out to tho:.::i which you find has not been charf;ed to th0m. You will first pay off the Capital Stock of Bros. Lot Srr.ith, Jo3 Js.rr.0G, A.L.Ro 0 ors, C.W.?.lerrill and I. Call out of suoh Corr.pa:ny's property as they r.ay :bave in thoir poasession, and take receipts for any balances. ";iold thom res;Jonsiblo for said ·8 roporty. You will prooEJed ns s::.,0 0di~.:,r .'.l..:; pos :-;::.~:.e to collect, any dobts duo a.no. to make tho bost disposition o;:' jo i1/" µ:ropo~·ty ·;rhich may be loft in your hs.. :t.. ds:, se lling :real esi.ate and esp0oia :-..ly -ir.~ es p0ohl:y o.11 pori3hable property., rc.nchcs, togothor- with liv0 s-too:.:il cp::,:i.vor·:~ ir.. i:: tho sc.:ne into 02.. sh, or other rni::~ans easy and. convenient for distrt'.:Juti o:i • .'....·..:.e":.· :ra;dr. 6 such oolloctions of outsto.ndir..g dobts as you find practic[:..b;.o c..nd C:i. :-.;c::u.rr,ing t,ho liabilitie s of tho Conpany u.nc.:. In9.king provisions for ti1e nocos~a;•y •• Frihoff Nielson -1- oxpcnr.os of thiG sottlomont. You will consider the question of' <l:i.stribution of and baln. r.cc of moans tha.t rr.ay remain. And in determining this quoGtion of distri.'Dutio:-i. ,·10 rocom.-:iond t}1at the 1lbors of tho men and farr.ilies be tabm into consid.oration. Tho lon[;th of time they labored and the ar.1ount of capital they· ha.d invest ed, and tho number of yoa.rs in which said capital was used, r0f0rring in each cn.se to thoir aooounts anci v;ha.t had beon paid out to them ar.d charbod on tho booi::s in oxcGss of their Capital Stock. Fo:r vre find that sor..0 persons on leavin3 the Ordor were paid just the amount of their Capital Stock. Abair. n fevr others claimed to be entitled to more than the:i.r received from the CG:i1c10.ny because of' . clothing and other artic 10s which thoy usod up ir. the service of tho Com0any without having them listed, value.d and credited up to them on the Company's books. Vfo ha.ve not felt called upon to reopen individual ncco'..lr.1.ts or atterr:pted to readjust any such c l a irns. They are referred to your Coriiinittee to hear and consider statoroonts, and claims and to allow or disallow as you rr~y find just 9 e;_and propor. All qt.estions and matters of business intrusted to this Corumitte0 must be doc idod, if not ll,."1:animous ly by the free and unt ram.me l led vote of at least three of its mer.1 bers. And your committeo will meet and adjourn from time to time as nny be necessary until your labors are dompleted. You can appoint sub-commi.tte6s fror:: your ovm nunber or other agents to assist you in appraising and hand.ling Stock and other . property for whose acts you will be responsible. If after paying all just claims and de~ands you find a surplus of property and you are prepared to subl'!lit a statement of the amount and kind., you will feel at liberty either to proceed to its distribution on the basis heretofore icdicatod or to recommend any othor disposition of it and communicate vfitn n~4c. obtain the writton consent of the rrajority of the parties intorested to autho:-ize you to 1cako such other disposition o :C it. But if you feel to recorn~rm~ its aJpropriation to purchase land in L:oxioo or donation to Temples or -~~8°teligious or cr.arit&ble purposes, you can make such recommendations to tho stock holu0rs ar:d it their written consent be obtained, you will of course feel authorized to act ~pon it. b. reasonable compensation for you:r labors may justly be included in the oxpenses of the settlement a nd ttoy the labors and expenses which have beer1 incurred by Bro. Lot Smith and his employees i:fi. handling and caring for the joint propert y since the separation of the Cor.:pany should also bo allowed by the COi74'T,ittee; but a~y moa ns uned or property disposed of by him or his family in the meantime should be taken into consideration as offsets. :f the First Pres iclency of the Church after receiving your repo:.--t a~id. copias of those instructions shall dee~ it advisable to offer you any modificatio~s horeo.:"' th o Committee should give such suggestions due weight and conside:rz.tion. Tho Committeo· will feel at liberty to fill up by appointment any vacancy ur..at "wa.Y occur in their number. (Signed) E. Snow B. Young G. Teasdale P.S. =~ as nuch as Prest. Lot Smith has this day si~ifi0d to us his dasira to i~~ejoint ·oo excused fror.1 sorvine; on the Committeo h0r0in referred. to and ho ?~0:-.1- stock or property of the Order at the dispos a l o: t~ 0 . . . . t ea, ' we recommend the ap~)oir.tmant o:' pori_)os e s h oroin ::i...ncuca :1 p . D.:( . Ud~ ll of St. Johnr;, Arizona in his stoad which appointment r.10ets 3ro. Lot S::1i t h ' s n. nprova 1 as we 11 as ours. .. (Sic;ned) E.S. B.Y. G.T. iscs to pla ce "vor,"UTll. tJcee J..Or " il () ·n1.s ....... mu SET U. 0 Saint Johns, (Arizona) Mar. 19, 1888. Filed Oct. 17, 1888. REPORT. IN FIIES OF CHO. This typed c0py made !?J Georges. Tanne.::/ Apostle Erastus Snow, Brigham Young and George Teasdale: ;)ear Brethren: contained your letter . of instructions to us, instructions/in the with In accordance as well as that from the First Presidency, we met at Woodruff, Aug. 10, 1886 and organized ~he Sunset United Order Committee with John Bushman Chairman. At the meeting D.K. Udall was sustained a member of the Committee in accordance with your suggestions. We proceeded to list and appraise the property of the Company as fast as circumstances would permit. In o:rder that·. we .might get as correct an understanding of the affairs of the Company as possible, Brother tot Smith was requested to make a statement of his settlement},n th the company and also to make a complete exhibit of all expenses incurred in careing for the stock and other property and to give such other inf or- · mation as he could that would aid the Committee in its 1 abors. We prepared a circular letter and a list of questions, had them printed and sent to all": 6f the former members with a view to assertain the time spent by each in the service of the Company. Their estimate of the value of their service; Their statement of th e amount and kinds of property turn3d in •an:.i <lrawn out of the Company and some other it·ams th1t mi.ght be of assistqnce to us in our labors. Ans:.iers to the questions, were received from most of those to whom they were s ent, but in most cases but little definite information could be obt3ined there~ from. With what data we could obtain from the books, and accounts of the Company, from the answers to the list of questions, and the stat :·:ment of Lot Smith and others, we pr oceeded to adju8t the accounts. Wherein it was shown that property hg.d bee11 us ed by the Company, and not appraised, or property had been paid out and not charf~ed, the proper Credi ts and Tiobi t9 were made 1 l -2- S.U.O. RJport 1688 It appears that the a~reeme nt of the Canpany was, if any should get dissatis fied ancl wish to draw out of the Company that they were only entitled to the amount of property turned in. After thoroug hly adjustin g all of the account s, we found that there were but cover the whole of the very few caRes where property had not reen drawn to capital turned in and in most instance s a great deal more, and in the exceptio ns mentione d we had reason to believe that the Capital was fully paid off, but through some negligen ce the items were not all charged . The spirit of the Brethren seems to have been to pay all parties their capital in full and in the cases of those consider ed worthy to make an ad,U tional allowan ce. It is possible , however that prejudic e ·may i~ some cases, have influenced the settleme nt. The policy seems to have been to pay off the capital in the same kind~bf property and at the same prices turned in and to charge the current cash price for all property overdraw n, which policy we pursued in adjustin g the account s. . ...... After adjustin g the accounts of capital paid in and drawn out, we found that no accounts had been kept of labor, house rent, provisio ns, schoolin g, other family expenses except clothing , and but a very meager and i~perfe ct account of that. It appears , however , that the great ost economy was practice d in~hese expense s. We aJopted tha followin g plan of settling with all ·except Lot Smith. All family expense s as mentione d above were offset by the labor of the women and small children . We charged 15% per annum for all property drawn from the Company over and above their Capital from the time it was drawn until Dec ~:; mber 31, lf.86 for the followin g reasons: As a rule the overdra fts were in good active property and as there was to be a division of all propert ies belon~in g to the Company, includin g increas e, it seemed equitab le to us to do so. The followin g r ule was agreed upon for fixing the compens ation of labor: viz:- "Tho whole of the time a perscn was consBer ed a member, less that portion spent on visits orpn busines s for himself , to be reduced to Months discardi n~ fr ac tions. This time then to be. compared to an assummed standard of twenty days per month and ma r k~d with a certain percent greater or less accordin g to the amount of ,-----3- S.U.O. Report 1868 time performe d in labor, the whole to be reduced to equival ent standard month of twenty days. An assumed wage rate of 10 to be taken and varied from in individ ual cases accordin g to the compara tive value of the labor perform ed. The total number of standard months credited to an individ ual, multipl ied by his wage rate, to give the number of parts due him, of means to be disburse d on Labor account . All claims against the Company by non-members were settled . A few small accounts against non-members, which in our judgment could not be collecte d were cancelle d. The credits found to Wards in Utah, for rlonation s to the Mission , were cancelle d. We felt it just and cancelle d the folloidn g amounts against the followin g brethren , viz;- John Bloomfi eld $1,162.33; Israel Call $572.32; J.H. James $1,322.17; C.W.Me rrill $3,630.91 ; M.P.Mor tensen $169.72; Peter Nielson .:J572.12; Sanford Porter $387. 75; and A.L. Ro1:;ers $1,683.69. These brethren were good faithful members of the company and most of them remained with it to the last and overdrew their Capital to quite an amount, which property was received by them in good faith ~s belongin g to them and aot to be returned , upon inquiry we find that they have been unfortun ate in the managment of this property and are not financi ally able to return all they -over-dr ew. In paying off the members of the Company, we ~ave to each his proport ionate amount. of good and bad property , belongin g to the Company, with the distinc t understanding in the case ·of debts, that those to whom they were assigned should make their own collocti ons. We failed to sell the stock and ranches , although /t.s there was a sudden decline in the price of 50% we endeavo red to do so. this kind of property from 30 to after it came into our possess ion. In the case of the ranches , one reason, is to be found in the fact, that they lie on ~ail Road Sections o We gave the brethren ample notice to come and receive their stock at a set time, notifyin g them if they failed to be on hand in time, that the Committee woulci cease to be respons ible for its delivery . Notwith standing sevt:,ral failed -- - - - - - ----- -- \ -- -4- s.u.o. Repor t 1888 of making to come at all. In conseq uence of this we were under the neces sity stock and to .n .greem ent with Lot Smith to take charge of the balanc e of the pay off our orders . ef the Our reason s -f or doing this was that the expens e of taki~g care ing of them remain ing stock until anothe r ~eason and then gather ing and dispos would be so great we could not fed justif ied in attemp ting it. We settle d with brothe r Lot Smith as follow s viz:- We .llowe d him $1,500 time the 1.st par annum for 8 1/3 years, his eervic es in the Company up to the d him intere st brethr en le ft. This amount was added to his Capit al. We then allowe 1887. and we allowe d _on it at the rate of 20% per annum from July 1, 1884 to Jan. 1; during the two and him and his sons 1 2,000 per year for taking care of the prope rty expens es of his one h.lf years . We charge d him $1,000 per ye~r for the board and ,coo in A C M I. family for the above 2½ years. We paid him $8,500 in Horse s, ·$5 Ranch es and $4,746 :i.n Sheep , $4,860 .58 in horned stock, $327 .50 in cash, $2,.5'00 $1,661 .50 in other kinds of prope rty. ed We charge d him with all presen ts he made to non-members, and credit him notice . He met with with all pre~en ts he receiv ed from non-members that came to our • servic e we allowe d us severa l times and gave us much valuab le inform ation, for which him $250.00. We fino that many of Smiths the report s which have been circul ated about brethe r n are financ ial settlem ents with members ef the Company, in our opinio about the untrue . In regard to his dealin gs w.i..th us, he has talkod to and Committee in a harsh and unbro therly manne r. We have made every exerti on to close out this busine ss as soon as possib le, as all the circum ~ut it has been a very diffic ult matter to close it ·out at all, stance s and condit ions seemed unfavo rable. The expens e of the busine ss since it came into our h.nds $h,678 .13. has been alto~e ther for Of this t he committee has receiv ed $1,090 .00 being $4.00 per day ttee meetin gs. 272½ days actua lly spent travel ing to and from and attend ing commi -5- s.u.o. Rep~rt 1888 The halance was paid out for taking care of the sheep and horned stock, for clerical hire and incidental expenses, including taxes, stationery and t~e traveling expenses of the committee etc. We have held nine meetings in ·a11. In conclusion we desire to know if we may consider ourselves released from further duties on the committee, and also instructions as to what shall be done with the books. Very Respectfully, Yeur Brothers in the Gespel , John Bushman ) F.G.NiGlson ) H.R.Burk ) Thos.W.Brookbank) David K. Udall ) Committee Coppied at St. Joseph October 10, 1888 l