What a Waste!

John Jaques

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According to John Jacques, member of the Martin Handcart company, what did he state was a waste at the campground in Iowa City as the Saints were preparing to journey in handcarts to the Salt Lake Valley?

a.                  Lazy men not helping to construct hand carts

b.                  Lazy women not helping to sew tents

c.                   Lazy youth not willing to help their parents

d.                  The amount of personal property that had to be left behind because there was no room to take

Yesterday’s answer:

D   200

1856, Iowa City, Iowa, Willie Company, William James History:   It was now six weeks since the companies had arrived at Camp Iowa, Emma James remembers. “We were called together in a meeting one evening and there was quite a bit of guessing as to the reason for it. It was a large group that gathered, circling the leader. The meeting was called to order, one of the brethren offered prayer, then we were told for the reason for the counseling. We were told it was 300 miles to Council Bluffs which was the actual place for starting the trek and that was just a mile to what we had to go to reach the valley. We would have carts, such as they were, but the season was late and bad weather could prove dangerous to us if we were in the mountains. Even if we had no trouble, we would be late getting to Utah. There had been much talk of these dangers by experienced men in the camp, but I think that the thing which I will remember for the rest of my life and wish that we had heeded was said by a Brother Savage. With tears streaming down his checks he pleaded with the people, ‘Brothers and sisters, wait until spring to make this journey. Some of the strong may get through in case of bad weather, but the bones of the weak and old will strew the way.’ I can remember that when he finished there was a long time of silence. I was frightened. Father looked pale and sick. I turned to Mother to see what she was thinking, and all that I saw was her old determined look. She was ready to go on tomorrow. There were many other like her. We really didn’t have much choice. There was no work here for us to keep ourselves through the winter, and our family had to live. ‘We must always put our trust in the Lord’, said Mother, and that was that.

“There was nearly one hundred people of the companies who decided to winter over and come in the spring. The majority voted to go on as soon as everything was ready. July 15^th, under the direction of Captain Willy, with 500 people, 120 carts and four or five wagons we left Camp Iowa for an outfitting station at Council Bluffs. It was great fun pulling empty carts and imitating the wagon drivers with their ‘eeh’ and hah.’”

Additional Information:

July, 1856 Iowa City, Willie Company, John Chislett Journal:   Levi Savage stated that they “could not cross the mountains with a mixed company of aged people, women, and little children, so late in the season without much suffering, sickness, and death.” He therefore advised going into winter quarters without delay. Savage was voted down, the majority being against him. He then added: “Brethren and sisters, what I have said I know to be true; but seeing you are to go forward, I will go with you, will help you all I can, will work with you, will rest with you, will suffer with you, and, if necessary, I will die with you. May God in his mercy bless and preserve us.”

Stewart E. Glazier and Robert S. Clark, Journey of the Trail (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1997), 30-31.