[Wilford Woodruff]
We shall leave this [Salt Lake] valley in the morning to start back to winter Quarters. We as A pioneer company have accomplished more this season then can be found on record concerning any set of men since the days of Adam. Having travled with heavy loaded waggons over one thousand miles having made our road more than one half of the way over & through the rough mountains & canions & searched out a glorious land as a resting place for the Saints & in one month after our arival laid out a city two miles square & built A fort & fortification of hewn timber drawn 7 miles from the mountains & of unburnt brick surrounding 10 acres of ground 40 rods of which was coverd with Block Houses, Besides planting about 100 Acres of corn, potatoes, Buckwheat turnips gardens &c. The pioneers did not exceed 150 men during the time. 140 of the Battalion arived. I think there was not over 100 men labouring on the work at a time, besides much exploring was done. And after accomplishing this work the company return to winter Quarters the place of Begining making nearly 2,500 miles traveling during one summer besides all the labour.
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
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