Saturday, October 1, 1898

The day was very stormy and cold.

Sunday, October 2, 1898

This is fast day. I attended the fast meeting held in the Temple and enjoyed it very much. At President Snow’s request, I followed him in some remarks. The meeting occupied a little over three hours. In the afternoon I attended fast meeting in the Ward, listened to the saints bear their testimony, and addressed them myself.

Monday, October 3, 1898

Though the weather was cloudy and cold and threatened storm, we kept our appointment to visit the Big Cottonwood power works, which are now a part of the system of the Union Light & Power Co. Brother McHenry drove President Smith, Brother Winder and myself, in the Church carriage. Brother Robert Campbell was accompanied by Brother Brigham Young and Mr. Hayward. We went up to the dam and examined it very thoroughly; found it in a bad condition, with but little water in the reservoir and leaks in the dam, which will take considerable trouble and labor to repair. We dined at the power house, and returned to the city at 5 p.m.

Tuesday, October 4, 1898

I went this morning to Provo to attend a meeting of the Grand Central Mining Co. A dividend of 12 1/2 cents a share was declared. The property is reported as looking very well.

Wednesday, October 5, 1898

The Twelve were in meeting yesterday and to-day, and we fasted and met with them in the Temple this morning. After transacting business, we partook of the sacrament. I was called upon to bless the bread and the wine. All the Twelve and First Presidency were present.

At 1 o’clock we had a bank meeting of Zion’s Savings Bank & Trust Co.

At 3 o’clock I attended the meeting of the Sunday School Union Board.

I was invited to take dinner at the Alta Club by Brother R. S. Campbell, in company with Mr. Curtis, one of the Directors of the Union Light & Power Co. from New York, who had with him a Mr. Kean, of Birmingham, England, who is said to be President of one of the richest banks in the world, it having deposits to the amount of fifty-six million pounds sterling! We had a very enjoyable evening. I found Mr. Kean a very liberal-minded man.

Afterwards I went to the Eisteddfod at the Tabernacle, and spent about an hour there listening to the singing.

Thursday, October 6, 1898

We met in General Conference at 10 o’clock[.]

President Snow made the opening remarks, and I followed him. Brother Cowley spoke next.

In the afternoon, Brothers A. H. Lund, M. W. Merrill, J. G. Kimball and George Reynolds occupied the time.

Friday, October 7, 1898

Met in Conference again at 10 o’clock. President Smith spoke, and Brother John W. Taylor followed him. He spoke very strongly of wickedness that existed among the Latter-day Saints, and related a conversation that he had had with one of the Brethren, who had told him that a great number of the children born in Kamas, Summit Stake, were born before wedlock. After making this statement, he spoke about his having been informed that members of the Tabernacle choir went to assignation houses. He did not use the word “assignation”; that was implied. He said he believed these were exaggerations; but the manner in which he alluded to these things made us all feel very badly. The congregation felt it, and the choir particularly. After he had finished, the First Presidency talked the matter over a little, and we felt that something should be said to remove the impression which Brother Taylor’s remarks had made. President Snow desired me to speak, which I did. It is a very unpleasant thing to do to have to call one of the Twelve to order in such a way; or, in other words, to condemn his manner of speaking. I did it as gently as I could, but it had to be done plainly. I considered his remarks very unwise. I said it was not wise to single out places like Kamas, or a body of people like the choir, and talk about them in that way, because there were good people who lived in Kamas, upon whom his remarks would have a very bad effect, and who would feel that they were injured by the statement which he made; and there were great numbers of the choir who were pure and virtuous and exemplary in their lives, and to speak of the choir in the manner in which he had done cast reflection upon them all. I said this was very improper. If he had any fault to find with the people of Kamas, he ought to have spoken with the Bishop or the President of the Stake about it and learned whether it was true or not; and if there were improper characters in the choir, the conductor should be told, and he should take steps to remove them from the choir.

In the afternoon President Franklin D. Richards, Heber J. Grant and George Teasdale spoke.

Saturday, October 8, 1898

A general meeting of the priesthood was held this morning in the Tabernacle, and a good deal of instruction was given.

In the afternoon the general and local authorities of the Church met in the Assembly Hall. The meeting was a short one, the only thing done being to arrange for the meeting of the priesthood to-morrow afternoon in Solemn Assembly, when the authorities are to be voted upon.

Sunday, October 9, 1898

There was a very full attendance in the Tabernacle this morning. Brother John Henry Smith was the first speaker, and he was followed by Brothers F. M. Lyman and Brigham Young. I gave directions to the congregation as to the method of seating the solemn Assembly.

At 2 o’clock the reserved seats were well occupied, but as there was a little space left, the public were invited to fill it. They crowded in by the hundreds, but there were thousands who could not get room in the Tabernacle. The sight from the stand was most impressive; and when, at the request of President Snow, I arose to present the authorities, it was as much as I could do to repress my emotion and control my voice. The order in which the authorities were presented was: First, I called upon the Apostles to sustain President Snow as Prophet, Seer and Revelator and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all the world. I asked them to rise and to raise their right hands, if they were in favor of this, which they did unanimously. I announced to the congregation that the vote of the Apostles was unanimous. I then called upon the Patriarchs, Presidents of Stakes and counselors and the High Councilors to vote on the same proposition and in the same way. I then called for those who did not wish to sustain him to rise to their feet; but the affirmative vote was unanimous. I then called upon the High Priests in the same manner, then upon the Seventies, then upon the Elders, then upon the Bishops and their Counselors, then upon the Priests, Teachers and Deacons, and then upon the entire congregation – all in the same manner, and all voted in the affirmative. In a similar manner the vote upon myself as the First Counselor in the First Presidency, and on President Smith as the Second Counselor in the First Presidency, and upon Franklin D. Richards as the President of the Twelve, and upon the Apostles in a body, was taken. No objections were made to any of us, excepting Brother John W. Taylor. When the Twelve were presented, some persons arose in the back part of the Tabernacle and voted in the negative; and upon my asking what their objections were and against whom, they stated it was John W. Taylor for his remarks about the choir. I asked if they would come to the stand after the meeting and converse with Brother Taylor, and whether they would waive their objections if he satisfied them. They expressed themselves to the effect that they would. A number of the members of the choir – both sexes – also voted against Brother John W. Taylor, and they also agreed to waive their objections if he would satisfy them respecting his remarks. There was a vacancy in the Quorum of the Apostles, and I presented the name of Rudger Clawson in the same way and he was sustained unanimously. His name had never been mentioned by anyone and was not known to any except the First Presidency and Twelve.

I forgot to mention yesterday that between the forenoon and afternoon meetings the First Presidency and Twelve met in the Temple to take into consideration the filling of this vacancy. The Twelve had been invited to write such names as suggested themselves to them, and they presented the papers to President Snow. President Snow, President Smith and myself then retired to another room and considered the names. President Snow said it was clearly the mind of the Lord to him that Rudger Clawson, the President of the Box Elder Stake, should be the man. He had gone through great dangers when Elder Standing was martyred in Georgia, and barely escaped martyrdom himself. He had been in prison also for obeying the law of God respecting plural marriage, and he had grown, since his appointment as President of the Box Elder Stake, as no young man that he knew had grown. I made the motion that Brother Rudger Clawson be selected to fill this vacancy; President Smith seconded it, and it was carried by us. We felt entirely satisfied with Brother Clawson, as afterwards did the Twelve, when President Snow announced what our decision was.

To-day it was a surprise, I think, because no one apparently thought of him[.]

The remainder of the authorities were presented in the regular order, without a standing vote.

This is a very trying ordeal for the officers of the Church to go through. I felt thankful that I passed the ordeal so well, as I did also for all the brethren. There is no church in the world that subjects its officers to such a test.

After all this was finished, President Snow addressed the Conference. Brother Clawson was called to the stand and made some remarks, expressing his willingness to endeavor to magnify the office to the best of his ability.

My labor in presenting the authorities in this manner was very heavy; it required a great deal of lung power; but my voice kept up very well. It required upwards of an hour to get through with this business.

In the evening, at 7 o’clock, the Sunday School Conference was held, and we had a very interesting time.

Monday, October 10, 1898

I received information which I thought very reliable, that Bishop William B. Preston, while in the north, in the presence of a number of individuals, when the word came that President Woodruff had died in California, indulged in a good many remarks concerning the First Presidency, and particularly about myself. I have been aware for a long time, from several circumstances that have come to my knowledge, that Bishop Preston has been unfriendly to me and has talked about me in a very improper manner. His conduct in connection with the Bullion, Beck & Champion Mining Co. and his association with Moses Thatcher, I did not think honest and just, much less saintlike; but I have said nothing, because I have not wished to lessen his influence nor to do anything that could in any manner prove an injury to him. I had an interview with Brother Thomas E. Ricks, the President of the Fremont Stake, and his Counselor, W. F. Rigby, respecting this conversation of Bishop Preston’s, which was had in their presence, and they both testify alike as to what was said. I do not wish to use this information, but merely keep it as a memorandum, because I know, if Brother Preston does not change his course, he will lose the Spirit of the Lord. I may be a very humble and am a very humble, imperfect person, unworthy in many respects; but the Lord has placed me in my position, and I cannot be spoken about in a manner to injure my influence and to do me wrong without the man suffering eventually who does this. Brother Rigby this morning related what had occurred, and Brother Winter took it down in shorthand for me. It is as follows:-

“Bishop Preston said the Church was heavily involved in debt; that their notes were out to the full amount of a million dollars, and that said indebtedness, to a great amount, had been incurred without the knowledge of the Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric, and in many instances without the knowledge of President Joseph F. Smith. That Presidents Woodruff and Cannon had not gone to San Francisco alone for health, but to settle other business affairs; and my fear, said the Bishop, is that the result of that business was disastrous, and in all probability had a tendency to bring about the death of President Woodruff at an earlier date than it would have been otherwise. That President Cannon was instrumental in bringing about this indebtedness, without the knowledge of the other presiding quorums. That President Cannon’s family, himself included, were not a financial success. That it was a question whether President Cannon’s finances at the present time would give 25¢ on the dollar. That President Cannon, in his present state of health, might go at any time, as he already had had two appopletic fits, or something of that kind, while in the east, which had somewhat impaired his speech and disfigured his face. That the death of Brother Abraham Cannon and his outstanding accounts showed clearly that he was not a financier either."

We had intended, at 10 o’clock this morning, to ordain Brother Rudger Clawson, but Brother Franklin D. Richards was not here, the train having been delayed. We therefore, at 10:30, went down to Brother Symon’s photograph gallery to get our portraits taken in a group. The First Presidency sat in one group, and the First Presidency and Twelve in another group.

We returned to the office, and proceeded to ordain Brother Clawson an Apostle. We all laid hands upon Brother Clawson, and President Snow was mouth.

President Snow had expressed a desire to be ordained (to use his own words) as President of the Church. I related to the brethren what President Young had once answered me. I had been selected as one of his counselors, at the time he chose additional counselors, and I had asked him whether it was necessary to be set apart for that position. His reply to me was that he had not set apart George A. Smith, who was his counselor then, nor any of his counselors, for the reason that they held their position by virtue of their Apostleship. The feeling, however, to-day was that it would be a very appropriate thing for Brother Snow to be ordained, and a vote was taken to the effect that it should be done. We all laid our hands upon him, and at his request I pronounced the blessing upon him and set him apart to preside over the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I was then set apart to be his First Counselor, and President Joseph F. Smith was set apart to be his Second Counselor.

This being done, President F. D. Richards thought he would like to be set apart also; and we all laid our hands upon his head and, at President Snow’s request, I was mouth in blessing him.

We all felt exceedingly joyful when this was done, and felt that we had done that which was pleasing unto the Lord.

President Snow gave a charge to Brother Rudger Clawson.

President Smith followed in some remarks, and I said a few words also.

At 4 o’clock we took dinner at Brother John R. Winder’s, by invitation. All the First Presidency and Twelve were present. It was a remarkable scene to see the First Presidency and Twelve and their wives sit down to one table. Some of the brethren did not have their wives with them. President Snow made a motion that we should meet there again six months from this time. The party broke up about 6 o’clock.

Tuesday, October 11, 1898

I was busy all day with the Union Pacific people, it being the stockholders meeting to elect a Board of Directors. I was re-elected as one of the Board. After we got through our business, Mr. Harriman, who is the chairman of the executive committee, invited us all to dinner, and at 7 o’clock about 25 of us – all men – sat down to dinner at the Alta Club and had a very fine banquet. I sat at the end of one of the tables, opposite Mr. Harriman. The evening was spent very pleasantly.

Wednesday, October 12, 1898

The forenoon was spent by me in the Union Light & Power Co’s business, it being the monthly meeting of the Board.

I dictated my journal to Brother Arthur Winter.

Thursday, October 13, 1898

Held a meeting this morning of Cannon, Grant & Co., to consider the giving of an endorsement of $40,000 to Mr. Claflin, of New York, owing by Spencer Clawson to him. I have demurred somewhat about giving this paper, and therefore wanted to have a meeting of the Company, so it should be understood. We invited President Snow and Brother James Jack in, so that they might understand the situation. This money was loaned by the Church to Spencer Clawson, and Mr. Claflin has the note of the Church, with a number of endorsers on it, for $250,000. $210,000 of this has been paid, and the remaining $40,000 is unpaid and is due from Spencer Clawson, who got that amount at the time the money was borrowed. From indications it appears as if his condition financially is very bad; he is unable to give any security or do anything about this, and Mr. Claflin looks to the Church for the payment, and says that if we will send him our notes – that is, Cannon, Grant & Co. – he will extend the paper for four months, with the understanding that he must be paid promptly at the expiration of that time. As I found President Snow understood this, I felt less reluctant about our paper going, because it would save trouble to the Church. So it was decided to send Cannon, Grant & Co’s paper to Mr. Claflin for the amount.

The meeting of the First Presidency and Twelve was held in the Temple as usual. President Snow was mouth in prayer. The subject of going to Omaha to be there on Utah Day – the 20th – was discussed, and the brethren who intend to go gave their names in.

There was a meeting of the Co-op. Wagon & Machine Co. at 3.

I listened to the reading of a discourse which I delivered at the opening of the Conference.

Friday, October 14, 1898

This morning the First Presidency had an interview with Brother Anthony W. Ivins about Mexican matters, also with George M. Cannon about the situation of Zion’s Savings Bank.

Saturday, October 15, 1898

Engaged in dictating correspondence.

Sunday, October 16, 1898

Attended meeting at 2 o’clock, and called on Brother Penrose to speak. He delivered a most excellent discourse on the personality and attributes of the Deity.

Elder Brigham Young and myself took dinner at Bishop Lewis M. Cannon’s, and then attended the Ward meeting, at which Brother Brigham spoke.

Monday, October 17, 1898

Busy preparing to leave for Omaha to-morrow.

Tuesday, October 18, 1898

According to arrangement, I found the Pullman car “Fairfield” waiting at the depot. I went early to have it prepared for the party. The party consisted of President Lorenzo Snow, wife, son Lorenzo and daughter (Mrs. Dunford); President Joseph F. Smith, wife and two daughters; Franklin D. Richards, wife and daughter (Sister West); Brigham Young and two daughters; Owen Woodruff, wife and mother; myself, wife, daughter Amelia, my wife’s sister (Mamie Young Hardy), and my daughter-in-law (Frank’s wife). There was a drawing room and a state room in the car. I assigned President Snow to the drawing room, and President Richards to the state room. President Snow demurred very much to taking the drawing room; he thought I ought to occupy it; but I insisted on his being there, because, as I told him, I should not feel well to occupy that and he outside, and I knew the whole company would expect him to have the best conveniences there were in the car. There was nothing of moment occurred in to-day’s journey.

Wednesday, October 19, 1898

The train was about two hours late. We reached Omaha at dusk, and found the arrangements for taking passengers to the hotel most wretched. It was with great difficulty we got vehicles to take us there. Brother Samuel Whitaker was on hand to aid us, and did what he could in assisting us.

We stopped at the Millard Hotel, and were able to get very good rooms.

Governor Wells and his aide-de-camp, Colonel N. W. Clayton, were on the train with us.

This evening I visited the Trocadero, in company with Reed Smoot and wife and sister-in-law and Brother Spence and wife. There was a vaudeville performance. As I thought at first I could not go, my wife went with her brother Brigham and his two daughters.

Thursday, October 20, 1898

To-day is Utah Day at the Exposition.

My principal reason for going to Omaha was that this had been set apart as Utah day and I thought it would show a great lack of interest in our affairs if some of the leading citizens of Utah did not go down. The Union Pacific railroad people, learning of my wish to go and take a party, proffered the use of a Pullman car and to furnish me with the necessary transportation for the car and the party, as did the Oregon Short Line from Salt Lake to Ogden. Mr. Clay, of the Union Pacific, was very profuse in his offers to aid in any way that he could to make it pleasant for us, and indeed accompanied us from Salt Lake to Ogden.

The weather is exceedingly disagreeable; not rainy, but very cold; and we were led to expect that there would be a very thin attendance in the auditorium. We are told that there has been a very poor attendance on every State day excepting New York day and, I think, Iowa.

I visited the Union Pacific offices and paid my respects to President Burt and to other leading officials.

At 10 o’clock, at the hotel, we awaited the arrival of President Wattles, who has charge of the Exposition, and he and General Clarkson, Supt. of the Exposition, came with carriages to take us to the Fair grounds, where we reached at 11 o’clock. There was a larger attendance in the auditorium, they informed us, than usual; but it was exceedingly cold, and a great many people could not sit through the exercises. Mr. Wattles made the opening speech – an address of welcome, which was a very fine effort – said to be the finest effort he had made at any time in welcoming the various State deputations. It was quite eulogistic of Utah and of what had been accomplished by us in Utah. The response was made by Governor Wells. I regretted that the Governor had not prepared himself to make a somewhat more elaborate reply than he did, in view of the excellence of President Wattles’ speech of welcome. After Governor Wells finished, President Snow was called upon, and he made a very brief but excellent address. Then I was called upon. I spoke at greater length than I would have done had the Governor’s response been longer. I was followed by President Smith, who spoke very briefly. They declared that our proceedings were the most interesting of any of the states that had been there. I suppose if we had had warm weather and a good attendance it would have been considered very interesting, because we all dwelt on reminiscences connected with Omaha while we were there as wanderers and refugees and on the pioneer days of Utah.

President Wattles invited us all to lunch; after which we visited various parts of the Exposition; but it was so very cold that it was not very enjoyable. I visited the stockyards, and was greatly pleased with some sheep – Oxford Downs – which I saw there.

In the evening, myself and wife, on invitation of Brother Reed Smoot and wife, went to Boyd’s theatre and saw a performance by Clay Clement and company, and a most excellent performance it was.

Friday, October 21, 1898

We visited the Exposition grounds and spent considerable time there.

We decided to go to Chicago to-day, and return on Sunday evening, and I therefore paid a visit to the Union Pacific offices and saw President Burt. He very willingly made all the arrangements necessary for myself and party. Being a director of the Union Pacific, they feel like extending courtesies of this kind to me.

Saturday, October 22, 1898

We reached Chicago this morning about 9:30.

I called upon Marvin Hughitt, President of the Chicago and Northwestern, and paid my respects to him; after which called at the Pennsylvania offices and saw Mr. Dering.

After eating lunch to-day I was taken sick, and vomited a good deal.

Myself and wife and Brother Brigham Young attended a performance at Powers’ theatre. The play was “Secret Service”. It is seldom I have enjoyed a play better than I did it.

We returned to our car, and left Chicago at 6:30 for the west.

Our party, on leaving Omaha, was somewhat increased, there being 27. The additions were two sons of President Smith, Brother Spence and his wife, Brother Reed Smoot and his wife and sister-in-law, and my daughter-in-law Mattie’s sister. Brother Smoot and his companions remained in Chicago. Brother Franklin D. Richards and wife and daughter remained in Omaha, in order to attend a Woman’s Convention. Sister Snow also remained there when we came back from Chicago.

Sunday, October 23, 1898

We reached Omaha this morning at 8:50. Mattie’s sister remained here, which left our party numbering 20. The day passed off without any incident of note.

Monday, October 24, 1898

We are three hours behind to-day, and we reached Ogden between 4 & 5 o’clock. We were taken to Salt Lake on the 6:10 train; reached there at 7:20.

I found my family enjoying good health, excepting Georgius, who has the whooping cough; but he is doing very well. My sister Mary Alice stayed with Carlie’s children while we were gone.

The trip has been a very enjoyable one to all of us. Everyone expressed the pleasure he and she had had during the trip. I left with some reluctance; did not expect to have any particular pleasure; but I enjoyed it very much. It was a delightful outing for all of us.

Tuesday, October 25, 1898

Dictated my journal to Brother Arthur Winter.

I had an interview with Brothers Winder and Campbell in relation to the coal lands in Emery County that we are interested in.

Wednesday, October 26, 1898

I came to the office early this morning, and a little before 10 went to the office of the Union Light & Power Co., where we held a meeting of the executive committee. L. S. Hills was not present. We attended to considerable business.

At 11 o’clock we held a meeting to take into consideration the steps necessary to defend our title to the coal lands mentioned yesterday. President Smith was present.

At 12:15 the First Presidency held a meeting to listen to R. R. Anderson’s report of the condition of Zion’s Savings Bank & Trust Co. This was a continuation of a meeting we had with him yesterday. I scarcely ever listened to anything of this character that gave me more pain than his scathing criticisms of the bank and the securities that had been taken on loans. I felt a foretaste of hell, as it were, in listening to the recital by him. I felt this particularly because I found so many of the name of Cannon who had paper there which he described as being badly secured. His report reflected severely upon the Cashier. My son Hugh is the only one of my family that had paper there; but Geo. Q. Cannon & Sons Co. had paper, which, however, is well secured, the Company being fully able to pay its indebtedness. Personally I have borrowed nothing of the bank. I thought, if some accusing angel were to open the books and read our misdeeds as R. R. Anderson read the operations of the bank (I do not mean an angel of mercy), I would feel as though I wanted to get out of sight.

Thursday, October 27, 1898

At 11 o’clock the First Presidency and Twelve met in the Temple and attended to considerable business. Present: the First Presidency, Brigham Young, F. M. Lyman, Geo. Teasdale, Heber J. Grant, M. W. Merrill, Anthon H. Lund, M. F. Cowley and Abraham O. Woodruff.

After our meeting in the Temple we met with the Cashier and the Executive Committee of the bank. President Snow desired R. R. Anderson to be present, and as he was out of town it was decided that we should await his return. I talked with great plainness to the Cashier and to the Executive Committee; told them what kind of a report R. R. Anderson had made on the affairs of the bank; and Geo. M. Cannon, the Cashier, expressed himself to the effect that he was ready to meet everything and to explain everything; that R. R. Anderson’s report was an extreme one, and that he did not place proper values on securities, etc. I felt greatly relieved at hearing his remarks, and afterwards at hearing from John M. Cannon concerning his position in connection with the bank.

Friday, October 28, 1898

There was a meeting appointed this morning for Geo. Q. Cannon & Sons Co. at 9:15. After that meeting had been appointed, President Snow made an appointment for 10 o’clock. I was therefore anxious this morning to reach Geo. Q. Cannon & Sons and get through in time for the 10 o’clock meeting, and I walked as rapidly as I could, and ran some part of the distance, to catch the car, so as to be on time. I have been walking every morning, and it has been a great relief to me. But I overdid the matter this morning. My lungs gave me great pain, and were constricted, and when I reached the car I was suffering very much in my lungs. The pain increased by the time I got up to the store. I felt almost fainting from pain; I was bathed with perspiration and my clothes were soaked. I went into the store and grew worse, until I had to lie down on the floor and have the brethren come in and administer to me. I know that my appearance must have frightened them, from the expression on their faces. My pain was almost unbearable. I was administered to twice, and this brought me relief. The brethren obtained a carriage, and Brother McHenry drove me down home. Brother Wilcken and my son Angus accompanied me. I obtained relief in the course of an hour or two, and felt much better, although quite weakened by the attack.

Saturday, October 29, 1898

I find the newspapers this morning contain sensational statements about my condition, and general alarm seems to prevail about me. I went to the office, feeling usually well, and dictated my journal and some correspondence to Brother Arthur Winter.

Sunday, October 30, 1898

I went to meeting at 2 o’clock, and we had two excellent short discourses by Brothers Joshua H. Paul and Henry W. Naisbett. After they were through, I occupied a short time.

This afternoon my son John Q. arrived from Florida, his regiment having been mustered out of the service. He looks very well, but is suffering from malaria.

Monday, October 31, 1898.

I was at the office to-day attending to various items of business.