Westons Go West 6 - Pioche

Abe's Emporium

Pioche, Utah Territory

November 4, 1873

Dear Mary,

The country here is Pioche is not as grand as that about Ogden – the mountains are low and scrubby, and studded with pyramids of mining tailings – but the very air smells of sage, and pink and white sweet peas bloom on the hillsides. All day and night, we can hear the steam hoists roaring above us on Treasure Hill. Pioche is twice the size of Ogden, and yet we are very remote here, far from the railroad, Carson City, and Salt Lake City. Railroads are being built - although the builders go bankrupt frequently enough that no one knows when the first will reach us - but freight wagons and stagecoaches enter and leave town at an astonishing rate. There is a fine new courthouse here, stone and two stories tall and quite appropriate for the County seat. The building of it was a local scandal: it should have cost $16,000, but when the profiteers had finished, it cost $80,000! (It will cost far more before the debt is paid, I am told.)

Abie's Emporium is neat and handsome - with a real roof, not just canvas - and does steady business. We have two small rooms at the back to ourselves. Mining knows neither night nor day, so we open the store at eight and often don't close until midnight - there is hardly time to think of anything else! The exception is Shabbos eve, when Abie is very firm about urging customers out of the door so that we may have our dinner. (But needs must open again on Saturday morning.)

Mrs. Cohen, our hotel landlady in Ogden was full of stories about Pioche - desperadoes and gunslingers far beyond the reach of the law! Abie was cross with her for trying to scare me so, although he was never so rude as to show her. I only laughed at her stories.

But my very first week here, there was a hanging - oh, it was a horrible thing, and I will not write of it. A dispute in one of the saloons, (pictured above)  resulting in the murder of two men. All of Main Street is saloons, nearly, at least two dozen, although I still have not climbed to the far end of the street, so there may yet be more closer to Treasure Hill. Abie is quite protective that I do not go out alone in the evening, nor will he let me have the combination for the safe. Not because he does not trust me, but so that no one could have reason to harm me for it. (Oh, I make that sound so much worse than it is. But please know that the trouble is never here - it is in the saloons or out at the mines - and he has taught me to use both pistols and a shotgun. Yet he is shy about leaving me in the store alone. Oft-times I think he worries more than he need to.)

Last Sunday Abie and I walked above the town, near to the cemetery. He tried to steer us away, the dear man, but I wished to see. Such a young town - barely five years old! - and yet so many graves. Many were mining accidents, yes, but there is a whole section set aside for murder victims, and another two rows at the opposite end for their murderers, so that their bodies may not lie alongside each other. Abie tried to comfort me that it is better now, that the claims are better established and the mine bosses no longer hire assassins alongside the miners, but it only grieved me worse. There are ledger sheets in which these men's deaths were balanced – balanced! - against silver.

I was very sober for the rest of the day (and am still so now, as I write). When we opened the shop I could not stop looking at the customers - miners all, purchasing necessities on their one day off - and wondering how they came to be here, and who, if anyone, they left at home. And how much silver they would value their lives to be worth. I nearly shudder to touch our own account books.

Oh, this has become more pensive than I intended. I will send it anyway. Please do not worry, I am quite well.

Do tell me how you are getting on, and give me all the news.

Best wishes

Fanny

***** 

5 Main Street

Ogden, Utah Territory,

November 10^th, 1873

Dear Fanny

 

I thank thee for thy letter, and we were pleased to hear that you hast settled in your new town. It does sound very dangerous and I hope thee will take great care.

We have had such sorrowful news since thee was here. Our eldest daughter, Rachel, who didn't come with us because she was betrothed, has died of influenza. She was only 15. She was living with Samuel's cousin Ann until the time of her marriage, which was set for just after her 16^th birthday. We felt so bad leaving her behind, but her fiance had no wish to leave England where he was established on his farm. And now we will never see her again in this world. But thank God for our faith and knowledge that we will see her again in Heaven.

But now to happier news. I appear to be increasing. We have longed to have more children, and now with the loss of Rachel, our need is even greater. Our other children are doing well and happy at school, and Samuel progresses well with his trade. We have managed to pay for our room and board for the last few months, and are a good way towards having enough to pay off our loans from the Mormons. Samuel reckons that by the time our new baby is born, perhaps late spring next year, we will be in our new home.

Work has started on the Zion's Cooperative Mercantile  Institution here in Ogden. The Church also owns a chain of stores - also called ZCMI - which is spreading all through Utah. They are quite prosperous, and several Church-owned factories here supply them with goods. Samuel hopes to be able to work with them when they finally open - already it is clear that it will be impressively grand.

The church group we go to here called the 5^th Ward Meeting House is very friendly and helpful. They helped us deal with our grief by putting on a memorial service for Rachel.

The service included an opening prayer, a reading of scripture, a few songs, a sermon and a closing prayer. Samuel gave the eulogy. A few of our local friends attended to offer us support.

The church also suggested that Isaac get involved in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society. The purpose of the organization is to assist the Aaronic priesthood organization in promoting the growth and development of male Latter-day Saints from 12-18 years old. The purpose is to "help young men develop their gifts, to stand up and speak, and to bear testimony". I must say that Isaac is not all that committed to getting more involved in the work of the Church. He is frightened that they will compel him to become a missionary.

One aspect of it he does like is the Drama section, where they put on plays several timse a year. We have a very active Operatic Society here too, and I am hoping that Samuel will take me soon.

Do thee have any cultural activities where you live at all? What sorts of things do thee do when thee are not at work.

One of our friends from the trip over, Claude Flowers, is very involved in the Ancient Order of United Workman, usually referred to as AOUW. He is very interested in getting Samuel to attend. Claude is already the recorder for the group which meets each Wednesday evening. Samuel intends to go this week to see what it is all about. It apparently is I believe, a fraternal organization with insurance benefits. In these uncertain times, we all need to consider what will happen to our families if something happens to us.

I wish to know more about how to go about running a shop. In the back of my mind, I would like to have my work in the future in running a small shop – perhaps a bakery – which would provide for the locals without competing with the big stores. And the idea of combining a shop with our new home is also an attractive one to me.

I do enjoy getting thy letters. Please keep writing.

 

Best wishes

Mary

*****

 

Abe's Emporium

Pioche, Utah Territory

December 25, 1873

Dearest Mary,

 

There is no point to opening the shop on Christmas day, and so I find myself with extra time to write to you. As a surprise, Abie took me to the Canton Cafe for lunch, which is the only establishment that is open today, besides the saloons. Mr. Wong was a gracious host - he solemnly promised us that he used no pork in our meal - and the food was strange, but quite delicious!

Abie has been full of such surprises these past weeks, even shutting the store one evening to take me to the opera house. So you see we do have some culture here.

His kindness has been so deliberate, I fear he has noticed how lonely I feel here. It seems silly to complain of loneliness with people in and out of the Emporium all day! And yet there are few women in town - and fewer whom I may associate with - and I grow tired of the rough custom. Sometimes Mr. Schoenberg from the Raymond and Ely mine joins us for Shabbos dinner - or Mr. Selig, if he is in town - but there are no others. I miss my friends terribly, and I do long for the time when Abie and I can sell the Emporium - or hand it off to a younger partner - and move to a place that is more sociable.

But for Abie's sake, I shall try harder to be happy here. He is a good man and the Emporium is doing well, and as tired as I grow of the steam hoists and the grit that makes its way into everything, there are still days when the sun comes over the mountains and everything is grand and new again.

As far as taking on a shop yourself, I would recommend you wait until your new baby (congratulations by the way) is well over two years old, as it is a very demanding job, even if you do it on a small scale.

All the best for the new year from

Fanny and Abie