APPENDIX B

Origin of the Handcart System

On October 29, 1855, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Jedediah M. Grant) issued their "Thirteenth General Epistle of the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, to the Saints in the valleys of the mountains, and those scattered abroad throughout the earth." This epistle contained the following statement about handcart immigration:

Let all things be done in order, and let all the Saints, who can, gather up for Zion, and come while the way is open before them; let the poor also come, whether they receive aid or not from the [Perpetual Emigration Fund; let them come on foot, with hand-carts or wheel-barrows; let them gird up their loins and walk through, and nothing shall hinder or stay them.

In regard to the foreign immigration another year, let them pursue the northern route from Boston, New York, or Philadelphia, and land at Iowa city or the then terminus of the rail road; there let them be provided with hand-carts, on which to draw their provision and clothing, then walk and draw them, thereby saving the immense expense every year for teams and outfit for crossing the plains.

We are sanguine that such a train will out-travel any ox-team that can be started. They should have a few good cows to furnish milk and a few beef cattle to drive and butcher as they may need. In this way the expense, risk, loss, and perplexity of teams will be obviated, and the Saints will more effectually escape the scenes of distress, anguish, and death which have often laid so many of our brethren and sisters in the dust.

We purpose sending men of faith and experience, with some suitable instructions, to some proper out-fitting point, to carry into effect the above suggestions; let the Saints therefore, who intend to immigrate the ensuing year, understand that they are expected to walk and draw their luggage across the plains, and that they will be assisted by the Fund in no other way.

If any apostatize in consequence of this regulation, so much the better, for it is far better that such deny the faith before they start, than to do so for a more trifling cause after they get here; and if they have not faith enough to undertake this job, and accomplish it too, they have not faith sufficient to endure, with the Saints in Zion, the celestial law which leads to exaltation and eternal lives. If this project is once fairly tested, and proves so successful as we have no doubt it will, the main expense of the immigration will be avoided, consequently thousands more than heretofore can receive assistance. Therefore, Saints and all returning Elders who undertake to come through with companies, consider this subject and prepare yourselves accordingly.