Wednesday, February 3, 2010

SIX MEN DROWN

article from Mt. Pleasant History 1859 - 1939

In the Spring of this year, 1868, a number of men from Mt. Pleasant and elsewhere were called by the Church to go to the terminus oto the Union Pacific Railroad to bring immigrants to Utah.  The Railroad had this year been completed as far westward as Cheyenn, Wyoming.  In response to the call, the following left Mt. Pleasant:  Moroni Seely, Christian P. Jensen, Hyrum Seely, Christian Madsen, John C. Johnson, Conderset Rowe, Andrew Syndergaard, Joseph Caldwell,
Thomas Fuller, and others, with William S. Seely as captain, Phillip Hurst as assistant, and Jens Christian Nybello as night guard.  In Salt Lake, on the 15th of June, they joined the other Church teams.  All was well, until they reached Green River, where they found it necessary to ferry the loaded wagons with the cattle across the stream.  On June 26th while crossing at Robinson's Ferry, the cattle stampeded and men and cattle were swept overboard:  six men were drowned.  Niels Christopherson and Peter Smith of Manti, Thomas Yeats, of Millville, Peter Nielsen of Fairview, Christian Jensen and Christian Nybello, of Mt. Pleasant.  The last two named were the only respective families.  Andrew Syndergaard, of Mt. Pleasant, who was an excellent swimmer, swam across the stream several times, endeavoring to save the men.  Without doubt, had it not been for his efforts, others would have perished.

September 4th, the company returned home, bringing with them a number of immigrants who desired to make Mt. Pleasant their home.  They were  met at the crossing of Sanpitch River by the Mount Pleasant Brass Band, and at the entrance of the town, by the Sunday School children.  In the evening, a grand welcome party was given them.  This was the last company sent to meet immigrants, as in May of the next year, the great Pacific Railroad was completed by the Junction of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads at Promontory Point, northwest of Ogden, where the last rail was laid and the last spike, a golden one was driven

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