Coming to America

As we were about to arrive in Washington the Porter came to our compartment and said a gentleman would like to see us and would we follow him. Surprised, we did so and met an elderly gentleman who introduced himself as a friend of President Grant who was then President and Prophet of the Church. He said he learned that there were two LDS ladies aboard the train and thought we might like to see the Capitol building by night as we were leaving the City. It was a beautiful sight. It was flood-lit and seemed to rise from the ground as the view receded. We were in the observation car. Things like this make us realize how kind most people are. We learned from the Porter later that this gentleman was *President of the Union Pacific and other railways.

*Note: Hester doesn't mention his name, but it was probably Carl Raymond Gray who was the President of the Union Pacific at the time. The following links will provide more information about him. There is also an article with a picture of Mr. Gray with President Grant.

http://www.kcsg.com/view/full_story/19893370/article-Founders-Day-Celebration-at-Pipe-Spring


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Raymond_Gray

We were met in Salt Lake City by Aunt Edith Neal and Muriel's sister. I stayed with Aunt Edith for a couple of months. Aunt Edith was the second wife of my father's brother, Albert. He had passed away several years earlier. They had one son named Fred by that marriage.

            

Before we had arrived in Salt Lake City we had heard people talking about the stock market breaking. I had no earthly idea what the stock market was nor why or how it could break. But after we arrived in Salt Lake we soon found out what it meant. . . . to be continued. . . . .