February 1899

Today Sister [Ann Hossack] McGregor died after a painful and lingering illness of cancer. I respected her very much and feel in duty bound to show her some respect but am more than busy with preparations for going to Washington D.C. {p. 71}

This morning left Salt Lake after sleeping at Dr. Pratt’s {p. 74}

This is little Emmeline [Cannon]’s birthday six years old, they are having a grand time I hope and trust. I left a book to be given her “The Musical Journey of Dorothy And Delia[”]; here I am far away from home and all in a blockade which is quite new to me they stopped the train at Rock Creek [Wyoming] 408 miles from Ogden & 655.1/5th miles from Omaha [Nebraska], at half-past eleven last night and here we are still there has been a blizzard and snow is packed in the road ahead of us and trains are stopped, we have had to have the snow plow here, and two trains are coming towards Salt Lake the post mail and a passenger train and passed ours {p. 75}

Today we completed our trip to Washington [DC] and arrived barely in time to report at the preliminary business meeting; we took two rooms at the Arlington, three beds between us, and went into the meeting without changing our traveling apparel, or getting dinner the meeting was very interesting and although the storm was fierce without in parlor A. where the meeting was held there was light and heat and a spirit of good comradeship among the few delegates who had arrived. Mrs. Sewall had some talk with me the same evening on the Anti-Roberts resolution and said we must vote for it, it would be our golden opportunity and used all her powers of persuasion to convince me it was the only course to pursue¹ We all had dinner together or rather supper after the meeting adjourned. we were very weary the first woman I met was Mrs. {p. 78} Anna Garlin Spencer.

This morning the snow began to fall heavily. Some of the girls went out to look for rooms, and some went to the meetings in the City. After about eleven I took a hansom and went to find the Hall’s² Meantime called at Belva Lockwood’s, no one at home all had gone to some service including Lucy B [Bigelow] Young <& Lula G R [Louisa Lula Greene Richards]> Susa & Zina had not yet arrived. Martha H [Horne] Tingey & Ann M [Mousley] Cannon Minnie J. [Ephramina Jensen] Snow and daughter Maebelle were gone to Pennsylvania Ave. and I was left alone at the hotel. I saw Mrs. Sewall and Susan B. Anthony and talked with both that evening. While at Hall’s I had promised to move over that evening but the snow was drifting and I could not venture to change lodgings; so remained at the Hotel which afterwards proved the best {p. 79}

This was a terrific day, went in carriages some of us to the Church– snow and wind were frightful, and it came to a real blizzard, the wind howled and the storm raged– no trains were running and no cars to be had at all, no mail from New York– all trains snowed up. Program for the day had to be changed as the women expected did not and could not arrive. We had lunch in the Church a Committee had made some preparations, but no one could venture out for anything. After the meeting of the afternoon closed there was a scrambling for carriages to get home– I had one engaged but some one else took it and Mrs. Spencer and myself were the only two left until the last. A boy in the Church hailed a cabman for us and we had a siege getting to the hotel. paid three and a half for cab and almost perished {p. 80}

Abbie [Hannah Wells] and myself went out to see the office of the Daughters of the Revolution, on Fifth Avenue [New York City]– found the Treasurer and hired Secretary in very glad to see us– showed me every attention and several other ladies all General officers of the Board came in the mean time to whom I was introduced, and had pleasant conversation with, bought one of the pins official– {p. 83}

Rain pouring down in torrents and I am due at two dinner parties, both of which I accepted. After a late breakfast and some talk with June [Junius F. Wells] & Lena [Helena Fobes Wells] I dressed in my brown silk and put on wraps to protect me from the rain and John Wesley Young went out with me to catch the right car for Mrs. [Frances Humphreys] Gaffney’s, I had quite a distance to walk after leaving the car in the rain, but arrived at last, and was very warmly welcomed. Mrs. Gaffney lives in a fine house at the West End in style Jayta her daughter by a former husband Humphreys’ seventeen years old is very thin and delicate, her boy Fred [Humphreys] younger is at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. The dinner was elaborate, Mr. [Thomas St. John] Gaffney came home very handsome man, a sister³ unmarried but elderly lives with them & assumes a sort of mentorship. Conversation at table about Utah {p. 84}

⁴<continued from Feb. 26.> after dinner Mrs. G. showed me over the house and we talked over various matters & then she decided to go with me to see Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and in the pouring rain we started out. Mrs. S. knew me directly and asked all about Utah & the people protested against Women’s Resolutions about Roberts, thought it very bad taste and wrong in principle, ridiculed May Wright Sewall and especially her desire for popularity. thanked me for the letter written to her on her 80th birthday and the ballot box of native onyx and silver we presented a few of us in the name of the women of Utah. After a little we went over to Mrs. [Ellen M.] Richardson’s where I was to dine at six or seven– Mrs. G. went home terrible rain storm The dinner party was of eight seven Mrs. R. three daughters Mr. [A. Maynard] R. & Captain R– or Dr. I think– and myself– evening exceedingly pleasant– brilliant conversation & display of original paintings. Went home in pouring rain with Mr. R.

27th spent with Lena & Abbie– {p. 85}

Left New York City to come home Junius came with me to the depot– Sister Sophia [Smith] Sharp and her daughter Mamie [Mary Sharp] who had been six months in New York at the Bayard hotel were coming home too– Mrs. Martha Horne Tingey who had gone on to Cornell to visit her nephew & niece was to meet me in Central New York some time late in the afternoon which she did and we had dinner in the dining car together. The journey in the State of New York is most interesting, especially so as we pass many of the places familiar to my husband when a boy and in his youth. {p. 86}