"This morning found us at Truckee, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We had a view of the lake where the company of emigrants perished in 1847.
"San Francisco is a very fine place. The city looks as though it were a hundred years old instead of twenty. It contains 175,000 inhabitants and a vast amount of wealth. We visited China's part of the city, saw the Chinese god and the temples where fires were continually burning. They are very numerous in that city. We visited Mr. Alston's princely palace and were received with all the attention that princes could expect. He had a telegraph line from his bank in San Francisco to his dwelling, twenty miles distant. He had telegraphed to the family to receive us kindly and make us happy, and they did so. His princely mansion did not cost less than a million dollars, and his wife spent a quarter of a million in furnishing it. The chairs were made of the finest ebony in China. Even the spitoons were carved out of the finest Parisian marble. The rooms were decorated with marble statuary and bronze. The chandeliers cost many thousands of dollars, in fact, the whole palace had more the appearance of a museum than of a private dwelling. It had its Turkish and Russian baths. There were scores of bath rooms, of baths connected with the bedrooms. He had a retort and made his own gas for the purpose of lighting his dwelling and barns. There were many mirrors, large and costly. The surrounding grounds of 100 acres were cultivated at great expense. I almost felt like spending the night in visiting the house and surroundings instead of going to sleep. I became so dazed and bewildered with the scenery and attention of the last twenty-four hours, since our arrival in California, that I felt like asking myself the question: 'Am I an elder of the Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints? If so, what is coming over the world that such a great change is manifest towards us?'"
During this visit, Elder Woodruff and his companions received great attention from the leading men of San Francisco, and were given every opportunity of witnessing the growth of California as set forth in the exhibits of the State Fair. Elder Woodruff took a great deal of pleasure in the wonderful showing of fine animals, and witnessed the races with great pleasure.
Continuing the description of his visit, he said: "The Governor showed us on this visit to Sacramento every attention. We were escorted through the State House that had cost $2,500,000. We went to the top of it, 280 feet high. On the 22nd, a Sunday, we attended the Catholic Church and heard Father Calcham preach. His discourse was a very good, practical sermon. We attended the Methodist Sunday school in the afternoon. We endeavored also to attend the Baptist Church in the evening, but in consequence of the street cars, which delayed us, we were disappointed in that part of our program."
Apostle Woodruff was painstaking in recording all that interested and delighted him during this his first visit to the western coast. In later life, he paid several visits to California, and something like twenty-six years from that time laid down his life on the shore of the Golden Gate. He returned in time to attend the semi-annual conference of that year, and he recorded the fact that the mission of President George A. Smith and others to the Holy Land was considered at this time. The purpose of the mission was to dedicate the land of Palestine again for the return of Judah and of the Twelve Tribes.
The close of the year 1872 and the first of the year 1873 again found Elder Woodruff at his home in Randolph. He and his wife, Sarah, her children, and his son, Wilford and family, were among the earliest pioneers of Rich County. New Year's day 1873, found him busily engaged in putting floors in his house. That part of the state is a higher altitude, and being located well to the north, the climate there is more severe than in Salt Lake Valley. Notwithstanding he was now sixty-five years of age, he faced the storms and severe winds and flying snow with as much pluck as a man of twenty-five. At intervals he enjoyed a hunt very much, from which he rarely ever returned empty-handed.
He spoke in the journal at this time of the special interest he felt in the Deseret News as a medium of instruction and of correct information to the Latter-day Saints. He felt that it was a proper guide to the people, if well edited, and would keep them in harmony with the elders. At one time he was appointed editor of the News, but being overburdened, he could not do justice to the call and was honorably released.
After his return to Salt Lake City on the 3rd of February that year, he, with others, started on a visit to Cache Valley by the Utah Central and Utah Northern Railroads. Although two engines were used to draw the one car in which the party rode, they were unable to plow their way through the snow-drifts, through Box Elder and Cache.
February 23rd found him again in Salt Lake City, where he attended the funeral of William Pitt, a man who had received the gospel from his teachings in Herefordshire, in the year 1840. His funeral was attended by hundreds of people and there were several bands of music in attendance. Elder Woodruff was one of the speakers on that occasion. He mentions a peculiar circumstance which took place at that time. Brother William Player, then eighty years old, was one of the pall-bearers. The handle broke in his hand, and turning aside he leaned up against a post. His son, who was anxious about his father's condition, went immediately to his assistance, and when asked what the trouble was, said: "My breath has given out, but I would like to follow my old friend to the grave, for I shall soon be in a similar condition myself. I wonder if as many will attend my funeral when I die?" The father was taken home in a wagon, and in about four hours was dead. Elder Woodruff also preached at his funeral.
On the 4th of March he gave an account of a visit of Thomas L. Kane and wife to Utah; and on that day, with President Young and party, he accompanied this old-time friend and wife as far as Ogden on their return home to the East. Colonel Kane had done much to defend the Latter-day Saints against their foes and to alleviate their sufferings in times of trial. Colonel Kane was also pleased at that time at the failure of Congress to pass bills affecting the Latter-day Saints.