Hello, Ms Johnson: I recently read an essay written in the early 1960s, aimed at a middle school audience, that discussed river ferries in the old west prior to construction of roads, bridges, and railroads. It stated that most ferries west of the Mississippi were operated by Mormons for the benefit of other migrating Mormons. Of course, many non-Mormons used the ferries, too. Is this true? If so. it seems like an early stab at creating an infrastructure, but at the same time must have left many Mormon ferry-tenders alone and isolated, vulnerable to the same aggression shown to the members of the faith back in Nauvoo or to non-discriminatory cut-purses or to the anger of displaced Natives. Perhaps this was an overstatement and, if true, the writer should have said the Mormon ferry-tenders were stationed along the Mormon Trail? I'm curious about movements across the country, so this tid-bit interested me. Thank you for your time, Julia