Letter to John Willard Young, 7 April 1881
Dear Bro. John W. Young,
Elders Erastus Snow, Brigham Young
and Jesse N. Smith were appointed last fall
by the First Presidency of the Church in
conjunction with yourself to take charge of
the interests of the saints and the care and
oversight of all their parties which might be
working on the lines of the Denver and Rio Grande
and Atlantic and Pacific Railroads in grading,
furnishing ties, laying track &c., and to make
contracts and to assist in making contracts
in their interests, and instruct and counsel
them in the duties of their religion, and in
the management of their business affairs,
and in securing the means that should be
due to them upon their contracts. A Letter
of Instructions was written by the First
Presidency for the guidance of these Elders
and yourself in the duties assigned to you,
in which you were directed to do everything
necessary to give all equal rights in the various
jobs and you were instructed to see that
the supplies should be provided subject
to the action or adjustment of the various
boards, no one man, or few men to receive
the profits therefrom and that everything
was to be done in the interests of all. That
