"The work was military in character and one is not surprised to find among the superintendents and others in charge, a liberal sprinkling of military titles. Surveying parties were always accompanied by a detachment of soldiers as a protection against Indians. The construction trains were amply supplied with rifles and other arms and it was boasted that a gang of track-layers could be transmuted into a battalion of infantry at any moment. Over half of the men had shouldered muskets in many a battle."
The same facts are brought out by the following extract from a newspaper of that day.
"The whole organization of the road is semi-military. The men who go ahead (surveyors and locators) are the advance guard, following them is the second line (the graders) cutting through the gorges, grading the road and building the bridges. Thencomes the main body of the army, placing the ties, laying the track, spiking down the rails, perfecting the alignment, ballasting and dressing up and completing the road for immediate use. Along the line of the completed road are construction trains pushing 'to the front' with supplies. The advance limit of the rails is occupied by a train of long box-cars with bunks built within them, in which the men sleep at night and take their meals. Close behind this train come train loads of ties, rails, spikes, etc., which are thrown off to the side. A light car drawn by a single horse gallops up, is loaded with this material and then is off again to the front. Two men grasp the forward end of the rail and start ahead with it, the rest of the gang taking hold two by two, until it is clear of the car. At the word of command it is dropped into place, right side up, during which a similar operation has been going on with the rail for the other side,—thirty seconds to the rail for each gang, four rails to the minute. As soon as a car is unloaded, it is tipped over to permit another to pass it to the front and then it is righted again and hustled back for another load.
"Close behind the track-layers comes the gaugers, then the spikers and bolters. Three strokes to the spike, ten spikes to the rail, four hundred rails to the mile. Quick work you say,—but the fellows on the Union Pacific are tremendously in earnest."
Or as another writer has it, "We witnessed herethe fabulous speed with which the line was built. Through the two or three hundred miles beyond were scattered ten to fifteen thousand men (?) in great gangs preparing the road-bed with plows, scrapers, shovels, picks, and carts, and among the rocks, with drills and powder were doing the grading as rapidly as men could stand and move with their tools. Long trains brought up to the end of the track, loads of ties and rails the former were transferred to teams and sent one or two miles ahead and put in place on the grade, then spikes and rails were reloaded on platform cars and pushed up to the last previously laid rail and with an automatic movement and celerity that was wonderful, practiced hands dropped the fresh rails one after another on the ties exactly in line. Hugh sledges sent the spikes home,—the car rolled on and the operation was repeated; while every few minutes the long heavy train behind sent out a puff of smoke from its locomotive and caught up with its load of material the advancing work. The only limit to the rapidity with which the track could thus be laid was the power of the road behind to bring forward material."
The above description applies to the later period of construction, when the forces had become thoroughly organized and the work systematized. The following table shows the rate of construction:
The progress made was daily wired East and published in the principal newspapers. Thus in the "Chicago Tribune" items such as "One and nine-tenthmiles of track laid yesterday on the Union Pacific Railroad" appeared in every issue.
During the construction of the line, headquarters were established at different points at the front, which were used as a basis of operations for the construction of the section beyond. These places enjoyed a temporary boom, some of them like Jonah's Gourd to wither up and die away, others profiting by the start are today points of importance. The first of these was North Platte, Nebraska, its selection being caused by the delay incident to bridging the river. This was the terminus of the road during the fall of 1866 and up to June 1867. During this time it was the distributing point for all the country west. The mixture of railroad laborers, freighters, etc., all of them with more or less money, inaugurated a rough time and was the beginning of the wild scenes that attended the construction of the line. The town during the winter had a population of five thousand and over a thousand buildings. With the completion of the line to Sidney, Wyo., in June, 1867, the rough element left and established themselves at that point, leaving at North Platte about three hundred of the more sedentary law-abiding class who had determined on that point for their home. In moving to the front, houses were torn down, loaded on cars to be taken to the new site and there re-erected.
When it was known that Cheyenne was to be the terminus for the winter of 1867-1868, there was agrand hegira of roughs, gamblers, prostitutes from all along the line and from the East. The population jumped to six thousand. Dwellings sprang up like mushrooms. They were of every conceivable character. Some simply holes in the ground roofed over, known as "dug outs," others of canvas, while some few were of wood and stone. Town lots were sold at fabulous prices. The only pastimes were gambling and drinking. Shooting scrapes with "a man for breakfast" were an every day occurrence, and stealing so common as to occasion no comment. It is said of old Colonel Murrian, the then Mayor of Cheyenne, that he advanced the City's script eighteen cents on the dollar, by inflicting a fine of ten dollars on those who "made a gun play" i. e. shot at any one,—and that it was his custom to add a quarter to the fines he inflicted, making them ten dollars and twenty-five cents or twenty-five dollars and twenty-five cents, with the explanation that his was dry work and the extra quarter was to cover the stimulant his arduous duties required.
Such conditions brought about an uprising on the part of the more respectable element. Vigilance committees with "Judge Lynch" in command, took hold and from his Court there was neither appeal, nor stays. Witnesses were not held to be essential. The toughs were known and the judgments of the Court generally right. At least the defendants were not left in a condition to make complaint or appeal.The Vigilance Committee during the first year of its existence hung or shot twelve of the desperadoes, and were instrumental in sending as many more to the Penitentiary. The effect was to compel the tough element to either leave or abide by the laws and to put the decent element in control.
The next headquarters was Benton, Wyo. In two weeks (July 1868) a city of three thousand inhabitants sprang up as if by the touch of Aladdin's Lamp. It was laid out in regular squares, divided into five wards, had a Mayor and Board of Aldermen, a Daily Paper and volume of ordinances for the City Government. It was the end of the freight and passenger service and the beginning of the division under construction. Twice a day, long trains arrived from and departed for the East, while stages and wagon trains connected it with points in Idaho, Montana, and Utah. All the passengers and goods for the West, came here by rail and were re-shipped to their several destinations.
Twenty-three saloons paid license to the city, while dance halls and gambling dens were even more numerous. The great institution was the "Big Tent." This was a frame structure, one hundred feet long and forty feet wide, floored for dancing, to which and gambling it was entirely devoted. A visitor to the city thus described it: "One to two thousand men and a dozen or more women were encamped on the alkali plain in tents and shanties."Only a small proportion of them had aught to do with the road or any legitimate occupation. Restaurant and saloon keepers, gamblers, desperadoes of every grade, the vilest of men and women made up this "Hell on Wheels" as it was most aptly termed. Six months later, all that was left to mark the site was a few rock piles and half destroyed chimneys together with piles of old cans. The city after a tumultuous existence of only sixty days had "got up and pulled its freight" to the next headquarters.
Green River, Bryan, Bear River City, and Wasatch were the headquarters successively. The first, owing to the railroad having made it the end of a division and located shops there, has survived; the other three are but memories.
At Bear River City, the tough element who had been driven out of the different points East, congregated in large numbers, proposing to make a stand, it being supposed it would become a permanent town. The law abiding element numbered about a thousand, the toughs as many more. Three thugs were hung for murder, and in a reprisal the town was attacked on November 19th, 1868, by the tough element. They seized and burned the jail, then sacked and destroyed the plant of the "Frontier Index," a printing outfit that followed up the railroad, issuing a Daily Paper, and which had been particularly outspoken in its denunciation of the lawless element. They then proceeded to attack some of the stores,but were met by the townspeople and in the pitched battle that ensued, badly defeated. They made an undignified retreat, leaving fifteen of their number dead in the streets. From this time on the tough element fought shy of the city and with the extension of the road, its business left. Today there is not a thing to indicate that a town of four or five thousand had ever stood there.
The tough element started in to make Rawlins one of the "Hells" but the decent element had had enough and proceeded to clean up the town—showing they proposed to stand no foolishness.
The last of the railroad towns was Wasatch located at the eastern end of the longest tunnel (770 feet) on the road. In fact it was the delay occasioned by this work that gave rise to the town. When the line was put down a temporary track was built around the obstruction so as to permit the materials for the track beyond to reach the front. This place originally had a machine shop, round house and eating station all of which were removed to Evanston in 1870.
Upon the passage of the supplementary Charter in 1864 the restriction confining the Central Pacific to the State of California was withdrawn and they were authorized to build for one hundred and fifty miles east of the California boundary. This latter restriction was also withdrawn by Congress in 1866, leaving the meeting point to be determined by the rapidity of the construction of the respective lines,or as the Act of Congress put it, they could locate, construct, and continue their line until it should meet the Union Pacific continuous line. With the experience of three years behind them and the Land Grant, Government Bonds and prospective earnings, not to speak of the element of pride ahead, the two lines entered into a race the like of which had never been seen. The rivalry extended from the Presidents of the respective Companies down to the boy who carried water to the graders. Both forces, justly proud of their achievements, considered themselves a little better than the other. One form of the rivalry was as to which outfit could get the greatest amount of track down in one day. The Union Pacific's forces led off with six miles, soon after the Central went them a mile better. Then seven and a half miles were put down by the Union Pacific; the Central Pacific forces not to be outdone announced they could get down ten miles inside of one working day. Vice-President Durant offered to wager ten thousand dollars it could not be done, and the Central Pacific outfit resolved it should be done. Waiting until there were but fourteen miles for them to lay, they started in and laid ten miles and two hundred feet from seven A.M. to seven P.M., using four thousand men in the operation. And then the Union Pacific outfit was mad. They claimed if they had massed their forces, made special preparation, etc., they could do better than their competitors, but theycould not prove it for there was no more track to lay.
The Central Pacific people ran their grade east of Ogden to Echo Canon, this when their completed line was only built to the vicinity of Wadsworth, Nev. The Union Pacific Railroad located their line to the California State line and had their graders at work as far west as Humboldt Wells, Nev., four hundred and sixty miles west of Ogden. This line west of Promontory was never built, however, and it is said that one million dollars was expended in this way. As it was the Central Pacific had their grade established some eighty miles east of Promontory Point, thirty miles east of Ogden, and this when the Union Pacific were laying their completed track within a mile of and parallel to their grade. The prize was so great that every nerve was strained on the part of both contestants as to who should push their track the further. The advantages were about equal. The Central Pacific were somewhat nearer their base of supplies, their laborers were the quiet, orderly, and easily managed Chinese and then they were in comparatively good financial shape. The Union Pacific, though farther from their base of supplies, were in railroad communication with the points of manufacture, their men, while turbulent and hard to control, were enthusiastic and worth three to one of the opposing forces. They were well paid, well housed and well fed, and were handled by men who had as a rule, army experience back of them andwho certainly were "bosses" in the best and fullest sense. During the winter of 1868-1869 the advantage was with the Central Pacific Company. Their line across the Sierras was fully protected by snow sheds and they only met with one week's suspension of business from snow troubles during the whole winter, while the Union Pacific were blocked between Cheyenne and Green River for four long months. The rate of construction grew rapidly. During 1864 there were about two hundred men employed on the grading and track-laying. While it took one year to complete the first forty miles, the second year, the year 1865, saw two hundred and sixty five miles done, over a mile a day working time, and this was exceeded from that on. There were about two thousand five hundred graders employed in 1867 in addition to four hundred and fifty track-layers and from this number up, until the completion of the road. Their forces numbered twelve thousand men and three thousand teams, while six hundred tons of material were placed daily during the spring of 1869 when the contest was at its height. The maximum track laid in one day, was seven and a half miles. As the line progressed round houses were put up at Omaha, North Platte, Cheyenne, Laramie, and Ogden, each having twenty stalls, and at Grand Island, Sidney, Rawlins, Bitter Creek, Medicine Bow and Bryan, of ten stalls each. These were substantialbuildings of brick or stone with sheet-iron roofs thoroughly fire proof.
In addition to the large shops at Omaha where much of the building of equipment was done, repair shops were built at Cheyenne and Laramie.
Stations were established at an average of fourteen miles apart. The station buildings were built of wood and of two classes, three-fourths of them twenty-five by forty feet, the remaining one-fourth thirty-six by sixty feet. At each station water tanks were erected, surmounted by wind mills. Sidings three thousand feet long were located at each station and in some cases at points intermediate fifteen hundred feet long. In all there was about six per cent of the main line distance in side tracks.
To accommodate not only the Public, but their own employees, the Company put up good sized hotels at North Platte, Cheyenne, Laramie and Rawlins.
Eating houses were established at Grand Island, North Platte, Sidney, Cheyenne, Laramie, Rawlins, Bryan (Near Granger long ago passed out of existence) Wasatch (afterwards removed to Evanston) and Ogden. During construction days the charge for a meal was a dollar and a quarter, but with the opening of the road this was reduced to one dollar and afterwards to the present price seventy-five cents.(Back to Content)
History of 1864-1865-1866-1867-1868 and 1869 — Government Posts Established — Major North and His Pawnees — Ex-Soldiers Ogallala — Plum Creek — Sidney — Battle At Julesburg.
The country through which the Union Pacific Railroad was built was the hunting grounds of the Pawnee, Sioux, Arapahoes, Crows, Blackfeet, Bannock, Snake and Shoshones, the first three on the plains and the others to the west. These were among the most warlike tribes of the West, and during the construction of the road they were the occasion of serious trouble, not to speak of the annoyance and delay as well as the extra expense occasioned.
The following summarizes the conditions existing on the plains during the time the road was under construction.
During the summer of 1864, the whole line of the Overland Stage from St. Joseph, Mo., to Salt Lake City, was subject to Indian depredations, so much so, that Ben Holliday, its proprietor, asked the Government for five soldiers at each of the stage stations, and two to accompany each coach. Without these, he stated, he would discontinue the line.
The year 1865 was known as "The Bloody Year on the Plains," and its history is one constant account of attacks, skirmishes, depredations and murders by the Indians.
Notwithstanding the Peace Conference at Laramie in May, the year 1866, was not much better and the relations between the whites and the Indians were kept at a fighting point, culminating in the massacre by the Indians at Fort Phil Kearney of eighty-one regular soldiers.
The year 1867 opened with troubles all along the line. The Government inspectors reported "Indian depredations have caused serious embarrassment to the locating, construction and operation of the line. Constant and persistent attacks have occasioned great delay and expense." The Government aroused to the dangers of temporizing, pushed a large number of troops into the field, restored old and built many new posts. This, together with the ease of communication resulting from the rapidly extending railroad, had a deterrent effect on the Indians.
1868 was a repetition of the preceding year. A Peace Conference at Fort Laramie called for April was not attended by the Indians until November. Numerous attacks were made by them on the whites and the country kept in a turmoil. During the fall there was desperate fighting and the army assisted by citizens soldiers punished the Indians as they had never been punished before, resulting in a much better conditionof affairs during 1869 and thereafter. Nearly all the Indian troubles occurred on the plains and east of Cheyenne. West thereof, either owing to better organization on the part of the railroad and military, or else to the intimidation of the tribes, there was but little annoyance from this source.
The surveying parties were as a rule accompanied by a small detachment of regulars and to this fact may be attributed their comparative small loss of life. While they lost but few of their number, still they were compelled to work at great disadvantage and frequently brought to a full stop by the presence of war parties in numbers too great to be ignored.
They, the surveying and engineering parties, were not so strong numerically as the grading outfits and did not have their resources. The different parties not only were frequently driven in but a number of them were obliged to fight for their lives. The station Hilldale, Wyo., perpetuates the name of one engineer, Mr. Hill, who was killed near this place by the Indians while locating the road. Another victim of the Indians was Colonel Percy in charge of an engineering party on the preliminary survey. He was surprised by a party of them twenty-four miles west of Medicine Bow, Wyo.—retreating to a cabin he stood them off for three days, at the end of which time they managed to set fire to the building and when the roof fell in he was compelled to get out, whereupon he was attacked and killed. This took place near HannaStation, Wyo., which was originally called Percy in memory of the Colonel.
Realizing the necessity of military to protect the construction forces, the Government established numerous forts or posts along the line, viz:
Fort McPherson, Neb. (originally called Cantonment McKeon, then Cottonwood Springs Cantonment). Established February, 1866.
Fort Sedgwick, Colo., about four miles from the town of Julesburg, Colo.
Fort Mitchell, near Scotts Bluffs, Neb., a temporary proposition occupied only during the construction period.
Fort Morgan, Wyo., not far from Sidney, Wyo., established May, 1865, abandoned May, 1868.
Fort D. A. Russell, near Cheyenne, Wyo., established July, 1867, still occupied as an army post.
Fort Sanders, Wyo., near Laramie, established June, 1866.
Fort Fred Steele, fifteen miles east of Rawlins, established June, 1868.
Fort Halleck, twenty-two miles west of Medicine Bow, abandoned 1866.
General Sherman had prophesied that the influx of graders, teamsters, with their following would bring enough whiskey into the country to kill off all the Indians, and that the only good Indians were the dead ones.
One of the most valuable forces during the buildingof the road was a battalion of four companies of Pawnee Indians mustered into the United States' service under the command of Major Frank J. North, January 13th, 1865, this action being taken at the instance of General Custer. They proved most effective, notwithstanding their somewhat ludicrous appearance. They were furnished the regular soldiers' uniform which they were permitted to modify to suit their individual ideas and taste. As a rule their head dress was the customary Indian one of feathers. Their arms were the regulation carbine and revolver of the cavalry to which they added on their own accord, hatchet, knife, spear, etc., and when fighting was to be done they would strip down to the buff or rather the copper skin.
The construction forces at this time were being annoyed by the Cheyennes and Sioux, both of whom were the bitter foes of the Pawnees. Fort Kearney was the headquarters of Major North and his Pawnees and their duty was to protect the construction forces while at work.
As illustrating conditions existing, the following is of interest: A large body of Indians appeared on the scene near Julesburg, Major North and forty of his Pawnees started from Fort Kearney to the scene of the anticipated trouble. On the way he found the bodies of fourteen white men who had been killed by the Indians and their bodies mutilated beyond recognition, their scalps torn off, tongues cut out, legs andarms hacked off and their bodies full of arrows. On arriving at Julesburg, he found the place besieged. Falling on the Sioux, he put the whole band to fight, killing twenty-eight in the transaction. This party of Indians had but a few days before surprised a party of fourteen soldiers, killing them all. Soon after this trouble broke out with the Cheyennes. Major North and a party of twenty of his Pawnees started to look into the matter, and while out, struck a band of twelve Cheyennes. Taking after them, the Major was the only one who could get near them on account of his men's horses being tired out, but being better mounted, he was able to get within gun shot and killed one of the Cheyennes. Seeing his Pawnees were some distance in the rear, the whole party turned on Major North. He shot his horse, and using its body for a breastwork, fought the whole party, killing or wounding nine of them and held them at bay until his men were able to come up. This fight was considered one of the most daring on the Plains and added greatly to the fame of the Major and his Pawnees. After the completion of the road, Major North retired, and in company with W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) went into the cattle business near North Platte.
As has been stated, many of the officers and men engaged on the work were ex-soldiers accustomed to the use of arms. The construction trains and in fact all of the workers were liberally supplied with arms, principally rifles, and it was the boast that ten minutesany time was long enough to transform a gang of graders or track layers into a battalion of infantry. Every man on the work was armed, and it was the custom for the graders to carry their guns to and from their work, keeping them stacked within easy distance while at actual work.
"The front" was seldom bothered. As a rule there were too many at hand to make an attack attractive. It was the little detached parties or single individuals that were most often molested. After the rails were down, the trains passing to and from the front and the employees at the isolated stations and most especially the section gangs were in constant danger.
Among the first serious experiences was that of a construction train near Ogallala, Neb. A party of Sioux decided to capture it and compel it to stop; they massed their ponies on the track, with the result that there were some twenty or more dead horses, without damage of any consequence to the train. The trainmen used their guns and pistols to good advantage, resulting in a number of the Indians being killed. Later on, one of the Sioux of the party, on being interviewed, said, "Smoke wagon, big chief, ugh, no good."
At another time, the Indians succeeded in capturing a freight train near Plum Creek and held it and its crew in their possession.
General Dodge, the Chief Engineer, with a numberof men, train crew, discharged men, etc., was running special, returning from the front to Omaha when the news reached them, and to quote the General's own words:
"They (the men on his special train) were all strangers to me. The excitement of the capture and the reports coming by telegraph brought all of them to the platform and when I called on them to fall in and go forward and retake the captured train, every man on the special went into line and by his position showed he had been a soldier. We ran down slowly until we came in sight of the train. I gave the order to deploy as skirmishers, and at the command they went forward as steadily and in as good order as we had seen the old soldiers climb the face of the Kennesaw under fire." The train was quickly recaptured.
Another incident occurred in the same locality, four miles west of Plum Creek, in July, 1867. A band of Southern Cheyennes, under Chief Turkey Leg, took up the rails and ties over a dry ravine. It so happened that the train was preceded by a hand car with three section men—encountering the break, the car and men fell into the ravine and one of their men was captured and scalped. In his agony, he grabbed his scalp and got away in the darkness as had his two more fortunate companions. The engineer discovered the break by the light of his headlight, but not in time to stop his train, and the engine and two car loads of brick, immediately following it, toppled into the ravine with thebalance of the train, box cars loaded with miscellaneous freight, piled up and round about. The engineer and fireman were caught and killed in the wreck. The conductor, discovering the presence of the savages, ran back and flagged the second section following, which was backed up to Plum Creek Station. In the morning the inhabitants of Plum Creek, together with the train crews, sallied out to give battle with the Indians, but found they had departed. From the cars, they had thrown out boxes and bales, taking from them whatever had struck their fancy. Bolts of bright colored flannels and calicoes had been fastened to their ponies, which streamed in the wind, or dragged over the prairies. Major North and his Pawnees were at the front scattered in small detachments between Sidney and Laramie; within twenty-four hours they arrived on the scene in a special train. Following the trail, in about ten days they fell upon the Cheyennes, one hundred and fifty in number, and killed fifteen, taking two prisoners, one of them the nephew of Turkey Leg, their chief.
Another occurrence took place in April, 1868, near Elm Creek Station, a band of Sioux attacked, killed and scalped a section gang of five, and on the same day attacked the station of Sidney, coming out on the bluff above it and firing down on the town. At the time of the attack, two conductors were fishing in Lodge Pole Creek, a little way below the station; They were discovered by the Indians, who charged on them andshot one who fell forward as if killed. The other happened to have a pistol on his person with which he kept them at a distance until he reached the station, where he arrived with four arrows sticking in him and some four or five other bullet and arrow wounds, none of which proved serious. His companion also recovered.
Another serious attack was made on a train near Ogallala Station in September, 1868. The ends of two opposite rails were raised so as to penetrate the cylinders, the engine going over into the ditch and the cars piling up on top of it. The fireman was caught in the wreck and burned to death, the engineer and forward brakeman, riding on the engine, escaped unhurt. The train crew and passengers being armed, defended the train, keeping the Indians off until a wrecking train and crew arrived. Word being sent to Major North, who was at Willow Island, with one Company of his Pawnees, he came to the scene, followed the Indians and overtaking them, two were killed, the balance escaping. The following month the same party attacked a section gang near Potter Station, driving them in and running off a bunch of twenty horses and mules. About fifteen of Major North's Pawnees started in pursuit, overtook and killed two and recovered the greater part of the stolen stock.
The great battle of construction days occurred near Julesburg in July, 1869. The regulars, under GeneralCarr, and the Pawnees (one hundred and fifty); under Major North, had put in two months scouting for several bands of Cheyennes and Sioux that had been raiding through the Republican and Solomon Valleys, attacking settlements, burning houses, killing and scalping men, women and children and raising Cain generally. They ran them to earth near Summit Springs where they were encamped. On July 11th, they surprised and attacked the Indians who were under the leadership of Tall Bull, a noted Cheyenne Chief. One hundred and sixty warriors were slain, among them Tall Bull. He was seen as the attack was made, mounted upon his horse with his squaw and child behind him trying to escape. Being headed off, he rode into a draw or pocket in the side of a ravine where some fifteen other warriors had taken refuge. He had been riding on a very fine horse, this he took to the mouth of the draw and shot. He then sent his squaw and child out to give themselves up; this they did, the squaw approaching Major North with hands raised in token of submission. She then advised the Major there were still seven warriors alive in the draw, entreating that their lives be spared. As the Indians were shooting at every man they caught sight of, it was impossible to save them and they were finally shot down. Among the prisoners taken was a white woman who had been captured by the Indians on one of their raids. She had been appropriated by Tall Bull as his squaw, and when the village had beenattacked, he had shot her and left her in his tepee supposedly dead. Soon after the fight commenced, she was found by one of the officers who, entering in the lodge, saw her in a sitting position with blood running down her waist. She was a German, unable to speak English, and up to this time had supposed the fight was between Indians. On realizing that white men were in the vicinity and thinking when he started to leave her, that she was about to be deserted, she clasped him around his legs and in the most pitiful manner, begged him by signs and with tears not to leave her to the savages. After the fight she was taken to Fort Sedgwick where she recovered, and in a few months afterwards married a soldier whose time had expired. During the fight the troops captured nearly six hundred head of horses and mules, together with an immense amount of miscellaneous plunder, including nineteen hundred dollars in twenty dollar gold pieces that had been taken from the German woman's father at the time he had been killed and she captured. Of this sum, nine hundred dollars was turned over to the woman; six hundred dollars by the Pawnees, and the balance by the regulars. Had the latter been as generous as the scouts when the appeal for its restoration was made, every dollar would have been returned.
The above incidents are but a few out of thousands that occurred during the stormy construction days. They illustrate the trials and dangers encountered by the hardy pioneers. It was not only at "the front"that trouble was incurred, but after the building had proceeded, the section men, station employees and train crews were in constant danger. At the stations, it was a rule to build sod forts connected by underground passage with the living quarters to which retreat could be had in case of Indian attacks. For some time small squads of soldiers were stationed at every station and section house along the line, being quartered in sod barracks.
With the completion of the road and the establishment of regular train service, immigration soon poured in to such an extent as to make the settlers numerous enough to protect themselves, and it was not long until "Lo," like the buffalo, was only a memory.(Back to Content)
Their Material and Methods — Oakes Ames (Financier) — George Francis Train (Promoter) — John A. Dix (First President) — Thomas C. Durant (Vice President and President) — Granville M. Dodge (Chief Engineer) — Subordinate Officials — Casement Brothers, Track-layers, Mormons — Materials Used — Their Source — Methods.
At Sherman Station, the highest point on the Union Pacific Railroad, stands a monument some sixty feet square and about the same height, bearing the simple legend, "In Memory of Oakes Ames and Oliver Ames." This was erected in compliance with a resolution passed at the meeting of the Company's stockholders held in Boston, March 10th, 1875, which read as follows, "Resolved that in memory of Oakes Ames and in recognition of his services in the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad to which he devoted his means and his best energies with a courage, fidelity, and integrity unsurpassed in the history of railroad construction, the directors (of this Company) are requested to take measure in co-operation with such friends as may desire to contribute, for the erection atsome point in the line of the road, of a suitable and permanent monument." (By the recent shortening of the line this monument has been left some three miles away from the present track. Its removal to Cheyenne Depot Grounds or some other equally prominent position is under consideration.)
Oliver Ames was born at North Easton, Mass., January 10th, 1804; he passed his youth and early manhood assisting his father in the work of a farmer and later of manufacturing shovels, attending during the winter a country school. Serving first as apprentice, then foreman, he was in due time taken into partnership with his father to whose business he succeeded.
From twenty thousand dozen shovels turned out in 1845, their output increased to one hundred and twenty-five thousand dozens in 1870. A tireless worker dispensing with clerk or bookkeeper, his accounts were kept in his head. Over six feet in height, weighing over two hundred pounds, broad shouldered and massive in built. Elected to Congress in 1860 where he was kept until 1872. Becoming associated with the Union Pacific in 1865, at the time when the enterprise was languishing for lack of funds and it seemed almost hopeless. His attention was first directed in that channel by his duties as a member of the House Committee of Railroads in 1865. He was then a man of considerable means, recognized as an authority on business matters, and he enjoyed the confidence of President Lincoln and other prominentmen of that day to a marked degree. In fact, it was at the urgent solicitation of the President that he undertook the almost hopeless task of financiering the construction of the road.
Entering into the undertaking with all of his energy and means, using his influence and persuasive powers with his fellow capitalists, he was able to raise by various means, the necessary funds for the construction of the line. Among others who took stock in the Company and Credit Mobilier were a number of public men, including Vice-President Colfax, Speaker James G. Blaine, James A. Garfield, afterwards President, and others of that ilk. The cry of corruption and bribery was raised in the campaign of 1872, resulting in investigation by Congressional Committees and a trial by the House, which rendered a very remarkable verdict, censuring Mr. Ames for having induced members of Congress to invest in the stock of a corporation in which he was interested and whose interests depended on legislation of Congress—but with the further finding on the part of the House Committee that no one had been wronged—that the Congressmen in question had paid him what the stock cost him and no more—that he had neither offered nor suggested a bribe—that their object in taking the stock originally was a profitable investment, and at the time no further action at the hands of Congress was desired.
Leaving Congress at the end of ten years' service,in 1872; he died from the effects of pneumonia during May, 1873, universally respected and esteemed, and the one man above all others who by financiering the proposition, was entitled to a monument at the hands of the stockholders of the Union Pacific Railroad. The following remarks made by him in regard to the road, at a time of apparently hopeless financial stringency, indicate quite clearly the character of the man and his views of the work:
"Go ahead; the work shall not stop if it takes the shovel shop. What makes me hold on is the faith of you soldiers," referring to the opinions held by the ex-soldiers employed on the construction. Or again, when it became evident that either the Ames' or the Railroad Company would have to go to the wall, "Save the credit of the road—I will fail."
George Francis Train may well be considered as the promoter of the Union Pacific Railroad. In season and out. Before Congressional Committees, public meetings, or to the unfortunate individual whom he succeeded in buttonholing "the Union Pacific Railroad," was the subject of endless oratory. In no small degree was he responsible for the opinion, "The road should and must be built," that became prevalent in 1860-1864, and which resulted in the action of Congress looking to the construction of the line. He was prominent in its affairs and largely instrumental in the formation of the Credit Mobilier.
As to the man himself, he was a genius, if, as a celebratedwriter has said, "Genius is a form of insanity." A contemporaneous writer (George D. Prentice) thus describes him:
"A locomotive that has run off the track, turned upside down and its wheels making a thousand revolutions a minute. A kite in the air without a tail. A ship without a rudder. A clock without hands. A sermon that is all text; the incarnation of gab. Handsome, vivacious, versatile, muscular, neat, clean to the marrow. A judge of the effect of clothes, frugal in food and regular only in habits. With brains enough in his head for twenty men all pulling different ways. A man not bad—a practical joke in earnest."
Among his many undertakings were the Freeing of Ireland, Candidacy for the Presidency, Woman's Suffrage, Circumnavigation of the world. As illustrative of his character the following incident is apropos: While publishing a newspaper in England he was assessed a small fine, failing to pay which he was put in jail, where he preached to the prisoners on the rights of man and attacked the monarchy. The day following the authorities freed him on the ground that he was demoralizing the prisoners. Time has dealt lightly with him, and no one can read of his latter days—his brilliancy all eclipsed—a recluse except for his love and companionship for children—unmoved. In his day he was a power and in no small degree did he contribute to the living monument of great men—The Union Pacific Railroad.
The first President of the Company, Major General John A. Dix, was selected for the universal respect in which he was held. Secretary of the Treasury in 1861, resigning to go as general in the Union Army, he was the one man who it was felt would command confidence in the early days of the proposition, when the promoters had not as yet an opportunity to gain the respect of the financial world or of Congress. It was understood that he would not be able to devote his entire time or attention to the proposition, being in the Army at the time of his election. Still in no small degree did he contribute to its success. Appointed Minister to France in 1866, his absence from the United States made necessary his retirement. On his return in 1869, he was elected Governor of New York; and died greatly honored on April 21st, 1879.
The man who built the road was Thomas C. Durant. During the whole of its construction he was the man in control. He was Vice President and General Manager, with headquarters at Omaha; from the day ground was broken until the line was finished. He had been connected with several of the Iowa Lines previous to the commencement of work on the Union Pacific Railroad, mostly as contractor. As an organizer and director he was unsurpassed. In all the accounts of matters affecting the Union Pacific Railroad—hearings before Congress, Opening Ceremonies, Excursions given, appointment of officials and completion ceremonies, his name appears. He made enemiesas do all strong men, and he also disagreed with his associates as to the best methods to pursue—still, he built the road, and after the man who persuaded the public it was necessary and the one who found the funds, he it is who is entitled to credit. Mr Durant severed his official connections with the road May 24, 1869, shortly after its completion, remaining, however, its largest stockholder.
The surveying and actual work of construction of the Union Pacific was done under the direction of General Granville M. Dodge. From 1854 to 1860 General Dodge was engaged in preliminary surveys for the Pacific Railroad, under governmental auspices. Entering the Union Army he reached the grade of Major General and at the close of the war entered the service of the Union Pacific Railroad Company as General Superintendent and Chief Engineer. To his ability and knowledge was due the location of the line and the rapidity with which the work was done. The General is still living—is in active service—having, during the last thirty years been connected with construction of many of the important railroads of the West, among them the Texas and Pacific Railway, Missouri, Kansas and Texas, International and Great Northern and Fort Worth and Denver City. He had been President of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway; St. Louis, Des Moines and Northern Railway, Fort Worth and Denver City Railway, etc.
Peter A. Dey was the first engineer of the line, but left in 1864. He was not able to accept the methods of enormous expenditures the Company and the Credit Mobilier were adopting and retired on the ground that the Hoxie contract was made against his recommendation.
Colonel Silas Seymour was Consulting Engineer of the line during 1865-1866 and 1867, leaving it to enter the service of the Kansas Pacific Railway.
H. M. Hoxie was first in charge of Council-Bluffs-Omaha Ferry, then of the steamboats carrying construction material on the Missouri River, later Assistant General Superintendent, earning for himself the title of "The Ubiquitous." He died in 1866, while holding the position of Vice President and General Manager of the Missouri Pacific Railway.
S. B. Reed, Superintendent of Construction, was the man who had the handling of the forces at the front. He it was who ran the construction trains—fought the Indians and the toughs and bore the heat and burden of the day. He also made the surveys and located the line between Salt Lake Valley and Green River.
P. T. Brown, Assistant Engineer, was in charge of the advance survey under the direction of General Dodge and also located the line from the "foot of the Black Hills" to Julesburg.
James A. Evans was Division Engineer and in that capacity made many of the profiles, plats and estimates and final surveys. Also made the final surveysand location between Green River and the foot of the Black Hills.
D. B. Warren was Superintendent Utah Division; Colonel Hopper, Superintendent Laramie Division; L. H. Eicholtz, Engineer of Bridges and Buildings, and General Ledlie, Bridge Builder.
Among others to whom credit is due is Brigham Young, the then head (President) of the Mormon Church, and other prominent Mormons. The contract for grading from the head of Echo Canon to Ogden, known as "the hundred mile job," costing two and a half million dollars, was taken by President Young personally, and by him sublet in part to Bishop John Sharp and Joseph A. Young, the President's eldest son. They employed between five and six hundred men and the amount of their contract was about one million dollars. Other subcontractors were Apostle John Taylor, George Thatcher, Brigham Young, Jr., etc. President Young is said to have cleared about eight hundred thousand dollars out of this contract. East of his section the grading was done by Joseph F. Nounnan & Company, Gentile bankers of Salt Lake City, who sublet it to the Mormons. West of President Young's section the grading was done by Sharp & Young, the same parties mentioned above as subcontractors under President Young. It was conceded that the Mormons carried out their contracts not only to the letter, but in the spirit. Doing some of the best work on the line.
The track laying proper was done by General J. S. (Jack) Casement and his brother, D. T. (Dan), with Captain Clayton as their Superintendent. They had in their employ as high as two thousand men at one time and worked under a contract that gave them a substantial bonus for all track laid in excess of two miles a day, as well as made them allowance for idle time occasioned by their being unable to work on account of the grade not being ready for them. Thus they were to receive eight hundred dollars per mile of track laid if two miles or less was laid in a day. If they laid over two miles in one day they were to receive twelve hundred dollars per mile, and for time they were idle waiting for the grade they were to receive three thousand dollars per day.
Many other names should be mentioned here and would did space permit, but will have to be omitted.
The men who built the Union Pacific Railroad are entitled to great credit and praise. They made money, much money out of the project, but they were entitled to it. Their success brought in its train the usual consequences, they have been accused of almost every crime in the calendar, assailed by the press, investigated by Congress, and sued by their less fortunate associates. Their achievement speaks for them louder than words and they can leave their reputations to history for vindication.
The line was originally laid with fifty pound iron from the mills of Pennsylvania for four hundred andforty miles and with fifty-six pound iron west of there. As has been mentioned before, the first section was laid with cottonwood ties of local growth, treated by the burnettizing process, which was erroneously supposed would prevent decay. West of there hard wood ties from the East were used, some of them coming from far away Pennsylvania, and costing the Company two dollars and fifty cents laid down in Omaha. For the mountain section, ties of local growth were largely and satisfactorily used. The basis was twenty-four hundred ties to the mile on the plains, twenty-six hundred and forty through the mountains, and twenty-five hundred west of Laramie.
The lumber for bridges and building came from Minnesota and Wisconsin, excepting in the far West, where native lumber was used.
The grading was done to a very large extent by manual labor. It was before the day of the steam shovel or air drill. Pick and shovel and wheelbarrow reinforced by teams and scrapers were the means used, excepting where rock was encountered and then hand drills and black powder and occasionally nitro-glycerine were relied upon to quarry the rock which was very much in demand for masonry work.
The graders worked as much as two hundred miles ahead of the track. They were housed in tents, and all supplies for their sustenance and material used by them were necessarily hauled from the several terminal points. This resulted in the employment of agood sized army of teamsters and freighters. In the buffalo they had a food that, while cheap, was of the first order, and the number thus utilized was away up in the thousands.
No pretense was made to ballast the track, as the construction work was done. The ties were laid on the grade with just enough dirt on them to keep them in place. Speedy construction was considered of the first importance and then the ballasting could be done much cheaper after the track was down.
To a very great extent temporary trestles of timber were used, to be replaced later by more permanent culverts of stone. In some places where the piles were thus replaced by masonry, it was necessary to tear out the stone and put in piles again. The heavy freshets proved more than the culverts could carry off, and besides the stone work would wash out much quicker than did piles.
The bridges were mostly Howe wooden truss uncovered, with stone or wooden abuttments. Where the span was short, wooden trestles on piles were used.
One reason for deferring the masonry work as well as the ballasting was the inability to handle the necessary supplies. Every engine and all the equipment were kept in constant use hauling construction material to the front.
Notwithstanding what, to the contractor of today, would seem antiquated and expensive methods, the work progressed and made headway to an extent thathas never since been equalled. It was the immense army, as high as twelve thousand men at times, that enabled this to be the case. One-fifth the number of men with modern methods and labor-saving devices would have been equally efficious.
The expense of hauling water and supplies for the army of men was enormous. The statement has been made that this cost more than it did to do the actual grading.
The great bugaboo of the day was the question of operating the line during the winter season, it being the general impression that the snow fall was so great through the Rocky Mountain region as to render it impossible to keep the line open. To ascertain the facts in regard to this as well as to obtain data as to the best method of overcoming the same, engineers were stationed at points where it was anticipated there would be trouble. For three winters they were kept in tents and dug outs to obtain information on this point, and on the spring and winter freshets which it was anticipated would be a source of great annoyance.(Back to Content)
Connection Made Between Union and Central Pacific Railroads May 9th, 1869 — Ceremonies at Promontory May 10th, 1869 — Celebrations in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Omaha, Salt Lake City and San Francisco.
By the terms of the supplementary Charter of 1864, a great incentive was given the two Companies, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad to get down as great a mileage as possible. In addition to the Government grant of Land and Bonds based on mileage, there was the traffic of the Mormon country and Salt Lake City at stake. Besides this, it was readily seen that the line having the greatest haul would be correspondingly benefitted when it came to subdividing earnings on trans-continental business. With these for incentive, both Companies put forth every effort to cover the ground. In the early part of 1869, rails of each Company were going down from six to ten miles a day. Records in track-laying were made then that have never been broken. Near Promontory a sign is still standing to announce "Ten miles of track laid in one day." Actual figures arenot obtainable, but reliable contemporaries at that time stated there were twenty-five thousand men employed on the construction work of the two lines, as well as six thousand teams and two hundred construction trains. Both Companies were anxious to establish point of advantage that they could use in the controversy that was inevitable and which would determine the mileage and territory each was to enjoy. On April 29th, nine and a half miles remained unfinished. Three and a half for the Central Pacific Railroad, they having laid ten miles the day before, and six miles for the Union Pacific Railroad, the latter being the ascent of Promontory Hill and including a stiff bit of rock work. When the two tracks came together, the Central Pacific Railroad had nearly sixty miles of grading done parallel to the Union Pacific Railroad track—that is from Promontory east to the mouth of Weber Canon, while the Union Pacific Railroad had located their line to the California State line and most of the grading was done as far west as Humboldt Wells, Nev., four hundred and fifty miles from Ogden.
As stated the two tracks were brought together at Promontory on May 9th, 1869, but two rail lengths were kept open until the questions at issue were adjusted and also until a suitable program could be arranged for celebrating the event. Everything satisfactorily arranged, Monday, the 10th of May, 1869, was set for the ceremonies.
The Central Pacific Railroad completed their trackup to Promontory May 1st. It was the intention to have the opening ceremonies on Saturday, May 8th, and the Central Pacific officials were on hand for that purpose. The Union Pacific party coming west were delayed some forty-eight hours at Piedmont by a gang of graders and track-layers, who not having received their wages side tracked the special train with Vice-President Durant and his party, holding them as hostages until the Company had paid over to the contractor some two hundred and fifty thousand dollars due him and which he in turn distributed among his men.
As early as 8:00 A.M. on the 10th, the spectators, mostly workmen of the respective companies, or other citizens of the railway camps commenced to arrive. At 8:45 a special over the Central Pacific Railroad came in with a large number of passengers. At 9:00 the Union Pacific Railroad contingent arrived in two trains and at 11:00 the Central Pacific Railroad's second train, carrying President Stanford and other officers of that Company, and their guests completing the party. In all there were about eleven hundred persons present, including a detachment of the 21st United States Infantry, and its band from Fort Douglass, Utah.
The Chinese laborers of the Central Pacific Railroad soon leveled the gap preparatory to putting down the ties and all but one rail length was finished. Then Engines Number 119 of the Union PacificRailroad and No. 60 the "Jupiter" of the Central Pacific Railroad were brought up to either side of the gap. These engines were gaily decorated with flags and evergreens in honor of the occasion. A suitable prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Todd, of Pittsfield, Mass. The remaining ties were then laid, the last one being of California Laurel finely polished and ornamented with a silver plate bearing the inscription "The last tie laid on the Pacific Railroad, May 10th, 1869", with the names of the directors of the Central Pacific Railroad and that of the donor. This tie was put in position by Superintendents Reed of the Union Pacific Railroad and Strawbridge of the Central Pacific Railroad, and was taken up after the ceremonies and has since that time been on exhibition in the Superintendent's office of the Southern Pacific Company at Sacramento, (Cal.) Depot.
For the closing act, California presented a spike of gold; Nevada one of silver; Arizona one of combined iron, gold and silver; and the Pacific Union Express Company, a silver maul. At twelve noon at a given signal, Governor Stanford on the South side of the rail and Vice-President Durant on the north, struck the spikes driving them home.
The two engines were then moved up until they touched and a bottle of wine poured over the last rail as a libation. The trains of the respective roads were then run over the connecting link and back totheir own lines. Speeches and a banquet closed the occasion.
In the Crocker Art Gallery in Sacramento hangs a large oil painting of the meeting of the two engines. The artist having inserted actual portraits of many of the more prominent officials of the two lines who participated in the ceremonies.
By previous arrangement, the strokes on the final spikes were to be signaled over all the wires of the several telegraph companies through the United States, business being suspended for this purpose. First the message was sent over the wires "Almost ready. Hats off; prayer is being offered." Then "We have got done praying; the spike is about to be presented." Seven minutes later "All ready now; the spike will soon be driven." The signal will be three dots for the commencement of the blows. Connection being made between the hammers and the wires, the blows on the spikes were flashed over practically the whole telegraph system of the United States. At 2:47 P.M. Washington time, 12 M. Promontory local time, came the signal "Done" and the bells of Washington, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and hundreds of other cities and towns announced that the American continent had been spanned, that through rail communication was established, never to be broken, that the Union Pacific Railroad was completed.
The formal announcement to President Grant andthrough the Press Associations to every inhabitant of the civilized world, was couched in the following language:
Promontory Summit, Utah, May 10th, 1869.
"The last rail is laid, the last spike driven. The Pacific Railroad is completed. The point of junction is ten hundred and eighty-six miles west of the Missouri River and six hundred and ninety miles east of Sacramento City."
Leland Stanford,Central Pacific Railroad.T. C. Durant,Sidney Dillon,John Duff, Union Pacific Railroad.
No sooner were the ceremonies complete than there was a rush made to obtain souvenirs. In ignorance of the fact that the "Last Tie" had been taken up and an ordinary one substituted, the relic hunters carried off the substitute piecemeal. In fact some half dozen "last ties" were so taken in the first six months after the roads were completed.
An odd coincidence occurred at the closing ceremonies. The rail on the east was brought forward by the Union Pacific laborers—Europeans, that on the west by Chinese, both gangs having Americans as bosses. Consequently here were Europe, Asia, and America joining in the work, the Americans dominating.
Next morning the Union Pacific Railroad brought in from the East half a dozen passenger coaches for the Central Pacific Railroad, these being attached to the special train of Governor Stanford when he was returning to California, constituting the first through equipment.
All over the land the different cities vied with one another in celebrating the event—which it was truly felt marked the beginning of a new epoch in the history of the United States.
New York City celebrated with the "Te Deum" being sung in "Trinity," the chimes ringing out "Old Hundred" (Praise God from whom all blessings flow), and a salute of a hundred guns fired by order of the Mayor.
Philadelphia rang "Liberty Bell" and all fire alarm bells.
Chicago had a parade four miles long, the City being lavishly decorated, and Vice-President Colfax speaking in the evening.
Omaha had the biggest day in its history: a hundred guns when the news came. A procession embracing every able-bodied man in the town, in the afternoon. Speeches, pyrotechnics, and illuminations in the evening.
At Salt Lake the Mormons and Gentiles held a love feast in the Tabernacle and decided to build a few railroads for themselves.
San Francisco could not wait until the 10th. Theystarted the evening of the 8th, when it was announced at the theaters the two roads had met, and it took two good solid days of celebrating to satisfy the people of that town.
It was rightly felt that the completion of the line was an event in the history of our country. It marked the progress of the West, united the Pacific Coast population with that of the East. It was the commencement of the end of the Indian troubles—assured the settlement of the West, and the development of its mines and other resources.
There has been but three general celebrations held in this country over works of public improvement viz: the Erie Canal, Atlantic Cable, and the Pacific Railroad. Of the three the latter was by far the more general.
The Poem by Bret Harte on this event is reproduced below:
What the Engines Said.
What was it the engines said,Pilots touching head to head.Facing on the single track,Half a world behind each back.This is what the engines said,Unreported and unread.
With a prefatory screech,In a florid Western speech,Said the engine from the West,"I am from Sierra's crest,And if Altitudes' a test,Why I reckon its confessed,That I've done my level best.""Said the engine from the East,They who work best, talk the least,Suppose you whistle down your brakes,What you're done is no great shakes.Pretty fair, but let our meeting,Be a different kind of greeting,Let these folks with champagne stuffing,Not the engines do the puffing.
"Listen where Atlanta beats,Shores of-snow and summer heats.Where the Indian Autumn skiesPaint the woods with wampum dyes.I have chased the flying sun,Seeing all that he looked upon,Blessing all that he blest.Nursing in my iron-breast;All his vivifying heat.All his clouds about my crestAnd before my flying feetEvery shadow must retreat."
Said the Western Engine, "phew!"And a long whistle blew,"Come now, really that's the oddestTalk for one so modest.You brag of your East, you do,Why, I bring the East to you.All the Orient, all CathayFind me through the shortest wayAnd the sun you follow hereRises in my hemisphere.Really if one must be rude,Length, my friend, ain't longitude."
Said the Union, "don't reflect, orI'll run over some director,"Said the Central, "I'm PacificBut when riled, I'm quite terrific,Yet today we shall not quarrelJust to show these folks this moralHow two engines In their visionOnce have met without collision."That is what the engines said;Unreported and unread,Spoken slightly through the noseWith a whistle at the close.'
The first through train reached Omaha May 6th, arriving in two sections and bringing about five hundred passengers.
Although through trains were on regular schedule commencing with May 11th, it was not until November 6th, 1869, that the road was actually completed (according to Judicial decision.) Congress to make sure of the fact, authorized the President by resolution passed April 10th, 1869, to appoint a board of five "eminent" citizens to examine and report on the condition of the road and what would be required to bring it up to first class condition. This board duly reported in October, 1869, that the line was all right, but that a million and a half could be spent to advantage in ballasting, terminal facilities, depots, equipment, etc. On the strength of which the wise-acres decided the road could not be considered complete and withheld a million dollars worth of bonds due under the charter act. It was October 1st, 1874, before the fact that the line was actually completed sifted through departmental red tape, and the Secretary of Interior on the further report of "three eminent citizens" discovered that the road had been completed November 6th, 1869 as reported by the previous board of five, and further that the total cost of the line had been one hundred and fifteen million, two hundred and fourteen thousand, five hundred and eighty-seven dollars and seventy-nine cents, as shown by the books of the Company.
For a while business was interchanged at Promontory, but it was but a short time until the two Companies got together and an agreement was reached by which Ogden should be the terminus, and that the Central Pacific Railroad Company should purchase at cost price two million, six hundred and ninety-eight thousand, six hundred and twenty dollars the line from a point five miles west of Ogden to the connection at Promontory. This five miles was subsequently sold to the Central Pacific Railroad. This arrangement was as the West puts it "clinched" by a Resolution of Congress, making Ogden the terminus.(Back to Content)