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 Hanna Station, 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 building of 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 and arms 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 minutes any 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 number of 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 the balance 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 and shot 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 General Carr, 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 been attacked, 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.



CHAPTER VII.

The Builders.

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 at some 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 prominent men 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 celebrated writer 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 enemies as 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 surveys and 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 and forty 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 a good 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 that has 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.



CHAPTER VIII.

Completion of the Line.

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 are not 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 track up 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 Pacific Railroad 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 to their 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 and through 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. They started 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 skies Paint 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 crest And before my flying feet Every shadow must retreat."

Said the Western Engine, "phew!" And a long whistle blew, "Come now, really that's the oddest Talk for one so modest. You brag of your East, you do, Why, I bring the East to you. All the Orient, all Cathay Find me through the shortest way And the sun you follow here Rises in my hemisphere. Really if one must be rude, Length, my friend, ain't longitude."

Said the Union, "don't reflect, or I'll run over some director," Said the Central, "I'm Pacific But when riled, I'm quite terrific, Yet today we shall not quarrel Just to show these folks this moral How two engines In their vision Once have met without collision." That is what the engines said; Unreported and unread, Spoken slightly through the nose With 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.



CHAPTER IX.

The Kansas Division (Kansas Pacific Railway.)

Conflicting Interest on Location—Leavenworth, Pawnee and Western Chartered By Kansas—Plans to Connect With the Union Pacific at the Hundredth Meridian—Supplementary Charter 1864—San Diego Or Denver—Construction Work—Indian Troubles—Receiverships—Consolidation With the Union Pacific.

At the time Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Bill in 1862 there were three conflicting interests contending as to the location. First that in favor of the Northern (now the Northern Pacific) Route, second the Central, and third that in favor of the Missouri-Kansas location. The Northern interest had not developed to a sufficient extent to cut much figure, only having the support of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The Central Route was backed by Chicago and the railroad interests centering there. The Missouri-Kansas Route had the support of St. Louis and the territory tributary thereto. The last two were sufficiently persistent to have both of them recognized. Accordingly the Charter called for the one line commencing at the hundredth Meridian and running west with branches of feeders reaching that point, one from Omaha (Iowa Branch, Union Pacific Railroad), one from Sioux City (to be known as the Sioux City Branch, Union Pacific Railroad), one from St. Joseph or Atchison (to be built by the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, later known as the Central Branch, Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division and then the Kansas Pacific Railway); this latter in connection with the Pacific Railroad of Missouri from St. Louis to Kansas City to be the St. Louis line.

The Pacific Railroad Bill of 1862 read, "The Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western Railroad Company of Kansas are hereby authorized to construct a railroad from the Missouri River at the mouth at the Kansas River where it should connect with the Pacific Railroad of Missouri (now the Missouri Pacific Railroad) to the hundredth Meridian of longitude upon the same terms and conditions as applied to the construction of the Pacific Railroad which it was to meet and connect with at the meridian point named." Through Kansas it was to be located so as to make connections with the several railroads through Iowa and Missouri, provided it could be done without deviating from the general direction of the whole line to the Pacific Coast. It further specified that two hundred miles should be built within the first two years and one hundred miles a year thereafter, and after finishing their own line they could unite on equal terms with the Union Pacific Railroad Company in the construction of the latter's line west of the hundredth-Meridian. This gave them the alternate sections of land within five miles on either side and United States Bonds to the amount of sixteen thousand dollars per mile,—similar to the aid extended the Union Pacific Railroad Company by the Government.

The Leavenworth, Pawnee and Western Railroad Company had been incorporated by the legislature of the state of Kansas in 1855, and was organized in January, 1857, but nothing was done of any consequence under its state Charter. The Company was re-organized June, 1863, and changed its name to harmonize with the Act of Congress to "Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division." Under its state Charter it was to have extended from Leavenworth, Kan., on the East to Pawnee, Kan. (Fort Riley) on the West, with the privilege of building on west to the Kansas State line,—the state charter not permitting work outside of the Kansas boundaries.

Ground was broken on the line at Wyandotte, Kan., the state line between Kansas and Missouri, in August, 1863. Active grading commenced at Wyandotte, September 1st, 1863. The contract for the construction was first let by the Leavenworth, Pawnee, and Western Railroad Company to Ross, Steele and Company, but before they got down to actual work the Company had been re-organized as the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division, and had changed hands. The work was begun by Samuel Hallett who had been very prominent in promoting the latter Company, the contract being in the name of Hallett and Fremont. The Fremont being the erstwhile candidate for the Presidency of the United States. He is best known today as "The Pathfinder," from his several exploring expeditions between the Mississippi Valley and the Pacific Ocean. Fremont had been identified with the idea of a railroad to the Pacific in the interest of St. Louis, Mo. He, however, did not continue as one of the contractors but withdrew. It was a time of bitter feeling over the Slavery Question. Missouri was "Pro Slavery," Kansas "Free Soil." Hallett inaugurated his work by planting a post inscribed on the Missouri side "Slavery," and on the Kansas side "Freedom." Mr. Hallett was assassinated on the streets of Wyandotte, July 27th, 1864. An employee named Talbot had surreptitiously written the Secretary of the Interior in regard to the work not being up to requirements, more especially that the buildings were simply makeshifts put up to evade the law, etc. Through this and other complaints the Government refused to accept the first section of forty miles and withheld the bonds and land grants that Congress had granted. Hallett on his trips to Washington became aware of Talbot's action, and on his return called him to task with the result that Talbot shot him from a doorway as he was returning to his work from his midday lunch. After Hallett's death the work passed into the hands of St. Louis parties with John D. Perry as Director.

Under the Supplementary Pacific Railroad Bill of 1864, the conditions as far as the Union Pacific Railroad—Eastern Division as it was then called, were materially improved. It was authorized to connect with the Union Pacific Railroad at any point deemed desirable, but no more bonds or land grants were to be given than if connection were made as originally contemplated at the hundredth Meridian. It was also given the option of building from the mouth of the Kansas River to Leavenworth thence west, or of building directly west with a branch from Leavenworth connecting with the main line at Lawrence, but in the latter case no bonds or land grant would be given account the branch line mileage. Another feature of the Bill was permission to build on west to a connection with the Central Pacific Railroad, provided when it, the Union Pacific Railroad—Eastern Division reached the hundredth Meridian, the Union Pacific Railroad proper was not proceeding with the construction of its line in good faith. The Company under the discretion granted them elected to abandon the junction with the Union Pacific Railroad at the hundredth Meridian and to build directly West. The Company proceeded to explore the country South and West in search of a practicable route to the Pacific, which being found they then went further and had the several routes thoroughly surveyed. In their investigations they had four thousand four hundred and sixty-four miles chained and leveled. The most extensive survey on record.

Careful surveys demonstrated that the distance to the point of connection with the Union Pacific Railroad would have been three hundred and ninety-four miles from Kansas City, and this much of the line—Kansas City to Pond Creek, Kan.—was bonded-aided and land grant, the Government aid amounting to six million three hundred and two thousand dollars.

The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad reached St. Joseph, February, 1859, Kansas City, soon afterwards. The Missouri Pacific Railway reached Kansas City, October 1865. Owing to the fact that there were these railroad connections between the East and the eastern terminal of the line the work of construction was greatly facilitated and the expense of building the line greatly reduced.

The headway made was slow at first. The work was new to the officers in charge as well as to the men. The following table shows the progress made:

Sept. 1, 1863 commenced work at State Line (Wyandotte, Kan.) Nov. 28, 1864 reached Lawrence—40 miles. Oct. 30, 1865 first 40 miles accepted by the Government. Dec. 15, 1865 50 miles done. Aug. 18, 1866 reached Manhattan—118 miles. Oct. 7, 1866 reached Pawnee (Fort Riley) 135 miles. Jan. 7, 1867 to Mile Post 155. April 8, 1867 to Mile Post 181. Oct. 15, 1867 to Mile Post 335. Fall 1867 to Mile Post 405 (Phil Sheridan.) Mar. 24, 1870 reached Kit Carson—487 miles. Aug. 15, 1870 completed into Denver.

The difference in altitude between Kansas City and the western boundary of Kansas is some twenty-seven hundred feet and is thus distributed—six hundred feet the first two hundred miles, seven hundred and sixty-nine feet in the next hundred miles, and thirteen hundred and twenty thence to the Kansas line.

The original intention had been to follow the Republican River, but this was changed and the "Smoky Hill Route" from Junction City, Kan., west adopted. When the road reached Monument, three hundred and eighty-six miles from Kansas City, dissensions arose among the stockholders. One faction was for building to San Diego on the Pacific Coast via New Mexico and Arizona, another was for building to Pueblo and up the Arkansas River, while the third and successful one was for pushing straight ahead to Denver and from there to a connection with the main line of the Union Pacific Railroad,—the idea being to secure for St. Louis a portion of the trans-continental business and the line the carrying thereof.

The line was built under contract by the following firms: Hallett and Fremont—Wyandotte to Lawrence, Kan., thirty-nine miles. Ira M. Schoemaker and Company—Lawrence to Mile Post one hundred and forty—a distance of one hundred miles. Schoemaker and Miller—Mile Post one hundred and forty to Mile Post four hundred and five—two hundred and sixty miles. West of Mile Post four hundred and five or "Phil Sheridan" as it was then called, the Denver extension was built by the Company itself, General W. J. Palmer being in charge.

During the construction of the line, the contract to feed the forces at the front was let to Goddard Brothers who utilized to a very great extent buffalo meat for this purpose. To procure these they employed W. F. Cody at five hundred dollars per month. During this engagement Cody claims to have killed four thousand two hundred and eighty buffaloes, earning for himself the appellation "Buffalo Bill" by which name he has ever since been known. The best heads were by special arrangement shipped to the headquarters of the Company at Kansas City, where they were nicely mounted and used as an advertisement of the road.

The line reached Ellsworth, Kan., the spring of 1867 and made for some time its terminus there. In all the history of "Boom Towns" or "railroad towns" there were none that surpassed this place. For ninety-three consecutive days there was one or more homicide in the town or its immediate vicinity—one hundred in all.

Another place that sprang into prominence during the time it was the end of the track was "Phil Sheridan" located near the point where the road crossed the hundredth Meridian, Mile Post four hundred and five. During its brief existence it was a rattling noisy place, full of life and vigor, rowdyism predominating. Not a stake, brick, or shingle is left to mark its site. It was here the construction rested for nearly a year and a half, financial troubles,—uncertainty as to whether to build to San Diego, Cal., or Denver, and some very fine work on the part of the Union Pacific proper being the occasion of the suspension of work.

On June 26th, 1865, work was begun on the branch line from Leavenworth to Lawrence (Leavenworth and Lawrence Railroad), Major B. S. Hennings being in charge as Superintendent. Upon the completion of the branch in the spring following, the headquarters of the Union Pacific Railway—Eastern Division was moved to Lawrence, the operation of the line being under the direction of R. H. Shoemaker, Superintendent, who was succeeded in December, 1867, by George Noble. The work of construction was in charge of General W. W. Wright.

At the meeting of the Company held April 1st, 1867, Mr. John D. Perry of St. Louis was elected President, Mr. Adolph Meier of the same place Vice-President, and among the directors was Thomas A. Scott, of Philadelphia, (afterwards President of the Pennsylvania Railroad.)

In 1864 the population of the State of Kansas was one hundred and thirty-five thousand eight hundred and seven and in 1870 when the line was completed three hundred and sixty-four thousand three hundred and ninety-nine. This marvelous increase was due in no small degree to the construction of this line and the facilities it provided for the settlers to reach the cheap land in the interior of the state as well as the security it gave them against Indian depredations. Stage Lines between the Missouri River points and Denver had been running between St. Joseph, Atchison, and Omaha for several years, but after the line was built some distance the route was changed and connection was made between the end of the track and Denver by the Holliday Overland Mail.

Much trouble was caused by the Indians during the construction, even more than was encountered: on the Union Pacific Railroad. To this cause in no small degree were the delays of 1868 and 1869 attributable. It was necessary not only to arm the engineer corps, but also the graders, the Government issuing arms and ammunition for that purpose. Military escorts and guards were furnished by the Army to the Railroad men, both on the grade or ahead surveying. For the better protection of the road and construction forces Army Posts or Forts proper were maintained as follows:

Fort Riley Mile Post 140 Fort Harker Mile Post 230 Fort Hays Mile Post 300 Fort Wallace Mile Post 412

It was the Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Sioux, and the Utes who made the trouble.

In March 1869, the Company was authorized by special act of Congress to assume the name of the Kansas Pacific Railway Company instead of the Union Pacific Railroad (Eastern Division.) A witty epigram on this change that went the rounds of the papers at the time read as follows:

The Union Pacific's about to apply For a change In Its name and no wonder; Tis as warlike as Jove that great God of the skies, And Pacific about as his thunder. And talking of this, it is strange as it goes Through perpetual snows in some quarters, This railroad should be in the midst of its foes Perpetually in hot water.

While those in authority had decided to push through to Denver, the idea of building through to San Diego was not abandoned, and in 1872 a branch line was commenced at Kit Carson destined to Pueblo and thence South along the Rampart Range to New Mexico and thence to the coast. This line was completed nearly due south to Fort Lyon and some twenty miles of grading done between Fort Lyon and Pueblo. Financial stringency together with the building of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe into the same territory resulted in the abandonment of these plans and eventually the track from Kit Carson to Lyons was taken up under the following circumstances.

The owners of the Central Branch (Union Pacific), R. M. Pomeroy of Boston and associates, were pushing the construction of this line westwardly and announced their intention of building to Denver, thus making a competitor for the Kansas Pacific Railway. Mr. Jay Gould who at that time (1879) was the principal owner of the latter line, while out on an inspection trip over the line instructed his General Manager, "Sill Smith" Mr. Sylvester T. Smith to build into their territory and parallel them. Out of this grew the Junction City and Fort Kearney Railway (now a part of the Union Pacific Railroad). Smith was unable to buy sufficient rails to build and accordingly took up those on the branch of the Kansas Pacific Railway, Kit Carson to Lyons, i. e. the Arkansas Valley Railroad and re-laid them on the Junction City Line. Some of the Arkansas Valley Railway bonds were owned in Holland and a representative of the Dutch happened along on an investigating tour, but was unable to find any road. The matter soon got into Court and an effort was made to locate who was responsible for the tearing up of the Arkansas Valley Railway. Finally General Manager Smith was put on the stand and frankly acknowledged what he had done—and that he had no orders from President, Directors, or any one. The question was then asked who ordered you to build the Junction City and Fort Kearney Railway and the answer was Jay Gould; and who is he, for at that time he was not the well-known man he afterwards became. At this point Judge Dillon obtained permission to interrupt the proceedings with a query as in whose behalf all this investigating was being done. The holders of the bonds was the reply—then that must be myself, for said he, I have here in my hands all of the bonds in question. Mr. Gould had quietly bought in the bonds while the matter was in the Courts, bringing the inquiry to an end.

The line cost for its six hundred and seventy-three miles, Kansas City to Denver, and branch, Leavenworth to Lawrence, thirty-six million seven hundred and forty-seven thousand three hundred dollars, or about fifty-two thousand dollars per mile.

In 1873 the road was unable to meet its obligations and was placed in the hands of C. S. Greeley and Henry Villard, Receivers,—a majority of its stock passing into the hands of interests friendly to Mr. Jay Gould about 1877. Complaint was made that Villard and Greeley were not the proper men to act as receivers, that they were antagonistic to the owners of the bonds—lacking practical knowledge, etc. The matter finally reached the Supreme Court of the United States who in remanding it back to the District Court ordered their removal and the appointment of one man and he a practical railroad man as receiver in their stead. Under this order, in 1879, Sylvester T. Smith who had been connected with the road in various capacities, including that of General Manager, was appointed receiver.

In 1879 the Company was re-organized and in January 1880 consolidated with the Union Pacific Railroad under the name of the Union Pacific Railway Company, the holders of Kansas Pacific Railway stock being given share for share in the new consolidated Company.

The basis of the consolidation being

Miles Capital Stock Funded Debt.

Union Pacific Railroad 1,042 $36,762,300.00 $78,508,350.65 Kansas Pacific Railway 675 10,000,000.00 30,567,282.78 Denver Pacific Railroad 106 4,000,000.00 581,000.00 ——- ——————- ——————— 1,823 50,762,300.00 109,656,633.43



CHAPTER X.

The Denver-Cheyenne Line (Denver Pacific Railroad.)

Proposition for Pacific Railroad to Reach Denver—Cheyenne Route Selected—Branch Line Proposed—Denver Pacific Incorporated and Built—Pro-Rata Controversy—Operated By Kansas Pacific—Consolidation With the Union Pacific.

In the original plan for the Union Pacific Railroad it was the intention that the line would run through Denver and from there directly West across the mountains to Salt Lake. When the line was finally located it passed through Cheyenne, leaving Denver some one hundred miles to the South, the reasons for this being the much shorter distance via Cheyenne as well as the decidedly better gradients that were possible via South Pass Route as against the routes via Denver and Berthoud or Evans Passes. The Denver Route was only given up after repeated efforts had been made to find a satisfactory line that way.

The City of Denver had for some time past been encountering a streak of hard luck—Failure of some of its most promising mines in 1861—Division of the Citizens over the Civil War in 1862 and 1863—Fire and Flood followed by the Indian War on the plains in 1864 cutting off communication with the East—then the grasshoppers plague with the diversion of the Pacific Railway. Vice President Durant had made the remark "it's too dead to bury," and this it was that spurred its citizens up.

In 1867 the Authorities of the Union Pacific Railroad offered to build a branch from some point on their main line to Denver, provided the citizens of that place would pay for the grading of the line and furnish right of way and grounds for terminal. The citizens of Denver were sore at being left to one side on the great overland route and gave the proposition but a luke-warm reception. It is true, County Commissioners of Arapahoe County, in which Denver is located, ordered an election in August, 1867, to vote on the proposition of issuing two hundred thousand dollars in bonds in favor of such a branch line. The election resulted in an overwhelming majority in favor of it, eleven hundred and sixty for to one hundred and fifty-seven against. The County Commissioners in their negotiations with the Union Pacific people coupled with the proposition certain conditions as to the route which the branch line should follow, which not being satisfactory to the Railroad people, they refused to accept the bonds on the conditions required.

On November 13th, 1867, George Francis Train addressed a public meeting at Denver on the subject of a connection between Denver and the Union Pacific Railroad and as a result the Denver Pacific Railway and Telegraph Company was organized five days later. On the day following the organization the directors met and elected Bela M. Hughes President, D. H. Moffat, Treasurer, and F. M. Case, Chief Engineer,—one fourth of the necessary funds being subscribed. An arrangement was made with the Union Pacific Railroad Company by the terms of which that Company was to complete the road as soon as it was ready for the rails. In other words the road was to be located, graded, and tied by the Denver Pacific Company, and ironed and equipped by the Union Pacific Railroad Company.

In connection with the Denver Pacific proposition an application was made to Congress for a land grant to assist in the construction of the road, but before this was acted upon the Kansas Pacific Railroad Company had agreed to transfer the land grant which they had been given by Congress so far as it applied to their proposed line from Denver North, and the application of the Denver Pacific Railroad to Congress was consequently changed to one for bonds. This was granted in 1869 to the amount of twenty-four thousand dollars per mile, or two and a half million dollars in all.

The grading was commenced May 18th, 1868, and the same fall was completed to Cheyenne, one hundred and six miles. Owing to the delay of Congress in acting on the bond proposition as well as on account of the financial stringency the Union Pacific Railroad Company was then encountering, the latter was not able to carry out its contract in regard to the completion of the Denver Pacific Railroad, and the arrangement was accordingly cancelled. An arrangement was then entered into with the Kansas Pacific Railway by which the latter Company took a certain amount of stock in the Denver Pacific Railroad and proceeded with its construction, completing the line between Cheyenne and Denver on June 22nd, 1870.

There was great rejoicing over the event. The last spike,—one of solid silver contributed by the miners of Georgetown, Colo.,—was driven by Governor Evans of Colorado.

The first engine to enter Denver was the first engine that the Union Pacific Railroad owned. It had been the first to enter Cheyenne, also the first into Ogden.

In 1872 the road passed into the control of the Kansas Pacific Railway Company by purchase who operated it until the consolidation of both lines with the Union Pacific Railroad Company in 1880.

The Kansas Pacific Railway was completed into Denver in August 1870, and immediately embarked in the through trans-continental traffic from Kansas City and points east thereof, via Denver and the Denver Pacific Railroad. This was, of course, in competition with the Main Line of the Union Pacific Railroad who in accepting business at Cheyenne were losing the haul from Omaha to that point. The Kansas Pacific Railway and the Denver Pacific Railroad people were insistent and with no little degree of correctness that under the original Charter the Union Pacific Railroad was compelled to accept business from all connections,—but the terms thereof were not fixed and instead of accepting a division based on the mileage of the respective lines as insisted upon by the two lines named, the Union Pacific Railroad officials demanded a constructive mileage that would result in their line from Cheyenne to Ogden receiving six tenths of their local rates between those points when the business was competition with their long haul via Omaha. An agreement to work on this basis pending judicial decision was made between the two interests in September 1874. The question would not down, it was brought before Congress, Courts, and Arbitrators constituting a "Cause Celebre" the Pro-rata controversy.

Out of this grew the building of a rival line between Denver and Cheyenne wholly under the Union Pacific Railroad's control—locally known as the Colorado Central Railroad. This line was comprised of the Colorado Central Railroad, Denver to Golden, sixteen miles. It was commenced on New Year's Day 1868, being the first railroad in the state of Colorado. Its extension to Longmont, built in 1871, and the line Longmont to Cheyenne completed in 1877. This line was some one hundred and thirty miles against one hundred and six by the Denver Pacific Railroad, notwithstanding which it was used by the Union Pacific Railroad as its Denver connection until the adjustment of the differences between the different interests, which was brought about by an agreement made June 1st, 1878, by which the Kansas Pacific Railway and the Denver Pacific Railway were to be operated by the Union Pacific Company. This was followed by an absolute merger of the three roads, in January 1880 the new combination being known as the Union Pacific Railway Company.



CHAPTER XI.

History of the Line since its completion.

Government Indebtedness—Absorption Other Lines—Receivership—Train Robbers—Settlement With Government.

Upon the completion of the Union Pacific the rates for both freight and passengers were fixed at what now seems a very high figure. Thus passenger fares locally were ten cents per mile. Complaints arising, the matter was taken up in Congress and steps taken towards the appointment of a Board of Commissioners who should have authority to fix rates, both freight and passengers.

The whole question of earnings and expenses of the line was an unknown quantity and as soon as experience demonstrated what was reasonable and just, the Company voluntarily adjusted their schedules,—until today the rates over the line are about on a parity with those charged by eastern lines through much more thickly settled states.

In 1869 the agitation looking to a bridge across the Missouri River in place of the slow and often unreliable ferry culminated, and on March 11th of that year the structure was commenced. Three years were required for the work and the first train crossed on March 11th, 1872. By an agreement made with the city of Omaha that city was to be made the eastern terminus regardless of the bridge. This, however, was upset by the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States declaring the bridge an integral part of the line and that it commenced in Iowa not Nebraska.

In 1870 the question of repayment of the Government Loans made in the shape of Bonds arose,—more particularly that of the interests accruing thereon,—the bonds themselves not falling due until 1895-1899. It was a question whether the lines were to pay this interest in cash or through services rendered in transporting men, materials, and mails for the Government. The matter soon got into the Courts and their decision as rendered by Justice Davis of the Supreme Court of the United States so fully and explicitly covers the ground as to warrant the somewhat lengthy extracts given below:

In his opinion, Judge Davis said, "This enterprise (the building of the Pacific Railroads) was viewed as a national undertaking for national purposes and the public mind was directed to the end rather than the particular means to be employed for the purpose. Although the road was a military necessity, there were other reasons active at the time in producing an opinion as to its necessity besides the protection of our exposed frontiers. There was a vast unpeopled territory between the Missouri River and Sacramento which was practically worthless without the facilities afforded by a railroad for the transportation of persons and property. With its construction the agricultural and mineral resources could be developed, settlements made, and the wealth and power of the United States essentially increased. And then there was also the pressing want in times of peace even of an improved and cheaper method for the transportation of the mails and supplies for the army and the Indians."

The policy of the country, to say nothing of the supposed want of power, stood in the way of the United States taking the work into its own hands. Even if this were not so, reasons of economy suggested it were better to enlist private capital and individual enterprise in the project. This Congress undertook to do, and the inducements held out were such as it was believed would procure the requisite capital and enterprise. But the purpose in presenting these inducements was to promote the construction and operation of a work deemed essential to the security of great public interests. Besides it is fair to infer that Congress supposed that the services to be rendered by the road to the Government would equal the interest to be paid. Congress well knew that the Government bound itself to pay interest every six months and the principal at the time the bond matured, resting satisfied with the entire property of the Company as security for the ultimate payment of the principal and interest.

This settled the interest question and the next one to arise was the question as to the payment of five per cent, of the net earnings towards the extinguishment of the Government indebtedness, as provided for in the act of 1862, viz., "And after said road is completed, until said bonds and interest are paid, at least five per centum of the net earnings shall be annually applied to the payment thereof." By act of Congress, June 22nd, 1874, the Secretary of the Treasury was directed to require this payment, failing which, to bring suit. The Supreme Court decided this in 1878 that the Company must pay this five per cent and defined net earnings as what was left out of the gross earnings after deducting all the expense of organization, operation, or for betterments paid out of earnings.

In 1878 the so called "Thurman Act" became law, by which a sinking fund was established looking to the extinguishing of the Company's indebtedness to the Government. This sinking fund was to be made up of one half the amount accruing on Government Transportation, the five per cent of net earnings, plus enough more of the earnings to make up in all twenty-five per cent of the total net earnings, but not to exceed eighty-five thousand dollars per annum,—this sinking fund to be invested by the Secretary of the Treasury in Government Bonds.

Up to 1879 the policy of the Company was to transfer all through freight at its eastern termini, none of its equipment being allowed to leave its own rails.

Soon after the absorption of the Kansas Pacific Railroad and through it the Denver Pacific Railroad, the Union Pacific entered upon a policy of extension by the absorption of other roads and building of branch lines.

Under this arrangement the Texas lines—Fort Worth, Texas, to Denver, Colo., eight hundred and one miles—were completed and added to the system. This line was built under the name of the Denver, Texas and Gulf (formerly Denver and New Orleans), the Fort Worth and Denver City and the Denver City and Fort Worth Railroads.

In 1880 the Railroad from Atchison west—originally the line that was to have connected with the Union Pacific Railroad at the hundredth Meridian, known as the Central Branch Union Pacific—became part of the system by purchase and was leased to the Missouri Pacific Railway Company who have since that time operated it.

Another line added to the system was the narrow (three foot) gauge line from Denver to Leadville and Gunnison. This line was commenced in 1873 under a Charter from the Colorado Legislature, reaching Buena Vista, February 22nd, 1880 and Gunnison, the summer of 1881. It was absorbed by the Union Pacific on January 1st, 1881.

The Utah and Northern was commenced in 1871 by the citizens of Utah and reached Logan in 1873 and Franklin, Idaho, in 1874. The means for building this road was raised by the people of Northern Utah with great difficulty, much of it being donated in labor,—in grading, track work, right of way, etc. After an attempt to operate as a local line more or less successful, it was sold to the Union Pacific Railroad in February 1877 and by them extended to Silver Bow, Mont.—Huntington. Ore., with a branch connecting the main line of the Union Pacific at Granger, Wyo., with Pocatello, Idaho, on the old Utah and Northern.

On May 17th, 1869, one week after the ceremonies at Promontory, the Utah Central was commenced by the Mormons, Brigham Young being President of the Company. It was completed Ogden to Salt Lake City, January 10th, 1870. The work on the line was done very largely by the Mormons in exchange for stock, its equipment being turned over to them by the Union Pacific as part payment (to the Mormons) for work done on the grading of the line.

The Utah Southern—Salt Lake City to Frisco, Utah, was commenced in May. 1871, and completed in June 1880, and absorbed by the Utah Central in 1881.

In 1873 the line from Julesburg to Denver was located and most of the grading done in that year and the two following. Financial stringency together with complications arising over their relations with the Kansas Pacific Railway forced the abandonment of the project. After the consolidation in 1880 the line was recommenced, practically new grades being necessary. It was completed in 1882, the work being done under the Colorado Central Railroad Charter.

All of the above lines were absorbed by the Union Pacific Railway and were a part of that system up to 1893 when the total mileage reached eight thousand one hundred and sixty-seven, made up of one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three miles Union Pacific and six thousand three hundred and forty-four miles, owned, leased and controlled. On the 13th of October, 1893, the United States Court at Omaha appointed S. H. H. Clark, Oliver W. Mink, and E. Ellery Anderson, Receivers, and in the following month Frederick R. Coudert and J. W. Doane were added to represent the interests of the United States, this receivership being forced on the Company by the very general business depression of 1893 and the consequent decrease in traffic and earnings. At the time of appointing receivers for the main line, the Texas Line and the Denver, Leadville and Gunnison (South Park) were segregated and placed under the control of separate receivers. The Oregon Short Line and the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company reverted to the hands of the original Companies, and have ever since been operated independently, although the controlling interest in both lines is owned by the Union Pacific Railway Company. In all, three thousand one hundred and thirteen miles of affiliated lines were segregated from the parent Company. In February, 1899, the "Julesburg Cut Off"—Julesburg to Denver—reverted to the Company, having been operated by the Receiver of the Union Pacific Denver and Gulf Railway in the interim.

Among other troubles which the line has encountered during its thirty-eight years existence has been that of train-robbers. These were a class of men the outgrowth of Western desperadoism, now happily passed into history. Without the fear of God, Man, or the Law, they would singly or in bands attack trains, rob the mail, express and sometimes the passengers.

Among the most noted cases of this kind were the Big Springs Robbery, occurring September 18th, 1877, when a gang of twelve masked men took possession of the station at that point, bound and gagged the employees, cutting the telegraph wires, and upon the arrival of the western train took possession of it, securing sixty-five thousand dollars from the express car, and thirteen thousand dollars and four gold watches from the passengers,—then mounting their horses they rode off. A reward of ten thousand dollars for their arrest immediately followed and three of the robbers were caught and hung. About one half of the money was recovered when they were captured. It is said the balance of the gang were apprehended and dealt with by a frontier Court, 'Judge Lynch' officiating, this however is tradition, its truth not being known.

Another robbery was that committed by Sam. Bass and associates who held up the west bound Pacific Express train securing from the express car some sixty thousand dollars in gold. This money was all recovered and most of the band either killed or arrested.

Another great event of this kind occurred in the hills of Wyoming, west of Cheyenne during 1898. The first section of the Overland West Bound carrying the mail and express was flagged and brought to a stop. A culvert behind it blown up with dynamite to prevent the second section interfering, and the express cars were then looted and the robbers rode off. Persistent pursuit lasting for years, however, brought them one by one to justice, one being killed near Kansas City while resisting arrest, another killed at Cripple Creek under similar circumstances.

In 1897 (January 1st) the present Company, Union Pacific Railroad Company, was organized under the laws of Utah as successor to the Union Pacific Railway Company.

During the construction days, Wells, Fargo and Company operated the Express service over the line. On completion the Company organized its own express "The Union Pacific Railroad Express" which continued to handle the express until re-organized as the Pacific Express Company.