The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-05-11
600, Ooo-probably twice its value in San

road over them 1neOQOre u. JuuanI
sanguine engineer of Sacramento, in~
| sisted that the project was practicable,
both geographically and pecuniarily.
Neig bbors laughed at him, but earnest
ness is always contagious. Through
many long winter evening he talked
upon his favorite theme with group
who freQuented the hardware store of
Huntingdon d Hopkins, a firm OF
wealthy but cautious and frugal mer-
chants. One partner, with his family,
lived in their store building, separated
from their goods by board partition
made from boxes carried around Cape
Horn, all the way from Boston. In
country where everybody specu-
| lated they had never invested dollar
in mining, but had adhered specially
to their legitimate business. Hunting
ton was the first convert. Soon, Hop
kins, Croker, "a leading lawyer, and
two or three of their neighbours, were
also among the prophets. In the sprin e
of 1860, these gentlemen subscribed $50
apiece to enable Judah to devote the
Summer to careful mountain survey.
Other CalifOrnians had advocated a
Pacific Railway; legislatures and pub
lie meetings had endorsed 1t; but this
was the first money paid-the business
germ OF the greatest enterprise the
world has ever seen. In the Autumn
Judah and his corps returned to SaCre-
=
with a report SO favorable that $1,000
more was promptly raised TO support
them through the next season. a Sc
cond Summer was spent In surveying,
with equally encouraging results.
Then Judah was dispatched 10 San
Francisco, to secure subscriptions for
Incorporating the Company; but, after
month Of faithful canvassing, return
ed home without having Obtained a
dollar. A poor engineer had started the
paper; two plain hardware merchants
had put it in business shape; and now,
not rich San Francisco, but unpretend-
ing little Sacramento, was TO make 1t q
success. Even after the Centred Pacific
Company was chartered by the Cali
fornia Legislature, only two San Fran
ciscans subscribed for shares, and one
Of them was a woman.
TIE Company sent Judah to Wash
ington, where he hung up his charts in
the COmmittee-Rooms explained that
California was ready TO take hold in
earnest, and though the civil war was
raging, invoked the aid Of the nation
A few railway enthusiasts from New
York and Massachusetts were already
pressing the same request. AT last the
hour was propitious. Neither Congress
nor the Eastern public comprehended
that our commerce and travel demand
ed such a road. Public opinion WAS not
vet ripe for it as business enterprise.
But the conflict for the Union had nj
ready accustomed the North to such
lavish outlay that the expense seemed
less frightful than of yOre. 1t had also
shown that in case of foreign war the
isolated Pacific Coast would be our
weak point, and even now some NUT
terings were heard about u Pacific Re
public. In the language of the hour.
continental railway was Military Ne
cessity; and as such, in July, 1862, one
was chartered from the Missouri 10 the
Pacific, with an endowment of unpar-
alleled richness. Thomas g. Durant
and few other live spirits OF the Union
Pacific (the east end OF the line) were
full of faith in the enterprise; but old
and "safe" New York capitalists re-
garded it as chimerical, and the frau-
chise as practically worthless. The
charter could not have been sold in
Wall-st. for $l,OOOOO0. But the Union
Pacific, after many struggles, at last
made Il beginning and built:
In 1s65...... 40 miles. In 1875. As miles.
"a ls65........ 265 miles. l n lS69.... lG5 miles.
In 1S67-...... 2l5 miles.
This was marvelously rapid work for
a rough country, much of 1t destitute OF
wood, wafer, and supplies. For 300
miles east of Salt Lake Valley the line
AT this great elevation SHOWS abound.
During the first winier-lSGS-0-n
trains went through for two or three
weeks, though during the same period
20 miles of track were laid at the end OF
the line. The company, in its keen race
with the Central Pacttic-building east
ward to meet twas naturally indiner-
ent TO the rage of passengers. n little
experience, however, will teach how 10
overcome the SHOWS.
Omaha and Council Bluffs, SiGmese
Twins of towns ut the eastern terminus
"a l. l. NNNfN
strengthen with lis strength. Omaha
has nearly 20. 900 people, and Council
Bluffs 10000, with railways diverging
in various directions. Daring conslruc
lion the "tprmiDRl station" moving
forward with each advance of the track,
was usually place Of - OuO Jr o. dO in
habitantS. Right upon the tis-t,Gi would
spring up crowded city, wiki euor-
nous warehouses, daily newspapers,
streets thrOngcd With hundreds of
freight teams Starting westward, and
churches, banks, and gambling saloons.
In q few weeks the scene would shit,
and all this Vnried life disappear, leav-
ing only IL little station, with its water
tank and group of forIorn dwellings.
In Wyoming, for $50 miles the line
traverses the dreAry Bitter Creek re-
gion. Here the alkali water is not only
unfit to drink, but cannot even be used
in the engines, as ii deposits sediment
CQOEl1R anu ClORRluS up lue DOllS1S'
Until some method OF neutraltzlng It's
noxIous qualities can be discovered
water tram supplies tanks along this
entire distance.
Indians have thrown one or two
trains off the track, but in general have
kept very clear OF the locomotive. In
Kansas, however, they have committed
many outrages. Going to California in
1867, via the Kansas Pacific Road, and
thence by stage, through Denver and
Salt Lake, was hazardous under
taking. Near Fort Wallace. one day in
June, d coach which carried five pas.
sengers, one soldier, and driver, had
a running fight for five miles with
hundred mounted Sioux and Chey-
ennes. The travellers make the best
resistance they could with their rifles,
and kept the savages at little distance,
while the driver put his horses to their
utmost speed. Every man on board,
except one, was killed or seriously
wounded. An old frontier friend of
mine, Charles II. Blake, happily es.
capped with broken arm and wound
in the head. At last the vehicle, with
its bleeding and dying inmates, reached
the shelter OF Big Timber Station, and
the savages sullenly retired without
having taken "A single scalp. The fight
was probably one of the last, and GER
tainly one of the most remarkable in
the history OF the plains. The Union
Pacific road found the first 800 miles
west from Omaha the easiest route ever
folIowtd; the Central Pacific, for 1SO
east from Sacramento, one of the hard-
est. Before receiving any Government
bonds the latter company must build
and equip forty miles, which would
carry the track far up the Sierras, and
cost 81 100000. Money was worth two