Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-06-15
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THROUGH TO THE PACIFlC--FACTS AND
INCIDENTS GATHERED BY A VETER-
AM TpAMEI I'd ----- -

THROUGH TO The PACIFlC--FACTS AND
INCIDENTS GATHERED BY A VETER-
AN TRAVELLER. 81.
The New York Tribune has sent A. d.
Richardson, whose war correspondence and
books written subsequently all our read
ers will remember, to the West as its own
special commissioner to examine the Pa
cifc Railroad, From the last two letters
we make the following interesting extracts: :
GEN. G. II. THOMAS.
Among our passengers was Gen. q. III.
Thomas, en- route for his new field-the
entire Pacific coast, with headquarters at
San Francisco. We of the East are hard
ly aware of the admiration, the enthusi-
asm, the personal affection felt for Thonl-
asthroughout the West. Everywhere one
hears him spoken Of as "Old Reliable, :"
"Pop Thomas" 'T'c Rock Of Chickamu-
ga" That splendid Old Man" Inpoiut
of fact, his age is only 52 but his grave,
kindly demeanor does carry patcrnal
suggestion. He is certainly one Of the
finest characters brought out by the war.
| President Lincoln, when first desired to
make him Major-General, replied with
u djStrust born Of many disappointments ::
"No; he is from the South | will wait
till he earns it. Thomas heard Of this
and how gloriously he did earn the Ma
or-Gencraship and every other honor he
has received He was always at his most
and for three years he did not once see
his wife He never got whipped he new
er complained Of anything; he never ac-
ceptcd any promotion until it was fai Is
thrust upon him che never committed an
act that had. to be explained or apologize
ed for"
Since the war his rare qualities have
grown steadily upon the people. When
he declined the honor offered to him by
the Uincinuatians, he did it with perfect
modesty and unostentatiousness. "The
Government" he said, "has always amply
paid me, and all my wants are provided
for. To accept such II present would not
be consistent with my sense of duty"
A few weeks ago some Of his old officers
in Nashville--in token of their affection,
as he was about leaving for the West,
preferred him Il table-scrvice of silver
He replied 81 am greatly toucded by
this evidence of your regard, but can
not accept it. In my judgment it would
be injurious to the discipline of the Army
for officers to receive gifts from those who
arc or have been been their subordinates. :"
Some have thought Thomas over-fastidious
on this subject; but the American people
are now in a mood to pardon great deal
IF lastidiousncss in that direction.
Gen. Thomas would attract notice in
any crowd. He is large, broad shoulder
ed, massive, with hair and beard brown,
but now turning to gray, mild, kindly
eyes, and prominent nose--a strong, mark
ed face. He inherited no property, but
by careful, frugal habits, he has saved a
competence from his salary. lie has no
children. This is his second visit TO Cal
ifornia; fifteen years ago, when he was
captain in the Third Artillery, he was
stationed at Fort Yuma for II months.
He and his staff are as delighted as school
boys turned loose to escape from Ken
lucky and West Tennessee into a thorough
ly loyal atmosphere.
EVERYTHING ON A LARGE SCALE.
The Union Pacific car, machine, and
repair shops, supply houses, locomotive
houses, iron sheds, and lumber piles, near
the river bank at Omaha, give more vivid
ideas Of this great work than a months
reading. They appear to cover fully 30
acres, perhaps5O. Here is a single string
Of empty frcight-cars more than mile
long. Here are millions upon millions of
feet of lumber: acres upon acres of low
sheds, filed up with iron castings for cars
and locomotives; warehouse after ware
house, with its stores of lanterns, shovels,
picks, axes, hammers, plows, bars Of steel,
rods Of copper, pigs of lead and of anti
mony, groceries and provisions, building
hardware, telegraph materials, and SO on
ad injiinitum. ~,
Though there are shops at eight other
points along the line with from 40 to 800
workmen to, each, the Omaha shops en-
ploy some 1,200 men. These are suppli-
cd with water from the Missouri, pumped