Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-02
The Union Pacific Railroad.


The Union Pacific Railroad.
When the Pacific railroads were projected
and the bills to incorporate the compa
MES and invite the investment of cap
ital in the enterprise were before congress
the undertaking seemed to most people very
doubtful and hazardous. Few persons believed
that at the best it could be completed before the
- year 1880. In addition to the ordinary com
mercal advantages offered by railroads in gen
eral, it was believed that the building of this
road was of great importance to the government
in several ways. 1t would open to settlement
vast regions, then uninhabited and almost un
inhabitlble because so difficult Of access, and
thus benefit the government by the sale of its
lands and the increase of its population and re-
sources; 1t would afford means of comparatively
cheap transportation for public servants and
property, previously carried at vast expense by
wagons and by long and toilsome marches; and,
what was esteemed at the time of even greater
consequence, 1t would be Of great political ser
: -viee in binding together two widely separated
sections of the country, which might otherwise
become alienated by distance and different, per-
haps In time diverse, interests. For all these
reasons the Pacific railroad was acknowledged
TO be a national necessity, and all agreed that
the government must either undertake it as a
public work or offer such inducements to CAPT
tllistS as would pers uade them to risk their for
tunes in building il. Congress decided upon
the latter course. It made one offer In 1862,
which did not prove sufficiently attractive, and
another in 1894, which was accepted, with what
results we all know.
The exp Citations Of the government have
been more than realized. The settlement of the
interior regions OF the continent has advanced
with wonderful rapidly. The saving in govern.
ment freights every year has been more than
the whole amount of the interest on its bonds
advanced, and the states on the Pacific coast are
bound TO the rest of the nation by commercial
necessities, and by social and political consid-
erations, as well as by the deliberations of the
long stretch Of vacant desert land which was
before so formidable barrier. The work was
pushed forward with unparalleled rapidity, and
completed long before the time agreed or expect.
ed 1t cost more to build it so quickly, but while
the work was in progress no one thought of con-
demning this haste as extravaganza, and no
praise was too great for the energy of the men
who were triumphing so signally over all nat
ural obstacles The people and the press, with
hardly an exception, gloried in their achieve.
ment as one of the grandest monuments of
Am rican enterprise.
But when the rails were all laid and the tide
of travel and traffic between the two oceans be-
gan TO flow regularly to and fro through this
lew channel, then the road and its promoters
began to be treated IN a different spirit Stories
of extravaganza, Encouragement and frauds
were circulated. Some of their authors
were perhaps careless or ignorant of
the facts,-others were evidently prompted
by the belief that black mail could be ex-
torted in this way. So eXnavagant were some
OF these stories that if they were to be trusted,
there was really no Pacific railroad at all worthy
of the name, but these reckless and unscrupu-
lous inanciers had, by some marvellous exertion
of rascally ingenuity without spending much
money, contrived TO make a semblance of a rail-
road which would last hardly long enough TO be
inspected, and, if it was to be of any use, must
all be reconstructed almost Immediately, at a
cost hardly less than the original expense of
buildingit Stories like this, of varying degrees
Of extravaganza, obtained considerable credit for
time, but as the continued successful
use Of the road proved their falsity, they gradu-
ally dropped out of circulation. But the same
spirit that prompted them gave rise also to all
sorts of malicious and envious remarks about
the men who had had the energy and courage
to carry this great work 10 a successful issue.
Nothing definite was alleged against them ex-
cept that they had made colossal fortunes,
which n rn+ Oil e..
: they had displayed the qualities which always
command success. By their capital, enterprise
and energy they had accomplished an undertake
Ing of immense national importance, but as it
had appeared in its inception, of doubtful feast
biity. Such works never have been aud never
would be undertaken If 1t were not for the pros
pect of large profits in the event of success.
Men dc not put great fortunes at extreme haz.
ard with the hope OF only moderate gains.
When Mr.. Boutwell,, in his over zeal to exact
the last farthng for the treasury, took advantage
Of strained construction OF the law to repudiate
contract which had been accepted and acted
upon hitherto without question, the cutlery
against the Pacific railroad management was
renewed with increased vi2or and malice. fair
statement of the action Of congress on the sub
jeet was denounced as an attempt at repudia
ton. This iBcessant clamor, with Mr. Bout
-wclf,s oppressive policy, has done It's work. The
securities of the road are temporarily so far de-
preciated that the men who had large part OF
their capital invested in them are heavy losers
and perhaps ruined. Mr.. Cakes Ames, who
supplied more Of the motive power for the en-
terprise, ID the way of capital, energy and
nnuGIanaa ofl,ar - ~,
il a critical situation. Before he embarked
his capital in this undertaking be was, perhaps,
the richest man in Massachusetts. What he is
worth now, if anything, it is impossible to tell.
TIE reproach that he had made a colossal for
) .pne out Of the Pacific railroad can be aiiss
against him no longer. BE is apparently raint
81 Ii, and Ii Is a cruel.thing . lin and bis a.
soelaiss, as VIZ tue disiuieustsd sarclas.
efs Of n "a 3 i5e ad, to depreciate
seif b anu unWagfantihie eon
adl d fbe Ns and by ms1ef en-
elanor We IT'D rot bslseve congress viii
htsl'afe pfosapi aeuon io4ebuke Mr.. Bout
msifs COURSE. aa,d aough too late to repair all
aial, affirm the obvious and just con-
action Of the contract with the railroad COM
pany.
sumner ana san Domingo.
A private letter from Washington, from gen.
tleman well Informed, speaks as follows about
the annexation debate:
"That was great debate in the senate last
week. / watched it carefully from two in the
afternoon till haf-after six the next morn
ing am Sumner man on this question. 1t
is the administration which is forcing this an
nexation scheme, and it is o bad business from
hcCripnfnR In md mr.. NJ lnngt ua far