The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-11-01
Deserved CompIina eat.


The Omaha Herald, of a recent date has
the following sketch of two of Rock
Islands respected citizens, which will be
pursued with pleasure by all the readers
ofTHE ARGUS res
! Messrs Reynolds Il Sautpaugh stand at
the head of the eminent railway CONTRACT
tors of the western states. Elisha z. Rey>
nolds was born in Montpelier, VT. in 1917
/ He inherited those sturdy physical and
mental traits that characterize many of
the sons of the Green Mountain state.
His height is six feet two. weight two
hundred and thirty pounds, and his entire
org anism is very EN- bodiment of physical
manhood. He is self-poised man Of
great force of character, long headed and
| a ID an Of remarkable executive ability. A
good Judge Of human nature, he is man
to command men, Always temperate in
| his habits. OF an even disposition and a
man who all his days has led active
business LIE, :, III is we'll preserved. and
at sixty. three years Of age, is in the pride
of his strength and the vigor of his intel
| iect s +
| La 1889 he removed to Illinois, settled
at Rock leland and has since made his
home there. As early as 1852 be began
contracting on the old Chicago & Rock
Island road. He was subsequently en-
gagged on the NJ. & N. and built about one
hundred miles of road in Iowa He work
ed on various roads and did miscellaneous
work up to 1868 when he became associat-
ed with Thomas Saulpaugh.
MIR. Saulpaugh was born in Milford ,Os~
tegO county. New York. April Z, 1922.
He lived with bis parents on a farm until
Il year OF age, then went to work in a
1 0ns
came out and learned the stone
cutters trade. This he followed
Iup to the time he was 26 years
of age Subsequently he began contract
log and doing railroad work. His first in
that line was 10 Vermont, on the Troy
Eagle Bridge & Rutland road. From
there he went TO Virginia and engaged on
the Alexandria & Gordonsviile road. He
worked on the Old Bull Run battle ground,
aud knows where the boys 10 later years
sufged across that heroic hed From
there he went TO Tennessee and engaged
on tie Nashville and Chattanooga road.
That was ia 1851. lie remained there
uutd 1851. then cams to Rock Island
where he has since made his hone. That
year he buiit the Iowa river bridge near
Coiunbus City. In the South he was
associated with his brother, bridge building
and other masonry work. This takes him
iown to the time he became associated
with Sir. Reynolds firm name
Reynolds & Saulpangh. Their first work
was to build fifty miles of the Rock Island
i Sterling road, then twenty odd miles OF
the old Mississippi & Missouri road
designed to run from Davenport to Council
Bluffs. They did work on the Chicago &
Alton. Chicago & Northwestern Cincinnati
4 Southern AID others down to 1866.
That fall they wentto St Paul, Minnesota,
remained uatil 1873, doing heavy masonry.
bridge building. grading and other railroad
work. Duriug that time, they were
engaged on the Chicago & St Paul road
built the M!anaaD9!Is railway bridge, the
one above St, Pa4i, did tho heavy work on
the st. Paul K SAuk Rapids road, and IN
1868 TOOK the contract to build the Du-
buque bridge. and a tunnel $50 feet long
with its approaches, costing in the aggre-
| gate over half u million OF money. SUBJ
Isequontly they took a contract of the
American Central, nov the G. B. Il O.. to
grade, bridge ana lay track on fifty miles
Of their road, This they completed 10
ilSG9 They then bailt for the same COM
panY about forty miles OF the Burlington
& Fort Madison. This brings them down
to 1870.
| They cow associated themselves with
Douglas il Brown-frm name. Douglas.
Brown & Co. We next fnd them in
Texas, where they built and made ready
for tho rolling stook $50 mics of the In
they fell back to the old firm again. In
1874 they closed a contract with the
iChicago, Alton Il St. Louis railro COM
pany to bridge the Mississippi river at
Louisiana, Missouri. This enterprise was
completed In six months. the most expe-
! ditious work of its character and magui-
) tude in the United States. In the spring
of 1875 they contracted with The Ciucin~
natl Southern to build across the Ohio at
Cincinnati one 6 the largest railroad
bridges in America. costing more than
100000. In 1878 they built o bridge
across the Missouri river at Glasgow, at a
lcost OF 100000 Soon after, thoy began
contracting with the Chicago, Burlington
Il Quincy to build different lines of their
roads in Iowa, and subsequently, With the
Burlington g. Missouri; in Nebraska. They
did Tue heavy work on the Portsmouth
bridge, and by the last OF December will
have o1m pleted ninety two miles of road
for the latter company in Nebraska during
, the year 1880.
II t.eynolus * Saaipaugh have been ASSOC
ciated about twenty three years and are
the oldest contracting firm in the United
States They are working on the B. &
NJ lines in Nebraska to day about 500
teams and 1000 men. Their headquart-
ers near Blue Springs in Gage county,
resembles the nucleus of a village There
stands the large store out of which $66,-
900 worth of goods have been sold 70 sub
contractors this season, boarding house.
telegraph Office, engineers Office aud other
buildings and Offices.
Few men harmonizs and do business
together for period of twenty three years
That they have had burdens to bear and
have met with reverses is not unreason-
able, bat they have paid 100 cents on the
dollar aud have lived up to their pledges
and promises. They have competence
and it is not necessary for them to do this
work any longer. But it has become such
chronic habit with them they are at
loss to know where or when to leave off.
Mr.. Saulpaugh, like Mr.. Reynolds. is
large man, of fine physique. great energy
and will power. They have pulled togeth-
er for many long years. and it is believed
tear will fall when they part They both
have pleasant homes 10 Rock Island, and
there will stop when their busy lives are
over. Dir. Reynolds has twice been
| II ayor of that city +"