, 1883-09-13

A5vr me Columbia for a length of
210more miles. by another company
- Pnrt'Rni. and a thousand add
tionSi u,;Ies of lines of branch and al
i;od otI', comnanies. were finished. Now
These figures are easily quoted and
apparently speak a very simple IAN
gnngp. But their true meaning goes
Far Revor d the mere space qt time
and mileage of eomblotea roa3 they,
indie "a Thay form Il great sum OF
inman patience and perseverance,
energy and bravery, hardship anu
privation. They express long ahu
hard tests of the power OF human IN
genuitv and endurance IN mi8hty
Struggle in manual and mechanical
force against the direct obstacles OF
primitive nature. They mean pam,
ful record of bodily suffering and
loss of life by disease and qceluen9.
You have seen et1orgh OF the "ork
to form an idea Of its difficulty IT'S
vastness. its costliness. You have THe
testimony of your own eyes that TINS
highway had to be carved, as 1t "erp'
out of very wilderness where we
found nothing to help uS-no labor,
no food, no habitations, no material,
no means of transportation. You
see the evidences of triumph over
every hindrance. But you perceive
only finished results; the dramatic
incidents of their achievement ale
not disclosed to you. Rolling along
smoothly. merrily and iusurlou5ly
over the line. how can you know that
the bridges over which we pass wel7
built while the subdued rivers weIa
hidden in ice or swollen to periioui
debth and turbulence? that detianc'
was hidden to the seasons, and the
pick and shovel kept flying, though
the way had to be cleared through
thick crusts of snow, and on frozen
around thawed by fires!
have not said all this in a boast
full spirit, but solely to give proper
credit where it belongs for the great
deed now well nigh done, and thus
discharge, by this public acknowledg
ment, as much as possible, the heavy
debt of gratitude that weighs upon
me. Let me then own, on this sol
emn occasion, that our adltice could
never have been reared but for the
liberality of the United States, acting
through the Federal Government, II
providing a solid foundation in oul
land grant; for the devotion and sa,
gacity of the men who steered our
craft in the days of distress and dan
ger; for the generous torebearance OF
our stockholders, the confidence OF
the public, the powerful help OF IL
nancial all is; and last but far from
least, for the ability and faithfulness
of the officers and employees of the
Company and for the myriads of hon.
est t0ilers who earned their bread in
the sweat of their brows for our ben
eft.
And thus we are permitted today
to behold this mighty task as all but
finished. 1t was my proud privilege
to exercise the chief direction over
its later stages. No light duty il
was, but wearisome, and brain and
nerve exhausting Still, its very
grandeur inspired the will and the
power to perform it, and there was
comfort and elevation in the thought
that we have built what cannot per
ish, but will last to the end of all
earthly things. Let us hope and
pray that as this great work of man
will stand for ever, it may also for
ever be an immortal honor to its
founders, a noble monument to its
builders, permanent pride and
profit to its owners, and, most of all,
an everlasting blessing to man.