The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-11-04
ORIGIN OF THE Q. P.
Incidents of Interest Told by
General Dodge.
STARTING B. GRAVE YARD
Scenes West of the Missouri in the
Early Days-Warm Work
for Indian Fighters.
STARTING & GRAVE YARD

| is q prominent QlTeCCOr IN Inc On1OO
Pacific Railway Company. and at
Buffalo, New York, last week, he read
a paper before the Army Of the Tennes-
see at its reunion, says the Omaha
Republican, which is said to have been
one of the most interesting documents
of the kind ever heard, and told how
western railroads were built many
years ago. After briefly giving an &C
count of the uncivilized country as he
saw it first west of the Missouri River,
the general says: It cost the govern
ment in those days from to cents per
pound to haul freight 100 miles to sup
ply its posts; and l was at one time
in the country between the Humboldt
and the Platte nearly eight months
without seeing white man. other than
my own employees. Now, from the
Missouri River to the Pacific, from the
Red River and the Rio Grande to the
British possessions, the territory is all
under law. 1t is difficult, doubt not,
for you to comprehend the fact that
the first time l crossed The Missouri
| River was on raft, and at the point
where stands the town of Omaha to-
day. That night slept in the tepee of
an Omaha Indian, Within radius Of
ten miles of that same ground to-day
are five distinct lines of railroad, COM
ing from all parts of the country, con-
centrating at Omaha for a connection
with the Union Pacific.
Therefore, the history Of preliminary
matters necessary to be made before
beginning :
TIE CONSTRUCTION OF A GREAT RAILROAD
were reviewed, and then the general
spoke as follows:
During the explorations in 1856 or
1857, I happened to return to Council
Bluffs, where Mr.. Lincoln CHANGED to
be on business. It was then quite an
event for al exploring party TO reach
the States. After dinner, while | was
sitting On the stoop Of the Pacific House
| Mr., Lincoln came and sat beside me
and in his kindly way and manner was
soon drawing from me all l knew of the
country west, and the result Of nv
surveys. The secrets that were to go
to my employers, he got, and, in feet,
as the saying there was, he completely
''shelled my woods" President Lin
coin, in the spring of 1868, sent for me
to come to Washington.
When | received the summons from
General Grant, at COrinth. Miss, to re-
pair 10 Washington, giving no reason,
it alarmed me. l had armed, without
authority. a lot of Negroes, and organ
lied them into company to guard the
Corinth contraband camp. 1t had been
pretty severely criticized in the army,
and | thought this act of mine had
partly to do with my call to Washing
| ton; however, upon reaching there.
and reporting to the President, found
that he had remembered his converse
ton On the Pacific House stoop; that he
was under the law, TO fix the eastern
terminus of the Pacific road; and also
| that he was very anxious to have the
road commenced and built, and desired
to consult me on these questions. He
finally fixed the terminus ct Council
Bluffs, Iowa.
In the discussion of the means of
building the road, thought and urged
that no private combination should be
relied on, but that it must be done by
| the government. The President frankly
said that the government had it's hands
full. Private enterprise must DO the
work, and all the government could dc
was to aid. What he wished to know
OF me was what was required from the
| government TO insure lis commence
ment and completion. He said il vas a
military necessity that the road should
! be built.
From Washington, I proceeded to
| New York, sad after consulting there
with the parties who had the question
before them, the bill of 1864 was drawn.
In due time, it passed and under it
the
UNION AND CENTRAL PACIFIC BAILRoADs,
constituting one continuous line, were
built. n the fall OF 1868, after the fall
of Atlanta, and while on my return
from City Point, where I had been to
visit General Grant for a couple of
| weeks, tie coMmaudeT-in-chIaf sent
me back by the way OF Washington to
see the President.
While the President referred 10 the
! Pacific road, its progress and the result
of my former visit, he gave it very little
thought, apparently, and his crest de-
sire seemed TO be to get encouragement
respecting the situation around Rich
mond, which just then was very dark.
People were c1iticising Grants strategy,
and telling how to take Richmond. l
think the advice and pressure on Fresi
dent Lincoln were almost too much for
him, for during my entire visit, which
lasted several hours, he confded him
self, after reading q chapter out of
humorous book, Il believe called the
Gospel of Peace'0 to Grant and the
situation at Petersburg and Rich
mond.
After Atlanta, Qy assignment to a
separate department brought the coun-
try Between the Missouri River and
California under my command, and
lhen 1 was charged with the Indian
campaigns of 1866 and 1866. travelled
again over all that portion of the coun-
try I had explored in former Years,
and saw the beginning Of that great
future that awaited it. I then began to
comprehend Its capabilities and re-
sources; and in all the movements oil
our troops and scouting parties, had
reports made upon the country, its re-