The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-02-07
Tine HoRrHERx PACIFIC RAIL
ROAD


lo,s ,iors--for probably 10 him mnrs ,hs
70 81, Oh o. snsa 10 au- che succ Is Of ID
sf.ai~.i II ssilso.i ~sserprse.. Iaa-e |
is lore p,osy. NJ lpan NOD ,hoscastiy !
love sith his pnfposc could have eioas =
|, 9Th zach tenseiiy,
II sesms 10 m~ like dresm. hs ssid
turning . tiioushiiul fact tossfi the srss
range ~ moun,sins 10 the east. vhrn ssl~'
tl recsll tb- story yesterday afternoon Il
hrs room al ID. hotel II seems like
dream 10 ue pow. When look bsck ans
thai OF hos rode horse back over the.'
msuai.in trails looking Tor lios kn ,Lb
rsis, al, ! csnno, se~ hos found tb'
nerve 10 do II. Daildios rsilrnais nos
aud building railroads tseoty years ~
-. ~. d,6.rvnt thibss entirely. he csn
,iausd sii-r . moments psuse. Il Is nc
eres, irict 70 rsise 1 fes millions nos ioI
the purposs But railroads we're prscti
cally sn experiment In those day. Aud
yet this area. enterprise vas concsivei IN
sll its prseiiesl workings aud efcct by
some sdv.ncel minds before . railroad
lad reached Chicsao from the east Tell
YOU us storyf ssi1 Mr.. Csnhsld, smiling
10 sns~sr TO the question. All. 1t 10 too
long Tor single .sit,iue. / fear. / you'd
like 10 b-sr ~itness, hosevef, be sail IN
behalf of Il tSin Jahuaou. late OF Builing-
ton. VT. b-ins the man To whom the first
great honor ia due ior having conceived
the binding Of such fosd and vho based
his faith on knowledge OF the facts, aud
Who lu, his plans into practical aud fsss
sbls form. Eiwin Johnson wss the sngi.
user Of the Els causl He vas ons Of but
two OF three railroad engineers then 10 the
country. but he vas Que OF the grrAtest
tbst l have known. Hs ~As never over
theroute, but be became familiar with the
country, its resources and possibilities,
through interviews with men who bad
b en over il. wsss active young man.
about 80 Yeas Of age. the iubior member
Of the Arm Of Bradley 4 CaphelJ, whole.
sale merchants, and for~srdess ~ Burlins'
ton, w., aud Mr. johnson was 10 ths ha bit
OF coming ipto our store on Water street
aud talking to me on ths subj Ct He sue
resttd 10 so iutsrestiug me IN the enter
lri,e that l determined TO maks It the
business Of my life. brought sll my en.
ereies to bear upon this single purpose
Iu company with others | began the build.
ing Of the Chicago, st. P,ui and Fond Du
Lac railroad, nov known OF a. the Chicago
4 Northwestern.
Mr.. Johnsou was made chiei engineer
rnis vas the hrst step toward tho Pacific
coast. The rails snd mstsrisl wsrs broug ut
around from Buffalo BY the lskss throSsh
the strsigh u Msckinaw to Chicago. Be.
fore the road was completed to Fond Du
Lac tho panic OF Of 81 overlook a,d stop.
ped the work. leaving the company and
contractor embarrassed. The war broke
out before they recovered, and the govern.
ment. seeing the necessity Of . railroad to
the coast, chose the middle ronte aud
built the union Pacific With asubsidy aud
= grant Of lands. Assistant Secretary Of
War Thomas A. Scott. Of the Psnnsy lvaniA
called me to Washington to take
charge OF all the railroads about Wash
ineton. M
AYTKR THE WAR.
The great Northern Pacific idss WAS
revived soon after the war. A Mr., Per
Lsm had franchise from the government
10 build . railroad across the continent,
Irou Maine to the Pscltic coast. He cal
led II tho Peoples tsiroai. His plan was
hat every body shouid buy shsrs Of the
'tock "A pursiy visionary scheme. Per.
nan had gone into debt and had issued
preferred stock 10 tho amount OF about
l60. 900 He took sick aud fslt that Ae
rs about TO die. He Was anxious that be
Ihould lesve 40 debts. Tue Grand Trunk
abroad OF Canada, fsarfai thHt . road
.culd be bIiis through The north western
and s1xious 70 do what il could
o prevent IL. offered TO buy the franchise
)ne Of thoss interested 10 the Northern
psci6c heard OF this We knew the value
u such . franchise, for ws kpsx shst-u
Ter the il Huence Of the growing sentiment
against government fsvo,s 10 railroads
uch smother would never be issued
liessrs. Smith OF Vermont, Rlcs OF Maine
nd Cheney Of Boston hss.ened to Per
,sm's home and TO his sick room. They
ound that be had made reservation 10
q agreement 9Th The 0rsnd rruuk peo.
,ls thss unless he AmsriesnA conpaDy
bould take It before . certain tims bad
lspssd IL should be theirs. The gentle.
nan named closed . contract then and
here to psy hin slo0. 900 that is, TO pay
10 debt and give him the balance over
{ that sun.
TO SAVE THE cHAnTER
Then began the struggle 10 save the
barter Ito get 10 extension Of time before
ispsed. Altogsthes spent six sinten
, Washington 10 this interest aud 10 the 9
TO secure subsidy. All hope =
The latter sss sivsu up upon the rsiussl .
ibs congress OF '66 and 81 70 graot aid. .
any Of the directors Of The company lost 9
esrt snd we're wiling TO give up and lose :
bat money ih.y bad pat ioto IT, Con =
ress had characterized the undertaking =
- Ysnkes scheme because most oi tbos, !
,ssyesssd vsrs from Ssv E.sisnd. l sas !
be necessity Of reorgsuizing the board :
Nd sivias n uorr q na,ionsi character
! ~aiisting the ie.dins railroad men Of :
be eouuir,. SEQ, 10 governor smith. :
s-s prss,deI. of the company. and told !