The morning call., 1893-06-21

and interest to be repaid at the expiration
OF thirty years. In addition to this alternate
sections of unoccupied land on either
side of the road were donated to the COM
pany absolutely. None of this subsidy
could be obtained till fifty miles were COM
pleted and furnished with rolling-stock.
As all of the iron and most of the other
material had to be transported from the
Atlantic States along two oceans and
across fore gn country on its way to
California, bat little work was done till
the fall of 1868, and it was not till July l.
1864. that the first thirty-one miles were
completed. From this date commences
the mighty struggles and trials of the COM
pany, The next hundred miles lay across a
chain of mountains, the most difficult to
pierce, grade and subdue of any in the
world. Imagine a series of lofty cones
one above another, till in distance of
seventy miles an elevation Is reached of 7042
feet above the starting point, and that the
proposition was to build railroad up and
across those mountain peaks and down the
other side into the valley, 5000 feet below,
and some idea can be formed of the mag
nitude of almost the first work commenced
bv the Pacific Railroad Company.
Many engineers examined the proposed
road and declared it impossible to con-
struct. and Governor Stanford himself
once having climbed to the top OF one OF
the snow-capped Sierras exclaimed with a
sigh: rs it possible railroad can he built
here ?"
Nevertheless, the work went on. The
State of California donated the company
81, 500. OOO and bonds were placed in
Europe to complete the work.
The financial troubles of the Central
Pacific at last having been cleared away.
its progress across ard beyond the noun
tains was extremely rapid. Five hun
Gred aud thirty miles were built
in 293 days; ten miles of it in
single day-a feat unprecedented
showing the thorough discipline of the
men who did it. and The perfect organiza-
ton of the company which controlled them.
On tie 10th of May, 1869, on Promontory
Mountain, at a spot verlooking Salt Lake.
the last rail was laid and the last spike
driven that finished the Pacific Railroad.
A telegraph wire was attached to the
handle of the silver hammer used by
Governor Stanford on that occasion,
and as he struck the concluding
blow which completed the great
work, the event was instantly
flashed to all parts of the United States.
Ii was day of national praise and jubi-
lee. Celebrations, ringing of bells. the
roar of cannon. and vast professions all
over the country, showed how joyfully the
people welcomed the news.
At the age of 26 Leland Stanford was
married to Miss Jane Lathrop. daughter
of Dyer Lathrop Esq, for many years a
prominent merchant of Albany. n. Y.
Mrs. Stanford IS an estimable lady. queenly
in person and endowed with an exalted
sense of the duties OF her high social posi-
ton. Possessed of many domestic virtues.
there is daily beauty in her life and
character which belongs only to those true
women who are the nobility of their sex.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stanford had but one child.
a boy, whose death was the greatest blow
ever dealt to the parents, and to con-
memorats whom was founded the Leland
Stanford Jr. University.
From the time OF quitting the guberna-
torial office Stanford devoted himself
exclusively to the interest of the
Central and Southern Pacific rail
roads, Of which he had been elected
President. In 1883. however. there was
fight on for senatorship.