Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1893-06-21
HE WAS INDEED A GRAND MAN.
Characteristic Anecdote of President
Abraham Lincoln.

40 me-" said Mr.. c. p. Huntington
to a writer in Kate Fields Washington,
abraham Lincoln was the finest char
acter Of this generation; esteem it e
privilege of my life 10 have known
him, for to know him was to believe in
the divinity Of human nature. You
don't know, so III tell you, that it was
lett by law to President Lincoln 10 de-
eide upon the gauge of the Pacific rail-
roads. At that time-the spring or
winter OF 1868, | think-railroads had
different gauges; the South had 5 feet,
the North had feet 1-2 inches, the
roads from New York to st. Louis
measured feet, and the road from St.
Louis to Kansas City 5 1-2 feet. 1t
was imperative that there should be a
uniform gauge, which eventually came
to pass Now by the consensus of ex-
pert opinion it has been fixed at feet
1-2 inches, though there are few
narrow-gauge roads of feet.
an order TO get Central Pacific mat
tiers before Congress spent months at
Washington. The President referred
this matter of gauging to John p.
Usher, Secretary of the Interior, who
was requested to collect data and
present report to the President.
Before Usher made his report
called at the White House and saw the
President. Mr.. Lincoln said, 4
have been dilatory not from choice but
from necessity. ! now have the re-
ports OF five engineers in favor of a
fve-foot gauge which desire to pre-
sent to you for consideration before
you give your ultimatum.'
"I'll hear you next Friday at II
O'Clock a. M, replied Mr.. Lincoln.
"That was more than had expect
ed. l telegraphed for &. T. M. Davis,
formerly OF Springfield, ILL.,, to como
from New York, where he then re-
sided, and make the argument. He
was personal friend of Lincoln and
an able man. He and were promptly
at the White House at II o'clock, but
the President did not receive us until
twenty minutes before u. The Cabi-
net met at noon, so that Davis had
only time to shake hands with the
President and say few words before
the officials arrived. Lincoln permit
ted him to proceed. This did not
please Seward, who lived on the New
York Central and wanted a gauge OF
four feet eight and one-half inches.
Addressing the President in his own
peculiar way, the Secretary of State
exclaimed: Mr.. President, what kind
of a meeting have we to-dayP
IA meeting of the Cabinet and
their friends replied Lincoln with
digni6ed composure. Go on, Col.
Davis
"Davis went on. At the conclusion
Of his argument the President ad-
dressed him thus: OF the merits of
the case: know nothing. There are
30 many things of which know moth
ing as to make it absolutely necessary
for me to trust to others. | call in
men for that purpose. l depend on
their judgment and l find when too
late that their advice has been far
more selfish than patriotic. Tell me
truly what is the best gauge?'
"The pathos of Lincoln's appeal was
sublime. The mans whole nature
was unveiled. He was as true as steel
to duty, as sympathetic by nature as
woman. wouldn't have lied to him
for the whole Central Pacific road.
The decision was in favor of five-foot
gauge, but the later uniform gauge,
three and half inches less, is perhaps
better. did not think so then, nor
did experts. All, Lincoln was grand
man."