The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-25
TIE WASHINGTON THURSDAY s lsss-rwELvE PAGES

making Ire .wensy-.o<ar miles ieurney n
a morning and evening walk. resting DIR
irg the heat OF thu day. he traded IA ssca
commodities as had a market anong ;he
eraixrants an. natives and when ne finally
.ock passage for San Francisco his $, 30
lad grown during sae tree months de-
teation 70 8. ~.
reneec business il Sacramento in a tsat.
with SaSn articles as were IN demand by
the miners. The large Use OF sa4oveas, picks
and other hardware led 70 determining his
line OF business. With the Increase in trade
ard ,hs need sor carrying a larger stock
OF goods ID take advantage Of cheaper
fre.Sh. by sailing vessssls around the Horn.
Mr.. Huntington became associated with
Mark Hopkins, which association eontis-
red for twsaty-one years. until the death
OF Mr Hopkins Mr.. Huntington, as early
as 1913 was al advocate OF speedy proiec-
ton ana completion of q railway across the
Sierra Nevada moansa.uA This project
was 20 gigantic that he was. with other
early advocates. called Pacific railroad
crazy" As business proposition. 1t
staggered the w!ses. financiers OF the COM
nanlty, hut Mr. Huntington went steadily
onward. and In 1861 the Central Pacific
Railroad Company. OF California. became
q bona fide corporation. with Huntington
Stanford, Crocker and Hopkins as leading
ep!r;ts. Mr.. Huntington. empowered with
full authority. went East. and in New
York and Washington sc, the :inanciers
and lawmakers in active cooperation, and
a contract with the government, by which
he agreed to consiruc. railroad and ,eie-
graph line from the Pacific coas. to point
where IL would meet the Union Pacific. was
made and executed. His laconlc telegram,
We have drawn the elephant, now let us
eee II we can harness him." announced his
success TO his associates In Sacramento.
Mr.. Huntington and associates pledged
their personal fortunes and their creds. TO
the success Of the road. and while the coun-
try was In the throes OF civil war ard
nnancia. depression. the bonds OF the read
were sold. the funds raised. the las, spika
toiHc<teu t2ic SSiliidt dIi1
Union Pacific was driven and the dream
OF Huntington became . reality.
Not content with this gigantic achieve
mems. Mr.. Huntington planned and per-
fected the whole Southern Pacific railway
system. with over $500 niles of steel track,
and built and acquired system east OF
the Mississippi river by which the South
err Pacific and the Chesapeake Ohio
and other railways form q continuous line
nearly 5.eoo miles long. from Portland.
Or. to Newport News. Va, which tevel-
oped multiplicity Of steam water lines
connsctiEg the Pacific coast through yes-
ssis that find abundant and safe harbor
at Newport News. with every commercial
port IN the Old word. including a steam
ship line on the Pacific 10 China ard ia
pan. AT Newport News he erected the
largest drydock and ship yard in America
BY the year 1880 Mr.. Huntington dis
posed OK al his railroad interests east
OF the Mississippi river In order that he
might devote his energy and interest 70
the Southern Pacific Railway Company
In San Francisco. where the Southern Pa
c.ac enjoys such 4 gigantic monopoly. Mr.
Huntington Is very much 6si!kej, the
masses ot the people believing that he Is
retarding the growth Of the city by octopus
psoyensiiies.