The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-21

pe hauled from the end of the track. and
the wagon transportat ton was enormous
AT one time We were using at least 10 400
animals, and most of the time from 5000
10 1900 laborers. The bridge gangs all
ways worked from five to twenty miles
ahead OF the track, and it was seldom that
there was any waiting for a bridge. To
supply one mile of track with material
required about forty cars on the plains,
as everything, rails, ties, bridging fasten-
ings, all railway supplies, fuel for loco
motives ana trains and supplies for the
men and animals on the entire work had
to be transported from the Missouri river
Thus, as we moved westward, every hun
dred miles added vastly to our transpor-
tation. Yet the work was so systematic
ally planned and executed that 1 do not
remember the delay of a single week for
want of material. Each winter we planned
the work for the next season. BY the.
opening of spring, about April l, every
part Of the machinery was in working or
der, and in no year did we fail to accom-
plish our appointed task.
The following extract of letter from
Gen. Sherman, with reference to what
we promised to do in 1S67-only about
half what we prepared to do and did
accomplish in 1868. indicates how one
years experience helped us in the progress
VI lllt u6Al. II dlSO SUOWSt WIFI tue
country seems in great measure to have
forgotten. that the Pacific Railroad, now
regarded chiefly in the light of a trans
continental commercial highway, was
then looked upon as a military necessity,
and the one thing positively essential to
the binding together of the republic east
and west
st. Louis, Jan. 16, 1S67-My Dear Dodge:
I have just read with intense interest
your letter of the 14th, and, though you
wanted it kept to myself, I believe you
will sanction my sending 1t to Gen.
Grant for his individual perusal, to be
returned to me. 1t is almost a miracle
to grasp your purpose TO finish to Fort
Sanders (290 miles, this year, but you
have done so much that I mistrust my
own judgment and accept yours. l re-
gard this road of yours as the solution
of Indian affairs and the Mormon ques-
ton, and, therefore, give you all the
aid I possibly can, but the demand for
soldiers everywhere and the slowness of
enlistment, especially among the blacks.
limit our ability to respond. Each Off
Ger exaggerates his own troubles and APP
peals for men. now have Gen. Terry
on the Upper Missouri, Gen. Augur with
you and Gen. Hancock Just below, all
enterprising young men, for counsel and
for the field. l will endeavor to arrange
so that hereafter all shall act on COM
mon principles and with common pur-
pose, and the, first step, of course, is to
arrange for the accumulation of the nee
essary men and materials a the right
points, for which your railroad is the
very thing. You may rest easy that both
Grant and feel deeply concerned In the
safety Of your great national enterprise.
w. T. Sherman, NJ. G.
1t was not until after November. 1857.
when we had been at work two years. that
we got rail communication with the East
at Council Bluffs, the initial point of the
Pacific Railroad. Till then the Missouri
river had been the sole route over which
supplies could be got. Each gear con-
struction was limited by the quantities of
rail and equipment that could be brought
to us by boat in the high water season of
about three months. In twelve months
of work after we had rail communication,
we located, built and equipped 5S7 miles
of road, transporting everything connected
with it an average distance of 800 miles
west Of the Missouri river. This feat mas
not yet been surpassed. In accomplish
ing it we crossed two ranges of mountains,
one of which was the Wasatch, where in
the winter of 1859 we had to blast the
earth the same as the rocks.
Our Indian troubles began in 1864 and
tory. We lost most of our men and stock
while building from Fort Kearney to Bit
ter creek. At that time every mile of
road had to be surveyed, graded, tied and
bridged under military protection All
our men were armed, and every surveying
corps, bridging and tie outfit was ordered
not to run when attacked. do not know
that this order was disobeyed in a single
instance, nor did 1 ever hear that the In
dams had driven a party permanently
from its work. Once they swooped down
on a grading outfit some five miles from,
but in sight Of temporary fort, and in
plain view of the tracks end. The gov
eminent commission had just arrived to
xamine that section CT the completed read.
and the commissioners witnessed the fight.
The graders had their arms stacked on
the cut. The Indians leaped from the ra-
vines, and springing upon the workmen be
fore they could reach their arms, cut
loose the stock and caused a panic. Cen
Frank p Blair, Gen. Simpson and DR.
White were the \ commissioners. They
showed their grit by running to my ca;
for arms to aid in the fight. On return
ing to the East, the commission dwe.t
earnestly on the necessity of protection
for us.
From the beginning to the completion OF
the road our success depended in great
measure on the cordial and active support
of the army. especially its commander-in-
chief Gen. Grant, and the commander OF
the military division of the West, Gen
Sherman. He took a personal interest in
the project; he visited the work several