, 1901-01-03
THE UNION PACIFIC.
From tho Golden Spike" to the Cen
tury's Dawn.


me very attempt 10 Dullu a railroad
through such a vast extent of wild
country Inhabited by hostile tribes of
Indians, was a most perilous one The
surveyors and the construction trains
as well were oftentimes overpowered
by these marauding bands. U. S. SOL
diers, of course, were continually on
guard but they could not always cope
with superior numbers of treacherous
savages. On one occasion when Gen
eral Dodge. h chief engineer, start
ed out to determine the line over the
Black Hills, a party of 800 Sioux
s%wooped down on a detachment of the
survey. Percy Brown, who was in
command kept up a vigorous defense
from noon till night, when he was
shot. The soldiers made a litter of
their carbines and carried him thir-
teen miles, but their efforts were all in
vain for when near Bridger Tap he
died.
Terrible storms, too. were often en-
countered while the uncertain knowl-
edge Of the country proved another
serious obstacle. The best map OBJ
tainable was sometimes misleading
and the surveyors would find them
selves in a far different section from
what they had calculated. miles aside
from the desired route. When one coll
siders that there were 5000 miles of
reconnaissance made in running the
line. these delays, however remark
able. were extremely annoying.
Nearly a generation has now pass
ed since that clear cold day in the
s%pringtime of So when the golden
spike" connecting the two roads was
driven to its place. Promontory
Point, the locality thus honored, was
all aglow in the bright sunshine and
as the spectators stood ranged along
each side of the track the scene was a
most impressive one. Two sections Of
a great continent hitherto compare
ratively unknown to each other being
welded together with iron bands. Men
from the east and men from the west
bowed their uncovered heads while
prayer was offered-a prayer so touch
ing and appropriate it had been well to
note it down. Noted railroad mag
Crocker. Hopkins and others who have
long since gone to their rest, were
there; also Mr.. Montague. chief engi-
neer Of the Central Pacific. General
Lee, then acting governor OF Wyoming,
and General Dodge were the last to
take a hand at the golden spike"
The two engines were run up until
they touched each other, then each en-
gineer, after the name of naval cere-
monies, broke a bottle Of champagne
on the opposite ne. The telegram re
ceived from General Sherman at the
time is worth repeating:
Washington, May II, 1869.
General G. NJ. Dodge:
All honor to you n the thousands
of brave fellows who have wrought out
this glorious problem in spite of storms,
even doubts Of the incredulous. togeth-
er with all the obstacles you have now
happily surmounted.
wv. T. SHERMAN"
Although at the time the best pos
sible construction was accomplished
with the mean and information at
hand, yet it was left for President Burt,
General Manager Dickinson, Engineer
Berry and others to ~inaugurate i'm
provements in wayso of which these pio-
neer builders never dreamed. Cut-ofs.
side-tracks, bridges and tunnels all
along the line today attest the energy
and executive ability Of the present
management. The tunneling of Sher.
man hill and the elevation of the grade
over Dale creek is one Of the most stu
pendous projects IN the history of mod.
ern r~ailroading.
The new steel bridge over the Medi-
cine Bow on a cutoff line is also
worthy of mention. the aggregate
weight of the two Orders being over
forty tons. Contracts have recently
been let for the biggest cutoff of all,
a road around Echo canon. between
Evanston and Salt Lake, leaving Og-
den on a branch line.
To meet the necessities of increas-
ing traf1c and economical operation.
vast amounts of money have Deer ex-
pended in reducing grades. straighten-
ing curves. etc. The present reduction
of the maximum grade from rs to 43
feet to the mile is of great advantage |
In saving time that an ordinary travel
er might not observe. 1t is claimed
that between Omaha and Ogden there
will be a saving of at least four hours
time.
Furthermore, to appreciate the ele-
gance of equipment one should visit
the new ONCE at Seventeenth and Cur
It's streets, Denver, where olive tinted
walls and mahogany furniture greet
he eye on every side. THE people,"
laid n ofncial. recently. like the