The Columbus journal., 1904-01-27

At Ono Tine Greatly Interested in the
Upbailding Il Columbus.

Tho many sketches Of the life Of
George Francis Train which arc nov
being published throughout tho oountr,
arc particularly interesting to Columbus
people, for it ~ for this town that
Train ct ono time csntsesd his hopes and
ambitions. It was his belief that Co
lumbus would ct some future time b
the capitol Of the United States and one
Of the greatest business centers OF the
world.
Train vas interested With his brother.
in-law, Durant, in tho building Of tho
Union Pacific road and through their
efforts congress passed what il known %
tho Credit Hobilier" which 10 familiar
to all the older settlers. The summer
before the consideration OF this bill in
congress. Columbus wa honored BY the
presence OF from ten to fifteen hundred
OF the most distinguished citizens Of our
union. through tie energies Of Durant
ard Train.
Mr.. l. Gerard, Who VA here ct the
time OF the excursion, gives Q picturesque
account OF those three or four days in
the summer Of 1856, which be tells in
substance about - follows:
Tho Union Pacific road had been built
- far - Columbus. but The promoters
needed moro money to carry out their
plans, % Durant and Train in order TO
interest tho influential people Of tho
country, planned this excursion. Some
thing like fifteen hundred people were
brought here in special tr,ina. Tents
had been erected On tho ground west Of
where the Oother hotel now stands and
from there . far north and west % tho
old 6sh pond. The tents were placed in
streets, the grounds we'll lighted, and
every convenience and luxury possible.
even to tho printing Of . daily paper and
The ne OF telegraph wires for tho visitors
vas furnished on tho grounds. Among
the many Injuries was solid silver table
ware With tho monogram Of tho Union
Pacific engraved thereon, all Of which
Va given to The visitors when camp
broke up.
J. P. Becker vas 1t that time tho
Indian agent ct Genoa and Train engag-
ed him to bring Ill tho Indians down and
give . public exhibition Of . va danca
Among the noted men, nearly al Of
whom Were senators or c~ooeFeesmeo and
Who wsss accompanied BY thsir wives,
were: Robert Lincoln. B. b. Hayes
(aftseward presidentl John A. Logan,
James A. Garfield (aftsrvard prsGidsntl
John A. Bingham and othseA
Mr.. Gerard ays tho excursion prob
ably cost not Len than 420yO0Q
Train ct ono time owned Q Largo tfact
Of land west from tho Meeidian rood, and
his intention W. to eetabliah Q town
loosted where The clump Of trsss now
stand shout . mile and . half vsse Of
Columbus on the road to Stevens laks.
Train built the hotel known . The
Credit Foncisr" which W. moved 70 The
city and afterwards called tie Paci6c
HOUSE, then tho Hammond Houoe. which
u nov tho Neridian hotel vsoeseed and
To many b ~ looked upoo - an
eccentric man, slmose to The point az
insanity, but to those Who could appes-
ciate his activity 81 mind b was thought
Of moro - . genius Who could look into
tho future With voodesful insight He
Ioestold the future a Omaha. Ten ysars
before tie big Union Psoi6e beides W.
built acsoo 10 Missouri b designated
vhses b considered The best place to
build, and until expert engineers located
the wy place selected By Ttsin The pub
be considered hi idss ridiculoua
In reosnt yeass NJ. Train would not
have much to DO With grown psopls. bat
his frisodship 70 the children.
NJ. Gerard has . nsphsw in New Yoek
Who be- grown 70 manhood near Trains
Ioemer home in that city and be- known
him ell his lila A lev ysazs ego b
vsat 70 eall O. NJ. Train aftsr having
made Q Wit % hi rolativeo in C0lum-
bua Wiahing 70 tell him oe Tie country
~. Mr. Tfain, after lstsoing 70 hi
toy, q1istly told him that 10 W.
leoefy near gEoWn 70 manhood now and
y would hsyo 10 quit talking 70 hin.
The o1dse ssttlees Vim always romsm-
-
nd NebeaCkA. !