The Washington times., 1906-07-08

II
alights from his carriage
IN front OF l Broadway,
considered one % tho ten most besuti-
ful buildings IN tho United States by
architects OF taste. and takes the ele-
.ator 70 his office on an upper roor.
On the walls OF this office hang por-
traits OF Grant and Sherman and
other military heroes and a few battle
scenes, IN some OF which General
Dodge played a personal part He
won title bravely on tho field and
becaus, OF his military services IS
best known 20 the world
But. important and noteworthy as
they were, the work I'm which ne was
engaged during the few years follow
Ing the civil war was OF even more
laIue TO his fellow-men-
For this man. whose shaggy hair,
eyebrows. beard. and mustache arc as
white as freshly fallen snow, but
whose eve IS stiu bright and whose
voice is stlI that OF a leader, was chief
engineer i'm the construction OF the
Union Pacific.
He hrst roughly laid its course
across The plains. over the mountains,
and through the canyons. personally
exploring tae route with a devoted
band " followers when 20 do so meant
continuous hardship and almost daily
danger of death; later he supervised
its actual location by the surveyors,
SIN later bee had personal charge OF
the contractors who graded the road
bed and laid the rails. IN brief. he
built the Union Pacific the first trans
q FHl 4
Completed Jh!rty-seven years ago
last MAY this railroad vev0IUuonized
the freight. and passenger traffic be-
tween the TWO greatest oceans and has
played quite AS important part in
the worlds commercial. development
as mas been the canal across Suez. or
IS the canal sCross Panama viii
General Dodge didn't take charge OF
the Union Pacific work until some time
after the close OF the civil war, but for
more than ten years before the break
ing out or nustiliues ne had been ex-
pIoriug and surveying for the project
I'D Missouri end Pacific railroad, and
was therefore unusually we'll hrted for
his most noteworthy task The Union
Pacldc Railroad Company was organ
lied in 1852 Ground was broken al
Omaha on December I, 1853; ia 1864 half
million dollars was expended for
grading, and in 1850 forty miles OF
track were Ia+d 20 Fremont,
In the spring OF 1853. while IN com
mand of the CoriuJh lAIiss) military
district, he wa3 summoned by Presi-
dent Lincoln. through General Grant.
10 report al Washington No intima-
tion as 10 why the President wished
L. see him was given and Dodge was
afraid he was 20 be called 10 account
for organizing and arming some ne
Froes 10 guard a contraband camp at
Corinth But this action, which had
been criticised severely. was not men
toned at all
AfT Lincoln wanted 70 talk about the
proposed Pacific Railroad Under the
law Of 1852 the President was 10 nx the
Eastern terminus of the line. Late In
the 50s $. at Council Bluffs. ne had talk
ed with Dodge about the plains coun-
Try and railroad building. Dodge had
then Just returned with a party from
trip TO the westward and he and the
Illinois lawyer had sat together on the
piazza of the hotel and talked the
whole matter out. The stirring. tumul-
tuouS years that had elapsed had not
driven the memory of that after dinner
talk from Iiuc0ln's mind.
His recollection OF the details there
of was SO complete that, in describing
the Interview TO the writer, General
Dodge declared: MIR Lincoln com
pletely sheued my woods" getting
from him all che secrets he possessed
concerning the Iraus-Aiissouri country
and the results of al his surveys.
Undoubtedly LinCOln's course in fiX-
ing Omaha as the eastern terminus
was dIe. I'm part At least, 10 his talk
with Dodge. Out il was three years
before The latter was 10 take charge.
He was asked by the Union Pacific
people TO do so in 1865. but. being then
in command of the United States
forces on the plains. he had his hands
fun campaigning against The Indians.
BY sprius the following year. how
ever. General Grant was willing he
PAGE Six