The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-29
DEPOT PROJECT UNHAmPEREp.
o. S. Spencer Announces Work Will
Be Pushed With Enerqy,

D. S Spencer of the Oregon Short Line.
reviewed the history of the planning and
elimination of the great transcontinentaI
line, whose two ends came together at
Promontory Point on May 10, 1859 Mr.
Spencer quoted the famous telegram of
Leland Stanford, saying: fThe last rail
Is laid. the last spike is driven, the Pa
cific railroad is completed. The point of
juncture Is 1855 miles west of the Missouri
river. and 600 miles east of Sacrapento
City"
Continuing. Mr. spencer said: ''oh Nay
q. 1863. land was broken near the pres
ent site of the Union depot at Ogden for
the construction of the Utah Central
railroad to Salt Lake City by President
Brigham Young. This road was built en-
urely by Utah people and with Utah
money, and was probably the only rail-
road up to that time of its length that
had been built without government aid
OF some CHARACTER. The road was COM
pleted to Salt Lake City on Jan. 10 1870
on which date the last spike made of iron
from southern Utah, was driven by Pres
ident Brigham Young.
The first work done towards cOnstruc-
ton of the Utah Northern railroad was
when ground was broken at Brigham on
March %. 1872. and work was commenced
on building the line to Ogden, line
previously having been built from Corinne
Junction, point on the Southern Pacific
to Brigham City. After completion of the
line from Brigham City to Ogden the line
was extended north from Brigham City to
lin, Ida, and still later to Butte
To the Southwark.
''The Utah Southern railroad was COM
pleted from Salt Lake to Juab. a distance
of 80 miles, in June, 1879, and the other
extension from Juab to Frisco, 1873 miles
farther south. between the spring of 1879
and the summer of 1880
We are more or less familiar with the
building of the line from Milford, south
oy A. w. McCune, and of Senator Clark
later becoming connected with this line
and of the completion of the San Pedro
Los Angeles & Salt Lake railroad through
to San Pedro harbor and of the great
Importance and benefit of this line TO our
city and state.
THE Rio Grande Western. at ffirst a
March, 1883, and was completed through
to Ogden, connecting with the Southern
Pacific and other lines at the junction city
and formally opened for business in May
1888. This line was changed from narrow
gauge to broad gauge May TO- 1890
Mr.. Spencer made interesting compari-
sons with reference to construction, equip
ment. the freight department and mo
strides that have been made during the
last decade. Mr. Spencer reviewed the
street car system i'm Salt Lake since 1872
when mule cars were employed. He said:
"A great deal has been said about the
street car system of Salt Lake" said Mr.
Spencer. 'It' might be interesting to
know that the first street car company
was organized Jan. "a 1872, and that the
first one and one-half miles of track was
completed from the Utah Central depot to
the corner OF Third South and Fourth
East streets July II, 1872. Horse or mule
POWER was used in those DAYS, but the
lines were all transformed to electric
power on Aug. II, 1889. Salt Lake CITY
now has ninety-seven miles of street rail-
way and with the completion of the lines
contemplated in the petition of franchise
recently presented to the city council
there will be a total of 119 miles
New Passenger Station.
IN discussing the new passenger station
project of the Oregon Short Line Mr.
Spencer gave his hearers to understand
that work will be pushed with energy In
this connection Mr.. Spencer said:
Regarding the much talked-of passen-
ger station for the Oregon Short Line
railroad, towards which there has already
been an expenditure of $l.5O0,O0e for real
estate. reconstruction of yards and tracks
and small buildings, | have the honor and
pleasure to say to the Commercial club
by direction of William H Bancroft vice
president and general manager of the Ore
gon Short Line, and whom 1 think we ali
regard as the dean OF the railroad com
munity. that he has received within q
few hours authority TO push to compile
ton as early as practicable this long
contemplated passenger station at the
Oregon Short Line depot. Mr. Bancroft
also states that the cost of the building
will Be between $4,000 and $4,000