The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-07
SOME NEW FACTS
 ABOUT LINCOLN Story Of His Visit To Council
 Bluff MOCE WCCTCDI TDIp
MOST WESTERLY TRIP
The War Presidents Brief Experience as Railroad Lawyer and Real Estate speculator-lnvent-
 ed Steamboat Device.

New York, February 6-(special.)-The one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, which is to be ob- served on February F has brought to light some facts regarding his career which were little known before, notwith- standing the many volumes that have been written about him. Two of these comparatively obscure features of his career are brought out by Appletons Magazine, in an article in which it is shown that Lincoln was once a corpora tion lawyer and that he never saw more than a third of the territory of the United States, never having penetrated west of the Missouri river.
 According to General Granville NJ Dodge, one of the few men still living who was closely associated with Lincoln before the war between the states, as well as during that struggle, Lineoln's visit to Council Bluffs. the westernmost point in the country that he ever visited. was made in 1859, just 50 years ago. At that time General Dodge was an engineer in the service of the Chicago and Rock Island railroad, engaged in work on it's line west from Chicago to Council Bluffs. MT. Lincoln had been one of the legal representatives of the road in some of its litigation and through this con nection was induced to purchase some lots at the western terminus of the line The fact that Lincoln was at one stage of his career a railroad lawyer is not generally known. If he had had to do with the politics of the present day no doubt greater publicity would have been given to the fact and it might have been used against him, but at that time it was not considered anything against a man to serve a corporation.
 Lincoln's visit to Council Bluffs was made to inspect the property that he had bought, and in this connection an inter- esting coincidence is brought out by the Appleton writer. About this same time" he says, "Clement L. Vallandingham bought property adjoining the lots owned by MT. Lincoln The fact that they had neighborly interests in Council Bluffs does not seem to have brought them any closer in their political views for, as is known to all, Mr. Xallandlngham in his public speeches during the civil war de- nounced MT. Lincoln and the govern ment was arrested, tried by court mar tial and sentenced to close confinement. The President, obeying the generous in stincts of his big heart. eommuted the sentence to punishment into the Confed- crate lines. MT. Vallandingham, how ever, was disappointed with his reception by the Confederates, and sought refuge in Canada, so that the affairs of the two men apparently never met again.
 MT. Lincoln came from Chicago to St.
 
 up the Missouri river by steamboat to Council Bluffs. These steamboats were stern-wheelers and so riged that they could lift themselves by spars over the shallow places and sand bars in the river. Ne may feel certain that the voyage was of great interest to the traveller, for he himself devised an apparatus for that purpose Having planned a mechanism of bellows ropes and pulleys, he made a model of it, sent 1t to Washington, and a patent was issued, although 1t is not re- corded that the invention was ever util- ized.
 'During Lincolns visit. some of the citizens of Council Bluffs took him to high bluff known as Cemetery Hill, just north of the town. From this point could be had view of the country ten miles north and ten miles south, up and down the great Missouri river valley and across the Missouri river hve miles west.
 
 look, and the bluff from that time has been known as Lincoln's Hill. It Is now in contemplation to pace upon the spot where he stood, as a memento of his visit to Council Bluffs. a suitable monu- ment or tablet bearing proper inscrip- tion and recognizing the historical fact that from here he looked down upon the place where by his order. four years later, the terminus of the first transcon- tinental railway was established.
 ''It is a singular fact that while the United States had spent a great deal of money in exploration for a feasible line for the Pacific railroad, the government never had examined the natural route along the forty-second parallel of lati- tude All the surveys had been madc and all the data obtained by private citizens connected with the Rock Island railroad, at the head of which was Hen ry Farnam of Connecticut President Lincoln, after going over all the facts that could be presented to him, and from his own knowledge, finally fixed the east ern terminus of the Union Pacific rail- road where our surveys determined the proper locallty-at Council Bluffs, Ia.
 After this discussion of the location, he took up with me the question of build Ing the road The law of 1o62 had failed to bring any capital or men to under take the work, and l said to him that in my opinion private enterprise could not build the road. MT. Lincoln said that the government had it's hands full, and could not assume the task, but was ready to support any company to the fullest legal extent. and amend the law so as to enable such a company to issue securities that would furnish the neces- sary funds"
 While President Lincoln is remembered al mt n ba af