The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-12-26
LAST SPIKE PICTURE.

The New York Times publishes
what It calls The True Story of the
Driving Of the Last Spike when the
Union Pncific railroad met the Cen
tral Pacific at Promontory; the rails
were connected and the last spike
driven. IL also publishes Dewspa-
per copy OF Thomas Hilrs picture OF
ihe scene and Mr.. Hills story OF his
troubles In painting the picture and
mutilating It after II was first paint
ed. bv order OF Leland Stanford.
The story Is not at all compliment
tary TO Governor Stamford, but We
suspect that II Is true. for 1t CORES
ponds with more than one act Of his
HE. The story as given at the time
was that when the rails were finally
connected MIR. Dura1t Of the Union
Pacific drove a silver spike and Gov
ernor Stanford a spike OF gold, and
so Mr.. Hill said the picture was first
painted. The picture also contained
tho likeGcSses OF 800 people: the faces
of 10 having been painted from pho
tocraphs
II was al last outlined and Govern
or STANFORD went 20 sec it Mr. Hill
was a famous artist at first as n por-
trait painter. then he commenced
painting scenery. His Yosemite Val
ley" 'Wayerly Oaks" Mount Taco
ma" THE Muir Glacier and other
great paintings attest his merit. THE
Driving of the Last Spike" he intend
ed rs a masterpiece.
When Stanford saw the picture out
lined he was not satisfied al all. Mr
Durant was represented by Stanford's q
side. each with n hammer. AT which
Stanford IN his most impressive tone
said;
Nobody has a hammer but me !;
you have given him too prominent a
place"
Hin said he spoke of McCrellish,
for years editor of the Alta Califor.
mia. having place. With flashing
eyes Stanford asked excitedly, Have
YOU got that man in it?' To which
Hill responded. Yes, and it will not
be we'll TO leave him out, being the
editor OF n paper. or he viii aunihi.
late me-. TO which Stanford replied
II Will annihilatc You If lie Is in
Then 1t was decided that Stanford 4
brother. A. B. Stanford. should be put
In The place saved for McCrellsh.
Then Stanford ordered his enemies
relegated 10 the rear and his friends
put IN front. some of whom were not
present at all,
Al flrst Stanford complimepted the
picture warmly and said 10 the art
ist that he could almost imagine him
sell on the SPOT. Then he began &c
critcise and ordered Stro;brIdge TO b,
put in Drant's place. Strotbridge
constructed the road He ordered DIR
Harkness and Sullman changed. n,
hrst ordered Townc taken out alto
gether. but on HIS pleading consent
ed that he might he placed in the
background. He finally ordered DIN
rants picture placed where Mrs Stan
lord stood and Mrs. Stanford by hI,
SIDE. He ordered cut Colton's mic
turc and added You can place Sena
tor Sargent there" Years after IN,
road was finished Mark Hopkins, th
nrainest one OF the Big Four sal,
that the road was made possible h,
Senator Sargent; that the comnan,
would be glad to reward him. but h.
would never accept ANYTHING. and yc
stanford with his money heat So,
gent Tor United States senator whe
sargent wanted the place
Al last Stanford would M, toLo ,h
picture that he had ordered Th. ,u -,
,ist inally died in a little home h
mad In Yosemite Valley HIS so,
hoDert K, Hi. makes public the for,