The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1910-03-26
New Light on Pacific Railways


Pacific railway companies article by Charles Edward Russell in
forthcoming April number of Hamptons Magazine entitled
"The Great Millionaire Mill puportng first real history
the Pacific System of railroads and the great ont
Of them, is timely Mr. Russell charaerzes the building the
Central Pacific the Southern Pacific greatest steal ever
perperaed upon the United States Government
He charges that the four projectors of the road Coils
Huntingdon Leland Stanford Mark Hopkins Crocker
divided among themselves in STOCK grants from the Govern
meD Government bonds and bonds which the
antee and donations from California counties the sum Of
100000 for which they did not cent The total of the
Government subsidy which Huntington by clever lobbying got
from Congress Mr.. Russell declares $50 OoOoOO
How the figures iugged of this immense
subsidy into the pockets the four explained by Mr.
Russell follows The Bill provided that should
issue the road $1,000 six per bond every valley
or level land $4,000 in bonds for every mile foothills s32
600 in bonds and for mile in the mountains s48 900
bonds Mr. Russell alleges that the company charged the Govern
men at the mountain rate $4,000 me level or
nearly level ground Sacramento, fooh rate
$4,000 mie for miles Of level building the valley
Of the Sierras.
"Ths says Mr. RUSSELL origin of the familiar saving
in California that the Central Pacific strongest corporation
in the world because had moved the Sierra Mountains
not only made these charges but collected for them although
Mr. Judah the engineer refused to the transaction
"Abang nothing of admiration Russell speaking of
the completion of the road or the physical performance
time reflect that it also triumph greed
fraud and corruption; that it might have been had fraction of
its cost to the pubc and that it might very easily have been
blessing instead of blight that rich country
ecstatcaly called the Gateway
"For the gate quickly closed appeared the
grim figure of Coils Huntington hand holding the key and
the other stretched taking physical figure
ngton is longer there but Gateway
before it are his successors, still busily taking toll
"How much, do you think?
"Fom the day the gate erected and closed down the
first Mr. Huntington and his associates and then their
SUCCESSORS 5000 unjust
tolls all from the people of the United States who kindly
erected the Gate their highway"
in the of his article Mr. Russell describes vividy the
for junction between the Central Pacific and the Union
Pacific the roads attempting to merge.
"The Act Of 1864 he says "had authorized the Central
Pacific to build eastward to junction with the Union Pacific
wherever that might be- At first the four partners had assumed
this junction would be far to the eastward allowing them good
mileage and many fat bonds but the swift advance the Union
Pacific began to hem and by 1867 they thoroughly
alarmed The Union Pacific approaching the mountains
should thread them first the Central Pacific would lose the fattest
part its contract with the Government also the best of the joint
haul when the roads should be united
There ensued the maddest chapter all railroad history
The two roads entered tearing into the work before
them regardless of any question of cost working day and night
with relay gangs
at the romance railroad building Winter came
the terrible Sierra Winter with its phenomenal falls butt
to the worlds the work stopped In the dead of
Winter rails machinery locomotives In pieces were
dragged hundreds of miles ravesng roads heavy and
badly made with disaster from the snowsdes
and the storms"
Talk about the present high of vingsten to this
food for fodder for horses reached fabulous prices
Oats sold by the pound IL to Is cen hay 500
and sometimes $780, for the contractors paid $12 and 4
day.
"In April 1862 they almost within sight of the enemy
lines Before them Ogden the goal the in the great
valley between the Rocky and the Sierra Nevada In the
Of competition both companies far overshot the mark The
Pacific had graders hundred miles west of Oden the Central
Pacific had its advance line 40 miles beyond its track layers
the iron actually put into position counted in the race
"On the last day. 10 miles ad April 2S they struck
the Union Pacific line SO miles of Ogden and May lO
drove the golden spike that cmened the roads The Unon
Pacific had by SO miles Subsequently the Central Pachc
bought OF the Union Pacific high price the overlapping road
Mr. Russell also gives interesting personal studies OF the
four back of the Central Pacific the B Four as they came
be known huntington the dominating spirit towering head and
shoulders above the others ability and foce Hopkins the man
OF accounts and business SYSTEM Leland Stanford the politician