The Morning standard. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1910-191?, 1910-12-25
LAST SPIKE PICTURE.

The New York Times publishes
what II calls THE True Story of the
Driving Of the Last Spike" when the
Union Pacific railroad met the Cen
trail Pacific at Promontory; the rails
were connected and the last spike
driven. II also publishes a newspa
per copy OF Thomas Hills picture OF
the scene and Mr.. Hills story of his
troubles In painting the picture and
mutllating It after 1t was first paint
ed, by order of Leland Stanford
Tho story is not at all compliment
tary to Governor Stamford. but we
suspect that 1t is true. for 1t CORES.
ponds with more than one act OF his
life. The story ns given at the time
was that when the rails were finally
connected Mr.. Durant OF the Union
Pacific drove a silver spike and Gov
crnor Stanford a spike OF gold. and
so Mr.. Hill said the picture was first
painted. The picture also contained
the likenesses of 400 people; the faces
OF 20 having been painted from pho
tographs.
It was at last outlined and Govern
or Stanford went to gee IL Mr.. Hill
was famous artist. at first as a 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, 1.-THE
Driving Of the Last Spike" he intend
ed as masterpiece.
Whom Stanford saw the picture out
lined he was not satisfied at all. Mr..
Durant wa5 represented by Stanford's
side. each with hammer, at which
Stanford In his most impressive tone
said:
Nobody has hammer but me;
you have given him too prominent
place"
Hill said he spoke of McCrellish,
for years editor of the Alta Califor.
MIA. having place. With flashing
eyes Stanford asked eXcltedly. Have
you got that man in it2' To which
Hill responded, Yes. and It will not
be well TO leave him out. being the
editor OF 4 paper. or he will annihl-
late me- to which Stanford replied:
Il Will annlhilate you If he is In"
Then II was decided that Stanford's
brother A. B. Stanford should be put
In the place saved for McCrellIsh
Then Stanford ordered his enemies
relegated 10 the rear and his friends
put In front, some OF whom were not
present at all
AT first Stanford compllmented the
picture warmly and said to the art
list that he could almost imagine him
SELF on the spot. Then he began TO
criticlse and ordered Strotbridge to be
put In Durant's place. Strotbridee
constructed the road He ordered DR.
darkness and Stillman changed He
hrst ordered Towne taken out alto.
Sether. but on Hills pleading consent.
ed that he might be placed In the
background. He finally ordered Du-
rants picture placed where Mrs. Stan
ford stood and Mrs. Stanford by his
side. He ordered out Colton's pic.
ture and added You can place Sena.
tor Sargent there" Years after tho
road was finished Mark Hopkins, the
braincst one OF the Big Four. said
that the road was mnde possible by
Senator Sargent; that the company
would be glad to reward him, but he
would never accept anything, and yet
stanford with his money beat Sar-
gent for United States senator when
Sargent wanted the place
AT last Stanford would not take the
picture that he had ordered The ar /
tist finally died In a little home bo !
had In Yosemite Valley. His son.
Robert r. Hill, makes public the fore
going.