Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-11-28
Crucial Incident in Stirring Ca
reer of a Soldier.
zen. Grenville M. Dodge When a
Youth Proved He Could Handle
and Subdue Gang of RoWdy
Railroad Laborers.
BY &. J. EDWARDS.

| generals VINO served as corps GULF
handlers in the Union army from the
outbreak of the Civil war to Its close
n the history of the material deVel'
,pment of the country he occupies a
prominent place as the chief engineer
If the Union Pacific who supervised
The construction of that first railroad
across the plains, and no romance OF
lotion can be compared with the story
If General Dodge's career while he
was constructing the railroad. That
period of his life was crowded with
lights with Indians, rattlesnakes, buff
! alo, mountain lions, grizzly bears and
other big game.
General Dodge and have been on
.erIns Of friendship for nearly thirty
;ears," said George F. Parker, the BIZ
,grapher OF Grover Cleveland, re-
Gently, land l believe there are only
three men living who know the true
story of Geenral Dodge's advent in the
west as railway engineer. Of course,
he general himself is one of the three,
and another is Peter A. Dey, the first
man to survey a railroad in the state
Of Iowa, and the first chief engineer
Of the Union Pacific railroad. Both
Mr.. Dey and General Dodge are spend
ing their closing years in Iowa, and
they maintain the closest friendly re-
lations, which began sixty years ago,
At the very beginning of General
Dodge's career in the west.
"In the early fifties what is now the
illinois Central railroad was construct
ing small branch line in the western
part of middle Illinois. The engineer in
charge was Peter A. Dey, who had
been conspicuously associated with
those who little earlier had built
the main line of the Illinois Central.
For some reason-I know not what
Mr.. Dey had great diff Guilty in main
tanning any kind Of order or system
among the men who had been en-
ployed as laborers or in subordinate
capacity to build this branch line.
They were unruly and defiant; they
worked when they pleased and got
drunk as often as they chose. Mr..
Dey's duties frequently called him to
the main line of the Illinois Central
and he was in despair Of securing
anyone who could handle the rowdies.
AT the height of the difficulty,
there called upon Mr.. Dey young
man seeking employment. He was
tall, straight as pine tree and dark!
eyed, and his manner was Inherently
that of one who knew how to exert
authority.
Mr. Dey asked him what he could
do, and in reply the stranger said
that he was a civil engineer and had
sen graduated at Norwich university.
in Vermont, year earlier
."What is your name? Mr.. Dey
asked !. ...s.
5;"Grenville Mellen Dodge .
=" Well, said Mr.. Dey, IL you have
a diploma from Norwich university
you are competent to take charge OF
the surveying of my branch line. But
what want to know IS, can you
handle nen?' :
,"'Try me and see,' was Mr.. Dodges
succinct reply.
".You are pretty young said Mr..
Dey, looking him over critically. but
I'll try you
$50 he employed Greuville NJ.
Dodge. and watched him closely.
Within a week the young man had
the rowdies under his control. Those
that he could not manage because OF
their excessive drunkenness he sent
away. In. a month he had as orderly
and efficient gang of workmen as
was to be found anywhere in the
west; and he also had gained what
was Of lifelong advantage to him
the confidence and esteem OF Peter A.
Dey: So, when Mr.. Dey was employed
to survey for the extension OF the
Rock Island railroad across Iowa
the first of the states railroads.&c.
sent for Grenville NJ. Dodge and asso-
ciated Mr.. Dodge with him in that
great work.
Then the Civil war interviewed and
the young surveyor became major
general OF volunteers when only thir-
ty.three years OF age. His fighting ca
reer over, Peter Dey employed Gen
eral Dodge to help him survey the
Union Pacific. AS long as Mr.. Dey re-
manned chief engineer Of that road.
General Dodge was trusted assist
ant, and when Mr.. Dey resigned his
post General Dodge understood SO well
the engineering problems OF the road
! that he was made chief engineer. And
to this day Mr. Dey is of the opinion
that If Granville NJ. Dodge had not
shown himself equal to the first op-
portunity that came to him to prove
his ability to handle men-desperate
men-he would never have ultimately
gained permanent laurels by his work
| in surveying the Union Pacific and
supervising it's construction
| fr-orvrtqht 1911 by E. J. Edwards. AN