Evening journal., 1915-03-05
New News Of Yesterday
An Early Advocate OF
TranScOntinental
Railroads
BY Holland.

AT the demonstration recently
made of the triumph of the inventors
and men of science and finance which
revealed that it is now possible 10
carry the human voice intelllgibly
and with perfect distinctness from
New York to San Francisco. one of
the men who witnessed the demon
stration said that if in 1861 the entire
country had been as thoroughly well
covered by the telephone, telegraph
and by railroad systems as is the case
today, the idea of civil war would
have been an impracticable thought.
For the various sections of the coun-
try would have been so closely bound
together by steel rails and copper
wires as TO make a common senti-
ment inevitable and the breaking of
relations impossible.
Whatever may be the truth so far
as this thought is concerned, / was re-
minded by 1t of a statement which
was made TO me some years ago by
Frederick w. Seward. who was As
sistant Secretary of State under his
father. William II. Seward, during
the administrations of President Lin
coin and President Johnson.
1 happened to say to Mr.. Seward
that I had been told that his father
was one Of the earliest and always
one of the most earnest advocates Of
the construction of a railroad running
westerly from the Missouri river to
the Pacific Coast. and that I had
often wondered whether Secretary
Stewards support of a project of that
kind was due 10 commercial or to
political reasons.
I'm my biography of my father. -
said Mr.. Seward, 81 have made briet
reference to his attitude toward the
proposed Pacific railroad. But ] can
go into it a little more in detail with
you than | found il expedient to do
in my book.
My fathers advocacy of a railroad
across the continent is explained by
/ the fact that he fully perceived its
commercial as well as it political
/ necessity. He always felt that if
/ there could be communication by rail
with the Pacific Coast then that inn
portant section of the country would
be irrevocahly bound to the Union. OF
course. he saw what the commercial
/ advantages would be. being con-
vinced that Immediately following the
construction of the railroad vast
areas of land would be taken up 10y
settlers and our agricultural area
greatly increased.
1T was for this reason that my
father strongly approved the PROPOSE.
ton that the government give aid by
liberal donations of public lands Ia
the company that proposed to build
from the west bank of the Missouri
river opposite Council Bluffs as far
as possible across the continent
These land grants we're given and
they served greatly in aiding the pro
mOters of the railroad in obtainins
the funds needed for its construction
MY father was greatly pleaseS
when he heard. in the fall of 1863
that work upon the Union Pacific
Railroad had then begun at Omaha
He was so greatly pleased that h.
took it upon himself 10 write a note o
congratulation 10 his friend of loni
standing. Gen. John A. Dix. who wa
the executive head of the propose,
Union Pacific Railroad. In that not,
father said that he confidently expect
ed that the line would be completed
to San Francisco, and he added that
the construction of this and Other
railroads would in the future so com.
] pletely bind all sections of the coun.
/ try together that never again would
! there be danger of a war of seces-
I sion"