The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-03
Death Claims Stephen L. Gage
at Age IS.
Was One of the Gage Heirs
Who Gave Topeka
Her BEAUTIFUL GAGE PARK
By OK Team, Ohio to Cali
fOrnia, in 100 Days.
Was Eminent in Railroad and
Political Circles.

Stephen T. Gage died at his home
in Oakland, Cal, last Saturday, Sep
TENDER 80. in the seth year of his age.
In the early days he spent several
months in Topeka as the guest of his
brother. the late G. c.. Gage. He has
often visited Topeka since and was
well known by many of the older
residents.
stephen I. Gage was one of the
heirs of the Gage family which gave
to Topeka attractive and beautiful
Gage park.
The following sketch of his life is
written by his youngest brother. Nor
ris L. Gage:
The first ancestor in America of
stephen I. Gage was John Gage. who
landed in Salem, Mass. in 1882. His
the war of the Revolution. was Sc
verely wounded in the battle of Bun
ker Hill. He moved his family to
Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1910.
Stephen was the oldest of the five
children of Joshua and Anna Taft
township of Sheffield. the writer of
this obituary being the youngest and
only surviving mem Der.
The pioneer blood running strong in
his veins, in March, 1852, stephen T.
with four companions from adjacent
townships drove to Madison, the Lake
Shore railroad not being completed.
thence by rail to Cincinnati, thence by
boat down the Ohio and up the Missis-
sippi and Missouri rivers to st. Jo-
seph, Mo.
BY Ok Team to California.
OF stalwart form and experienced
in outdoor life, he was chosen captain
Of The band He purchased an outfit
consisting in part of four yoke OF
oxen a milk COW and a riding pony.
II
fore or since has the trip been made
in SO short time by an OK team. As
written proof, Gage preserved till his
death a diary of the trip kept at the
time His knowledge of oxen ac-
quired in youth. when they were in
common use, his judgment in selecting
seasoned travellers and the facts that
he took along grain to give them heart
in the fore part of the trip and that
they started in advance of the rush of
emigration. which insured good graz
ing and water. will account for the
unparalleled shortness of the trip.
Gage spent his first years in Cal
ifornia IN placer mining and official
work. In 1856 he was elected to the
legislature. being tire youngest mem
Der of that body.
In 1S60-61 he ran a pack train of
seventy-five mules over the Sierras to
and from Virginia City, Nevada, where
gold and silver mines had been DIS
covered on the COInStock lode. it being
the richest mineral deposit ever
known, next in value to the Rand m
South Africa. There was no rail ''r
wagon road and freight rates were
very high. The money which he saved
in this perilous business and over ten
thousand dollars OF debt in addition.
he soon lost in developing the yellow
Jacket mine Had he been able 20
keep up his assessments a few months
longer he would have been a million
aire. as soon after a bonanza was
struck. 1 have often heard him say
that the happiest moment of his
he paid off every dollar of this debt
with interest at 1 per cent month,
which was the prevailing rate
In 1864, as secretary of the Repub-
lican state central committee, ne CON
Quoted the political campaign which
resulted in the election of a state
ticket, two United States senators and
three Republican presidential cleo
tors; he being one of the number ana,
being chosen as the messenger. he
gave the same to Vice President Han
nibal Hamlin. Of the PIP electoral
votes cast for Lincoln at that election
he left living only one, William Pitt
Kellogg, of Louisiana. Nevada was
organized as state that year and
President Lincoln was anxious to Sc
cure the influence which an addition
al state would give to the Union cause.
Prominent in Railroad Affairs.
After serving for several years as
United States collector OF internal re-
venue for Nevada, Gage resigned and
went into the service OF the Centrai
Pacific Railroad company. He held
the important office of assistant to
the president of that company until
the death of Gov. Leland Stanford, by
whom he was appointed. For forty OF
the best years of his life he devoted
II ice n
interests of the Central and Southern
acific railroads. Being land grant
and government aided roads they
were constantly subject to assaults by
federal and state legislative and judi
cial bodies. He had entire charge of
railroad affairs in Nevada, never
meeting with a defeat and with small
expense to the company.
1t was a senator from Nevada,
whose election was secured thru
Cages management, who organized
fight in government circles in Wash
ington city, which resulted in driving
the Union Pacific railroad back from
western Utah where it had forestalled
the Central Pacific by commencing
to build in advance of the arrival OF
the latter, thus affecting union juno
ton at Ogden. This action gave to
the Central Pacific railroad its land
grant in western Utah and its govern
ment bonds, worth many millions of
dollars, while at the So me time it Sc
cured to California her due share of
the trade of Salt Lake valley.
His work in the other Pacific coast
states and territories in helping to adj
just the relations of the railroads to
the needs of the public met the entire
approval of his employers. He might
easily have amassed wealth during
these years instead of securing the
small savings of his salary, but he was
so absorbed in accomplishing results
for his employers that he let all such
opportunities pass by without notice.
After the last one or the big four
who originated the Pacific railroads
had died, the system fell into the
hands of Wall street financiers,
together with the heirs of the original
promoters and their agents in Cali
fornia With characteristic cruelty
and indifference. Wall street turned