The Story of the First Trans-Continental Railroad Part 5

At Sherman Station, the highest point on the Union Pacific Railroad, stands a monument some sixty feet square and about the same height, bearing the simple legend, "In Memory of Oakes Ames and Oliver Ames."

This was erected in compliance with a resolution pa.s.sed at the meeting of the Company's stockholders held in Boston, March 10th, 1875, which read as follows, "Resolved that in memory of Oakes Ames and in recognition of his services in the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad to which he devoted his means and his best energies with a courage, fidelity, and integrity unsurpa.s.sed in the history of railroad construction, the directors (of this Company) are requested to take measure in co-operation with such friends as may desire to contribute, for the erection at some point in the line of the road, of a suitable and permanent monument." (By the recent shortening of the line this monument has been left some three miles away from the present track. Its removal to Cheyenne Depot Grounds or some other equally prominent position is under consideration.)

Oliver Ames was born at North Easton, Ma.s.s., January 10th, 1804; he pa.s.sed his youth and early manhood a.s.sisting his father in the work of a farmer and later of manufacturing shovels, attending during the winter a country school. Serving first as apprentice, then foreman, he was in due time taken into partnership with his father to whose business he succeeded.

From twenty thousand dozen shovels turned out in 1845, their output increased to one hundred and twenty-five thousand dozens in 1870. A tireless worker dispensing with clerk or bookkeeper, his accounts were kept in his head. Over six feet in height, weighing over two hundred pounds, broad shouldered and ma.s.sive in built. Elected to Congress in 1860 where he was kept until 1872. Becoming a.s.sociated with the Union Pacific in 1865, at the time when the enterprise was languishing for lack of funds and it seemed almost hopeless. His attention was first directed in that channel by his duties as a member of the House Committee of Railroads in 1865. He was then a man of considerable means, recognized as an authority on business matters, and he enjoyed the confidence of President Lincoln and other prominent men of that day to a marked degree. In fact, it was at the urgent solicitation of the President that he undertook the almost hopeless task of financiering the construction of the road.

Entering into the undertaking with all of his energy and means, using his influence and persuasive powers with his fellow capitalists, he was able to raise by various means, the necessary funds for the construction of the line. Among others who took stock in the Company and Credit Mobilier were a number of public men, including Vice-President Colfax, Speaker James G. Blaine, James A. Garfield, afterwards President, and others of that ilk. The cry of corruption and bribery was raised in the campaign of 1872, resulting in investigation by Congressional Committees and a trial by the House, which rendered a very remarkable verdict, censuring Mr. Ames for having induced members of Congress to invest in the stock of a corporation in which he was interested and whose interests depended on legislation of Congress--but with the further finding on the part of the House Committee that no one had been wronged--that the Congressmen in question had paid him what the stock cost him and no more--that he had neither offered nor suggested a bribe--that their object in taking the stock originally was a profitable investment, and at the time no further action at the hands of Congress was desired.

Leaving Congress at the end of ten years' service, in 1872; he died from the effects of pneumonia during May, 1873, universally respected and esteemed, and the one man above all others who by financiering the proposition, was ent.i.tled to a monument at the hands of the stockholders of the Union Pacific Railroad. The following remarks made by him in regard to the road, at a time of apparently hopeless financial stringency, indicate quite clearly the character of the man and his views of the work:

"Go ahead; the work shall not stop if it takes the shovel shop. What makes me hold on is the faith of you soldiers," referring to the opinions held by the ex-soldiers employed on the construction. Or again, when it became evident that either the Ames' or the Railroad Company would have to go to the wall, "Save the credit of the road--I will fail."

George Francis Train may well be considered as the promoter of the Union Pacific Railroad. In season and out. Before Congressional Committees, public meetings, or to the unfortunate individual whom he succeeded in b.u.t.tonholing "the Union Pacific Railroad," was the subject of endless oratory. In no small degree was he responsible for the opinion, "The road should and must be built," that became prevalent in 1860-1864, and which resulted in the action of Congress looking to the construction of the line. He was prominent in its affairs and largely instrumental in the formation of the Credit Mobilier.

As to the man himself, he was a genius, if, as a celebrated writer has said, "Genius is a form of insanity." A contemporaneous writer (George D. Prentice) thus describes him:

"A locomotive that has run off the track, turned upside down and its wheels making a thousand revolutions a minute. A kite in the air without a tail. A ship without a rudder. A clock without hands. A sermon that is all text; the incarnation of gab. Handsome, vivacious, versatile, muscular, neat, clean to the marrow. A judge of the effect of clothes, frugal in food and regular only in habits. With brains enough in his head for twenty men all pulling different ways. A man not bad--a practical joke in earnest."

Among his many undertakings were the Freeing of Ireland, Candidacy for the Presidency, Woman's Suffrage, Circ.u.mnavigation of the world. As ill.u.s.trative of his character the following incident is apropos: While publishing a newspaper in England he was a.s.sessed a small fine, failing to pay which he was put in jail, where he preached to the prisoners on the rights of man and attacked the monarchy. The day following the authorities freed him on the ground that he was demoralizing the prisoners. Time has dealt lightly with him, and no one can read of his latter days--his brilliancy all eclipsed--a recluse except for his love and companionship for children--unmoved.

In his day he was a power and in no small degree did he contribute to the living monument of great men--The Union Pacific Railroad.

The first President of the Company, Major General John A. Dix, was selected for the universal respect in which he was held. Secretary of the Treasury in 1861, resigning to go as general in the Union Army, he was the one man who it was felt would command confidence in the early days of the proposition, when the promoters had not as yet an opportunity to gain the respect of the financial world or of Congress.

It was understood that he would not be able to devote his entire time or attention to the proposition, being in the Army at the time of his election. Still in no small degree did he contribute to its success.

Appointed Minister to France in 1866, his absence from the United States made necessary his retirement. On his return in 1869, he was elected Governor of New York; and died greatly honored on April 21st, 1879.

The man who built the road was Thomas C. Durant. During the whole of its construction he was the man in control. He was Vice President and General Manager, with headquarters at Omaha; from the day ground was broken until the line was finished. He had been connected with several of the Iowa Lines previous to the commencement of work on the Union Pacific Railroad, mostly as contractor. As an organizer and director he was unsurpa.s.sed. In all the accounts of matters affecting the Union Pacific Railroad--hearings before Congress, Opening Ceremonies, Excursions given, appointment of officials and completion ceremonies, his name appears. He made enemies as do all strong men, and he also disagreed with his a.s.sociates as to the best methods to pursue--still, he built the road, and after the man who persuaded the public it was necessary and the one who found the funds, he it is who is ent.i.tled to credit. Mr Durant severed his official connections with the road May 24, 1869, shortly after its completion, remaining, however, its largest stockholder.

The surveying and actual work of construction of the Union Pacific was done under the direction of General Granville M. Dodge. From 1854 to 1860 General Dodge was engaged in preliminary surveys for the Pacific Railroad, under governmental auspices. Entering the Union Army he reached the grade of Major General and at the close of the war entered the service of the Union Pacific Railroad Company as General Superintendent and Chief Engineer. To his ability and knowledge was due the location of the line and the rapidity with which the work was done. The General is still living--is in active service--having, during the last thirty years been connected with construction of many of the important railroads of the West, among them the Texas and Pacific Railway, Missouri, Kansas and Texas, International and Great Northern and Fort Worth and Denver City. He had been President of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway; St. Louis, Des Moines and Northern Railway, Fort Worth and Denver City Railway, etc.

Peter A. Dey was the first engineer of the line, but left in 1864. He was not able to accept the methods of enormous expenditures the Company and the Credit Mobilier were adopting and retired on the ground that the Hoxie contract was made against his recommendation.

Colonel Silas Seymour was Consulting Engineer of the line during 1865-1866 and 1867, leaving it to enter the service of the Kansas Pacific Railway.

H. M. Hoxie was first in charge of Council-Bluffs-Omaha Ferry, then of the steamboats carrying construction material on the Missouri River, later a.s.sistant General Superintendent, earning for himself the t.i.tle of "The Ubiquitous." He died in 1866, while holding the position of Vice President and General Manager of the Missouri Pacific Railway.

S. B. Reed, Superintendent of Construction, was the man who had the handling of the forces at the front. He it was who ran the construction trains--fought the Indians and the toughs and bore the heat and burden of the day. He also made the surveys and located the line between Salt Lake Valley and Green River.

P. T. Brown, a.s.sistant Engineer, was in charge of the advance survey under the direction of General Dodge and also located the line from the "foot of the Black Hills" to Julesburg.

James A. Evans was Division Engineer and in that capacity made many of the profiles, plats and estimates and final surveys. Also made the final surveys and location between Green River and the foot of the Black Hills.

D. B. Warren was Superintendent Utah Division; Colonel Hopper, Superintendent Laramie Division; L. H. Eicholtz, Engineer of Bridges and Buildings, and General Ledlie, Bridge Builder.

Among others to whom credit is due is Brigham Young, the then head (President) of the Mormon Church, and other prominent Mormons. The contract for grading from the head of Echo Canon to Ogden, known as "the hundred mile job," costing two and a half million dollars, was taken by President Young personally, and by him sublet in part to Bishop John Sharp and Joseph A. Young, the President's eldest son.

They employed between five and six hundred men and the amount of their contract was about one million dollars. Other subcontractors were Apostle John Taylor, George Thatcher, Brigham Young, Jr., etc.

President Young is said to have cleared about eight hundred thousand dollars out of this contract. East of his section the grading was done by Joseph F. Nounnan & Company, Gentile bankers of Salt Lake City, who sublet it to the Mormons. West of President Young's section the grading was done by Sharp & Young, the same parties mentioned above as subcontractors under President Young. It was conceded that the Mormons carried out their contracts not only to the letter, but in the spirit.

Doing some of the best work on the line.

The track laying proper was done by General J. S. (Jack) Cas.e.m.e.nt and his brother, D. T. (Dan), with Captain Clayton as their Superintendent. They had in their employ as high as two thousand men at one time and worked under a contract that gave them a substantial bonus for all track laid in excess of two miles a day, as well as made them allowance for idle time occasioned by their being unable to work on account of the grade not being ready for them. Thus they were to receive eight hundred dollars per mile of track laid if two miles or less was laid in a day. If they laid over two miles in one day they were to receive twelve hundred dollars per mile, and for time they were idle waiting for the grade they were to receive three thousand dollars per day.

Many other names should be mentioned here and would did s.p.a.ce permit, but will have to be omitted.

The men who built the Union Pacific Railroad are ent.i.tled to great credit and praise. They made money, much money out of the project, but they were ent.i.tled to it. Their success brought in its train the usual consequences, they have been accused of almost every crime in the calendar, a.s.sailed by the press, investigated by Congress, and sued by their less fortunate a.s.sociates. Their achievement speaks for them louder than words and they can leave their reputations to history for vindication.

The line was originally laid with fifty pound iron from the mills of Pennsylvania for four hundred and forty miles and with fifty-six pound iron west of there. As has been mentioned before, the first section was laid with cottonwood ties of local growth, treated by the burnettizing process, which was erroneously supposed would prevent decay. West of there hard wood ties from the East were used, some of them coming from far away Pennsylvania, and costing the Company two dollars and fifty cents laid down in Omaha. For the mountain section, ties of local growth were largely and satisfactorily used. The basis was twenty-four hundred ties to the mile on the plains, twenty-six hundred and forty through the mountains, and twenty-five hundred west of Laramie.

The lumber for bridges and building came from Minnesota and Wisconsin, excepting in the far West, where native lumber was used.

The grading was done to a very large extent by manual labor. It was before the day of the steam shovel or air drill. Pick and shovel and wheelbarrow reinforced by teams and sc.r.a.pers were the means used, excepting where rock was encountered and then hand drills and black powder and occasionally nitro-glycerine were relied upon to quarry the rock which was very much in demand for masonry work.

The graders worked as much as two hundred miles ahead of the track.

They were housed in tents, and all supplies for their sustenance and material used by them were necessarily hauled from the several terminal points. This resulted in the employment of a good sized army of teamsters and freighters. In the buffalo they had a food that, while cheap, was of the first order, and the number thus utilized was away up in the thousands.

No pretense was made to ballast the track, as the construction work was done. The ties were laid on the grade with just enough dirt on them to keep them in place. Speedy construction was considered of the first importance and then the ballasting could be done much cheaper after the track was down.

To a very great extent temporary trestles of timber were used, to be replaced later by more permanent culverts of stone. In some places where the piles were thus replaced by masonry, it was necessary to tear out the stone and put in piles again. The heavy freshets proved more than the culverts could carry off, and besides the stone work would wash out much quicker than did piles.

The bridges were mostly Howe wooden truss uncovered, with stone or wooden ab.u.t.tments. Where the span was short, wooden trestles on piles were used.

One reason for deferring the masonry work as well as the ballasting was the inability to handle the necessary supplies. Every engine and all the equipment were kept in constant use hauling construction material to the front.

Notwithstanding what, to the contractor of today, would seem antiquated and expensive methods, the work progressed and made headway to an extent that has never since been equalled. It was the immense army, as high as twelve thousand men at times, that enabled this to be the case. One-fifth the number of men with modern methods and labor-saving devices would have been equally efficious.

The expense of hauling water and supplies for the army of men was enormous. The statement has been made that this cost more than it did to do the actual grading.

The great bugaboo of the day was the question of operating the line during the winter season, it being the general impression that the snow fall was so great through the Rocky Mountain region as to render it impossible to keep the line open. To ascertain the facts in regard to this as well as to obtain data as to the best method of overcoming the same, engineers were stationed at points where it was antic.i.p.ated there would be trouble. For three winters they were kept in tents and dug outs to obtain information on this point, and on the spring and winter freshets which it was antic.i.p.ated would be a source of great annoyance.

CHAPTER VIII.

_Completion of the Line._

Connection Made Between Union and Central Pacific Railroads May 9th, 1869--Ceremonies at Promontory May 10th, 1869--Celebrations in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Omaha, Salt Lake City and San Francisco.

By the terms of the supplementary Charter of 1864, a great incentive was given the two Companies, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad to get down as great a mileage as possible.

In addition to the Government grant of Land and Bonds based on mileage, there was the traffic of the Mormon country and Salt Lake City at stake. Besides this, it was readily seen that the line having the greatest haul would be correspondingly benefitted when it came to subdividing earnings on trans-continental business. With these for incentive, both Companies put forth every effort to cover the ground.

In the early part of 1869, rails of each Company were going down from six to ten miles a day. Records in track-laying were made then that have never been broken. Near Promontory a sign is still standing to announce "Ten miles of track laid in one day." Actual figures are not obtainable, but reliable contemporaries at that time stated there were twenty-five thousand men employed on the construction work of the two lines, as well as six thousand teams and two hundred construction trains. Both Companies were anxious to establish point of advantage that they could use in the controversy that was inevitable and which would determine the mileage and territory each was to enjoy. On April 29th, nine and a half miles remained unfinished. Three and a half for the Central Pacific Railroad, they having laid ten miles the day before, and six miles for the Union Pacific Railroad, the latter being the ascent of Promontory Hill and including a stiff bit of rock work.

When the two tracks came together, the Central Pacific Railroad had nearly sixty miles of grading done parallel to the Union Pacific Railroad track--that is from Promontory east to the mouth of Weber Canon, while the Union Pacific Railroad had located their line to the California State line and most of the grading was done as far west as Humboldt Wells, Nev., four hundred and fifty miles from Ogden.

As stated the two tracks were brought together at Promontory on May 9th, 1869, but two rail lengths were kept open until the questions at issue were adjusted and also until a suitable program could be arranged for celebrating the event. Everything satisfactorily arranged, Monday, the 10th of May, 1869, was set for the ceremonies.

The Central Pacific Railroad completed their track up to Promontory May 1st. It was the intention to have the opening ceremonies on Sat.u.r.day, May 8th, and the Central Pacific officials were on hand for that purpose. The Union Pacific party coming west were delayed some forty-eight hours at Piedmont by a gang of graders and track-layers, who not having received their wages side tracked the special train with Vice-President Durant and his party, holding them as hostages until the Company had paid over to the contractor some two hundred and fifty thousand dollars due him and which he in turn distributed among his men.