For some reason the people of today are not nearly as familiar with the achievements of the last fifty years as they are with those of earlier days. The school boy can glibly recount the story of Columbus, William Penn, or Washington, but asked about the events leading up to the settlement of the West will know nothing of them and will probably reply "they don't teach us that in our school"—and it is true. Outside of the names of our presidents, the Rebellion, and the Spanish-American War, there

President Jefferson First to Act on a Route to the Pacific — Lewis and Clark Expedition — Oregon Missionaries — Railroad Suggested — Mills 1819 — The Emigrant 1832 — Parker 1835 — Dr. Barlow's Plan — Hartwell Carver's — John Plumbe's — Asa Whitney — Senator Benton's National Road. It would appear that Thomas Jefferson is entitled to the credit of being the first to take action towards the opening of a road or route between the eastern states and the Pacific Coast. While he was in France in 1779

Situation 1861 — Curtis Bill of 1862 — Amended Charter of 1864 — Further Amendments — 1866 — Legal Complications in New York — Controversy With Central Pacific. Commencing with the session of 1835, when a memorial on the subject of railroad communication between Lake Michigan and the Pacific Coast, was presented by Hartwell Carver, up to the present, the Pacific Railways have been ever present in Congress. The Catalogue of Government Publications gives one hundred and eighty-five having the Unio

Preliminary Organization — Board of Commissioners — Company Organized — Directors and Officers Elected — Hoxie Contract — Credit Mobilier — Ames' Interest — Compromise Contract — Davis Contract — Cost of Line — Land Grant. When the Pacific Railroad Bill passed Congress and received the President's signature in 1862, there was a well organized company to take hold of the western or California end. The Union Pacific or eastern end was not in such good shape. Thomas C. Durant, who was afterwards Vi

Selection of Omaha as Eastern Terminus — Celebration Over Breaking Ground — Speech, George Francis Train — Commencement of Work — Conditions October, 1864 — Routes Considered. The first move towards the construction of the road was the selection of an eastern terminus which by the Charter was left to the President of the United States. This was fixed by President Lincoln on December 2nd, 1863, the official announcement being as follows: "I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do upo

Completion of Eleven Miles — Excursion — Officers — Labor Supply — Ex-Soldiers — Methods Employed — Progress Made — Headquarter Towns — Rough Times — Competition With Central Pacific for Territory — Stations — Buildings, Etc. As we saw in our last chapter, ground was broken at Omaha, December 2nd, 1863. This, however, was more in the nature of a jollification on the part of the citizens of Omaha over the selection of their city as the eastern terminus of the line,—it being under the auspices of

History of 1864-1865-1866-1867-1868 and 1869 — Government Posts Established — Major North and His Pawnees — Ex-Soldiers Ogallala — Plum Creek — Sidney — Battle At Julesburg. The country through which the Union Pacific Railroad was built was the hunting grounds of the Pawnee, Sioux, Arapahoes, Crows, Blackfeet, Bannock, Snake and Shoshones, the first three on the plains and the others to the west. These were among the most warlike tribes of the West, and during the construction of the road they w

Their Material and Methods — Oakes Ames (Financier) — George Francis Train (Promoter) — John A. Dix (First President) — Thomas C. Durant (Vice President and President) — Granville M. Dodge (Chief Engineer) — Subordinate Officials — Casement Brothers, Track-layers, Mormons — Materials Used — Their Source — Methods. 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

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 traf

Conflicting Interest on Location — Leavenworth, Pawnee and Western Chartered By Kansas — Plans to Connect With the Union Pacific at the Hundredth Meridian — Supplementary Charter 1864 — San Diego Or Denver — Construction Work — Indian Troubles — Receiverships — Consolidation With the Union Pacific. At the time Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Bill in 1862 there were three conflicting interests contending as to the location. First that in favor of the Northern (now the Northern Pacific) Route

Proposition for Pacific Railroad to Reach Denver — Cheyenne Route Selected — Branch Line Proposed — Denver Pacific Incorporated and Built — Pro-Rata Controversy — Operated By Kansas Pacific — Consolidation With the Union Pacific. In the original plan for the Union Pacific Railroad it was the intention that the line would run through Denver and from there directly West across the mountains to Salt Lake. When the line was finally located it passed through Cheyenne, leaving Denver some one hundred

Government Indebtedness — Absorption Other Lines — Receivership — Train Robbers — Settlement With Government. Upon the completion of the Union Pacific the rates for both freight and passengers were fixed at what now seems a very high figure. Thus passenger fares locally were ten cents per mile. Complaints arising, the matter was taken up in Congress and steps taken towards the appointment of a Board of Commissioners who should have authority to fix rates, both freight and passengers. The whole q

Suggested By Theo. D. Judah — Huntington, Crocker and Hopkins — Struggle for Congressional Aid — Progress Made. The preceding chapters in tracing the history of the Union Pacific Railroad cover in a measure the preliminary events leading up to the building of the Central Pacific Railroad,—its connection from Ogden West. In addition to this there is a wealth of incident connected with its history that will well repay the student. The following are a few and but a very few of its salient points. F

Roster Union Pacific Railroad. PRESIDENT. VICE PRESIDENT. 2ND. VICE PRESIDENT. 3RD. VICE PRESIDENT. SECRETARY. TREASURER. GENERAL MANAGER. ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER. GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT. ASSISTANT GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT. TRAFFIC MANAGER. FREIGHT TRAFFIC MANAGER. ASST. GENERAL TRAFFIC MANAGER. GENERAL PASSENGER AGENT. GENERAL TICKET AGENT. ASST. GENERAL PASSENGER AGENT. GENERAL FREIGHT AGENT. AUDITOR. Among the SUPERINTENDENTS and DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS were: J. M. Barr, R. Blickensderfer, J

Statistics Union Pacific Railroad. The following is a statement of the gross earnings and operating expenses of the line for the fiscal year, ending June 30th, of the years named below: Statistics Kansas Pacific Railway. Following statement shows gross earnings, operating expenses (including taxes), of the line up to its consolidation with the Union Pacific Railroad in January, 1880. Tablenote A: Average number miles operated. Statistics Kansas Pacific Railway. The following statement shows the

Nomenclature of the Union Pacific Railroad. There are two versions of the name Union Pacific. One that it was the expression of the union sentiment prevalent among its projectors and builders, it being named during the dark and gloomy days of the War of the Rebellion; the other being that the whole project was the union of many and varied projects all looking to the building of a Pacific Railroad, and it was natural that the proposition that embraced them all should be called the "Union Pacific.

The following verbatim report of the engineer in charge of a surveying party on the Kansas Pacific Railway in 1869 will illustrate the difficulties encountered by those engaged in building the Pacific Railroads. Engineer's Office. Phil Sheridan, June 20th, 1869. Colonel William H. Greenwood, Chief Engineer, Kansas Pacific Railway. Sir:— On resuming the location of the line up the North Fork of the Smoky, on Monday last, I made the change in the line mentioned in my last report. Commencing as far