on UP achievement, 340
as UP consulting engineer, 91, 98, 172, 271, 342
Young’s contracts with, 282, 283, 289
Shannon, Fred, 376
Sharp, John, 285, 287, 290, 364
Sharp & Young, 285, 290
Shay, Michael, 349
sheep grazing, 267
Sheffield, Joseph, 32
shell shock, 218
Sheridan, Philip, 96, 98, 173, 272, 273
Sherman, Charles T., 96, 139
Sherman, John, 63, 94, 185, 281–82, 339
Sherman, William T., 18, 94
California business interests of, 55, 62
in Civil War, 96, 97, 123, 182
Dodge’s relationship with, 96–97, 98, 131–32, 171, 210, 215, 273
on gold rush, 54
Grant’s election supported by, 272
on Indian campaigns, 131–32, 174, 183, 211, 214, 215, 223, 225–26, 266
on naval transport to California, 51–52, 53, 368
as promoter of railroads, 185
recruitment shortages noted by, 211
on transcontinental project, 63, 171, 271, 357, 367–68, 382
troop transport by railroads foreseen by, 184–85, 215, 345
Sherman Pass, 223, 227, 251
Sherman Summit, 251, 259, 260, 271, 340, 380
Shilling, W. N., 365–66
Sierra Nevada mountains:
border determination on, 108–9, 149
1866 survey of, 145–46
railroad route over, 19, 66–70, 72–75, 81, 118, 146–47, 231, 306–8, 343
Summit Tunnel through, 160–62, 194, 199–202, 204, 206, 232, 235–36, 239, 244, 247
as timber resource, 310
Sioux, 130, 135, 172–73, 209, 211, 214, 216, 223, 225, 265, 266
slang terms, 182
slavery, 356
freedom from, 86, 152, 177, 211, 250
transcontinental route decision impeded by, 31, 36, 43, 60, 63, 76
Small, Hank, 307
Smith, Joseph, 279
Smoot, Bill, 295–96
snow, 75, 147, 195, 197–98, 203–6, 208, 231, 232–33, 239, 259, 323–25
snowsheds, 234–35, 245, 302–4
Snyder, Webster, 257, 258, 324, 325, 329, 344
Southern Pacific Railroad, 165, 246, 377–78, 379
spikes, 57, 181
Spotted Tail (Sioux Indian), 209, 210
Springfield rifle, 265
stable bosses, 137
stagecoach service, 345, 362
Stanford, Asa Philip, 113
Stanford, Leland, 19, 113, 245, 255
business interests of, 72, 73, 104
on Chinese immigrant workers, 150, 164, 243
at completion ceremony, 360, 361, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367
on construction management, 200, 237, 291
construction photos arranged by, 122
CP financial management and, 121, 147, 149, 246–47, 301, 335
CP holdings of, 43, 105
on Crocker’s financial position, 165
on eastern railroad limit, 326–27, 330
financing sought by, 106, 108, 109
on grading difficulties, 163, 332
groundbreaking by, 106–7, 362
later years of, 379–80
Mormon contracts handled by, 288–90, 291–92, 306, 315–16
in politics, 62, 72, 74, 196, 243, 380
on profitability of eastern route, 238
promotional events handled by, 106–7, 118, 121, 159
railroad consolidation backed by, 246
on rate of progress, 300, 306, 316–17
reputation of, 270
snowsheds approved by, 302, 304
on subsidy bonds, 367
on UP-CP rivalry, 291–92, 312, 316–17, 331, 335
wagon road owned by, 76
Stanford, Leland, Jr., 380
Stanley, Henry Morton, 130, 179, 182, 218, 266
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, 229
state universities, 79n
Stephenson, George, 25, 27
Stevens, Robert L., 57
Stevens, Thaddeus, 78
Stevenson, Robert Louis, 45
Stewart, Joseph P., 95–96
Stewart, William M., 339
Strobridge, Hanna Maria, 198–99, 314, 364
Strobridge, James Harvey, 19, 120, 244, 382
background of, 120
on Big Trestle construction, 338
blasting operations run by, 156, 200, 201, 235
on Chinese laborers, 149–50, 152, 164, 241, 243
at completion ceremony, 365, 366
construction pace and, 236, 239, 300–301, 322–23, 346, 347, 348
discipline maintained by, 120, 164, 198
on drilling technologies, 236–37
family life of, 198–99, 314
hiring policies of, 148, 149–50, 161, 198
supplies organized by, 308, 315, 322–23, 328, 362
on weather difficulties, 197–98, 204, 206, 305
work crews organized by, 156, 163, 203, 305, 327, 350, 351
Strong, Daniel W. “Doc,” 69–70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 108, 112, 113, 115
Suez Canal, 370
Sullivan, Michael, 349
Summit Tunnel, 160–62, 194, 199–202, 204, 206, 232, 235–36, 239, 244, 247
surveyors, 19, 125–29, 134–36, 140–43, 144, 215–16, 262–65, 326
Sweet, Cyrus, 363
switchbacks, 25, 78
swiveling truck, 25
tallow-pot, 182
Taylor, Bayard, 169
Taylor, John, 368
T. D. Judah, 115
telegraph lines, 67, 76, 167, 250, 257, 258, 279, 292, 314, 315, 357, 365, 369–70
Thatcher, Moses, 169
Thayer, John M., 185, 210
Thayer, Sam, 153
Thompson, A. L., 258
tie-down, 182
tie layers, 180, 181–82
timber supplies, 135, 139–40, 154, 189, 254, 309–10
Tipton, F. W., 185
Todd, John, 357
track layers, 118, 139, 275–76, 311–12, 315, 329, 346–52
Train, George Francis, 86, 88, 90, 92–93, 96, 186, 191
transcontinental railroad:
completion ceremonies of, 354, 356, 360–68
congressional legislation on, 77–81, 83, 89, 94–96, 101–2, 108, 111, 123, 143, 147, 193–94
economic benefits of, 249–50, 253, 369–71
government financial aid on, 19, 58, 60, 64, 80–81, 87–88, 94–95, 252–55, 330–31, 333–35, 367, 377
grades used in, 66, 69, 74, 78, 119
land grants to, 60, 64, 81, 95, 253, 375–77
media enthrallment with, 185
meeting point of, 95, 254–55, 291, 339–40, 345, 358
mileage of, 18
mineral rights near, 95
passenger and freight charges on, 369, 376
political backing on, 39–41, 58–61, 279
popular support of, 24–25, 26, 27, 30, 32, 63, 101–2, 144, 149, 185, 194, 221–22, 249, 253, 345, 356–58
profitability of, 19
right of way along sides of, 80
route chosen for, 24, 26, 27, 31, 32–39, 40–41, 59, 60–61, 63, 66–67, 125–29, 326
speed of, 357, 369
Washington promotional efforts on, 59–61, 64–68, 75–76, 193, 194
Western European enthusiasm on, 250
see also Central Pacific Railroad; Union Pacific Railroad
transcontinental railroad construction:
CP-UP rivalry in, 155, 193–94, 201, 203, 225, 230–31, 238–39, 241, 242–43, 244, 247, 248, 249, 252, 274, 277, 282–83, 290–92, 300, 304–5, 306, 313, 316–17, 322–23, 331, 333–35, 337–40, 341–42, 346–52, 362–63, 365, 371–72
criticisms of, 252–53
disputed territory in, 330–31, 333–35, 339–40
end of, 352–55
geolog
ical challenges of, 250–52
pace of progress in, 20, 178, 194, 252
parallel grades in, 255, 277, 290–92, 306, 327, 353, 371–72
speed vs. quality of, 19, 20, 252, 371
supply routes for, 19–20, 249
water sources planned in, 127
workforce on, 21–22, 378–79
see also construction workers
trestles, 26, 124, 139, 154–55, 338–39
Truckee River, 201, 202, 231, 237, 244, 304, 305, 307–8, 309
tunnels, 20
blasting powder used on, 160–61, 328
Chinese workers vs. Cornish miners in excavation of, 199–200
cost of, 104, 161, 235–36, 291
in granite, 147, 155–56, 231–32, 235
hoisting engine used in work on, 199
nitroglycerin blasting of, 200–201, 235–36, 288, 328
physical demands of work on, 21
Summit, 160–62, 194, 199–202, 204, 206, 232, 235–36, 239, 244, 247
switchbacks vs., 78
on UP line, 207, 288, 295, 327–28
weather delays on, 197, 203, 204–5, 207, 232–34
Tweed, William M. “Boss,” 336
Tweed, William M., Jr., 336, 339
Union Pacific Railroad (UP):
board of directors of, 83–84, 128
bridges constructed by, 211, 221, 252, 259–61, 276–77, 288, 338, 344, 373
Cheyenne museum on, 221
chief engineers of, 18, 84–85, 91–92, 97, 98–99, 131–32, 171–72, 254, 381
city development aided by, 167–69, 176
in completion ceremonies, 354, 363–67
construction contracts on, 92–93, 99, 105, 212, 227, 246, 282–85, 294–95, 318–20, 335–36
construction management of, 18, 254, 256–62, 329–30
corporate leadership of, 19, 83–84, 89, 170–72, 191, 212, 226–27, 252, 285–86, 336, 342, 378, 380–81
costs of, 98, 99, 226, 283, 329
cottonwood ties on, 139–40, 252, 274
CP rivalry with, 155, 193–94, 201, 203, 225, 230–31, 238–39, 241, 242–43, 244, 247, 248, 249, 252, 274, 277, 282–83, 290–92, 300, 304–5, 306, 313, 316–17, 322–23, 331, 333–35, 337–40, 341–42, 346–52, 362–63, 365, 371–72
creation of, 80, 83, 89, 279, 365
Crédit Mobilier dividends of stock in, 318, 372–75
curves in, 135
defective construction on, 344
eastern terminus of, 87, 89–90, 91
expansion of, 378
financial management of, 92–94, 95–96, 98, 140, 190, 226, 270, 277, 282–83, 301, 318–21, 329, 330, 335–37, 339, 342–43, 359–60, 372–75, 378
fires on, 208, 216–17, 222–23
government bonds for, 84, 95, 98, 143, 170, 190, 226, 227, 252, 254, 334, 335, 375
government inspections of, 169–70, 183, 184, 211, 215, 252, 276
grading work on, 136–39, 174, 213, 274, 285, 287, 288, 290–92, 324, 327, 341
groundbreaking ceremony of, 89–90
Hell-on-Wheels towns along, 217–19, 221, 228, 259, 269, 275, 276, 337, 353, 372
highest altitude of, 210, 259, 261
Indian hostilities as obstacle to, 20, 132, 136, 141, 172–73, 174, 183, 209, 211, 214–16, 220, 222–23, 225–26, 227, 263, 264–67
investors in, 86, 88–89, 93–94, 95, 212, 226–27, 252, 279
Irish workers on, 18, 21, 177, 217–18, 327, 378
laborers on, 133, 136–39, 143–44, 173, 177–82, 189, 210, 211, 212–13, 221–22, 230–31, 274, 275–76, 281–85, 286–88, 290, 294–96, 329, 359, 378
land grants developed by, 98, 187–88, 211–12, 219–20, 252, 253
locomotives of, 139, 186, 221, 226
management difficulties of, 91–92, 98–99, 336
military organizational model of, 172, 213
Oregon Short Line of, 224–25, 377
passenger service on, 184, 187, 222, 324–25
profitability of, 93, 98, 212, 226, 227, 252, 336
promotional excursions on, 185–86, 190, 261, 275, 281–82
quality vs. speed in building of, 140, 144, 191–92, 252, 273, 274, 276
ransom paid for officials of, 359–60
rates of progress on, 138–39, 140, 143, 159, 170, 174, 176, 179, 182–83, 184, 185, 191, 192, 203, 208, 210, 212, 221–22, 226–28, 230, 243, 259, 261, 262, 273–77, 297, 322–23, 327–28, 331, 346, 352–53, 354
route decisions on, 87, 91–92, 95, 98, 127–29, 132, 134–36, 142, 144, 168, 175, 188–89, 190–91, 210, 212, 220, 221, 223–25, 251, 254, 262, 271–73, 279–80, 319, 333
smoothness of ride on, 183
standard gauge used in, 95, 180
supply routes for construction of, 20, 133, 167, 173, 175, 179–80, 181, 227, 230, 254, 260, 274, 373
telegraph contacts of, 256–57, 258
territory served by, 18
towns established along, 188, 220–21, 224, 259–60, 262, 324, 337, 354
track-laying operations of, 170, 171, 173–74, 180–82, 209, 212–13, 227–28, 244, 259, 273–74, 275–76, 300, 322–23, 327, 346
travel speeds of, 170, 183, 187
tunnels constructed on, 207, 288, 295, 327–28
water supplies of, 223–24, 225, 262
weather conditions on, 173, 178, 190, 207–8, 209, 228, 239, 259, 276, 277, 292, 296, 324–25, 361
western limit of, 95, 193–94, 225, 230, 238, 254–55, 277, 290, 291–92, 326, 332, 335, 339–40, 341, 355, 358, 371–72
as Western U.S. troop transport, 184, 215, 253
United States:
population growth of, 27–28, 139, 371
Southern secession from, 69, 70, 75, 76
taming of West in, 267
territorial expansion of, 42–43
troop transport in, 184, 215, 345–46
as world power, 133, 358
UP, see Union Pacific Railroad
Utah:
agriculture in, 280, 282, 284, 293
railroad routes in, 279–80, 286, 315–17, 319
statehood of, 18
UP-CP rivalry over, 255, 277
Vanderbilt, Cornelius, 114, 115, 116, 270, 336
Wade, Benjamin, 185
walking bosses, 137, 138
Ward, Artemus, 97
Warren, Gouverneur K., 276, 313
Wasatch Range, 128, 129, 189, 202, 224, 231, 237, 255, 262, 276, 312, 319, 328
Washburne, E. B., 94–95
water supplies, 162, 195–96, 202, 223–24, 225, 262, 268–69, 301, 309, 372
Weber River Canyon, 128, 202, 224, 225, 237, 238, 261, 279, 283, 287, 289, 291, 292, 295, 300, 328, 332, 361
Webster, Daniel, 29, 357
West, Chauncey, 290
Western Pacific Railroad, 246
Wheat, Carl, 59
whistle down brakes, 182
Whitman, Walt, 358, 370
Whitney, Josiah D., 108, 149
Wilder, J. O., 205
Winnemucca, Nev., 299, 313
Winther, Oscar, 139
Wood, George, 307
workers, railroad, see construction workers
Wyoming:
population growth in, 210n
UP route in, 212, 220, 251, 254, 256–64, 268–69, 271–76, 282, 288, 319
Young, Brigham, 19, 129, 224, 278–85, 364
code name of, 292
construction contracts with, 261, 282–85, 288–90, 294–95, 306, 335, 342
CP-UP rivalry and, 242–43
Durant’s nonpayment of, 294–95, 318–20, 335–36, 372
leadership qualities of, 278, 285
Mormon church led by, 279, 280, 286
on railroad towns, 276
Salt Lake City railroad route sought by, 128, 129, 279–80, 286, 289, 372–73
on UP board of directors, 128
UP stock purchased by, 86, 279
Young, Brigham, Jr., 281–82, 285
Young, John W., 285
Young, Joseph A., 279, 285
Yuba Railroad, 246
SIMON & SCHUSTER
Rockefeller Center
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Copyright © 2000 by Ambrose-Tubbs, Inc.
Maps copyright © 2000 by Anita Karl and Jim Kemp
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
SIMON & SCHUSTER and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Designed by Karolina Harris
Jacket design by Jackie Seow
Jacket illustration courtesy of Union Pacific Historical Collection
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ambrose, Stephen E.
Nothing like it in the world: the men who built the transcontinental railroad, 1863–1869 / Stephen E. Ambrose.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Railroads—United States—History—19th century. 2. Central Pacific Railroad Company—History. 3. Union Pacific Railroad Company—History. 4. Railroad construction workers—United States—History—19th century. I. Title.
TF23 .A48 2000
385'.0973—dc21 00-041005
ISBN 0-684-84609-8
ISBN 978-0-7432-1083-6 (eBook)
All photos are courtesy of the Union Pacific Museum Collection.
A leatherbound signed first edition of this book has been published by Easton Press.
We hope you enjoyed reading this Simon & Schuster eBook.
* * *
Join our mailing list and get updates on new releases, deals, bonus content and other great books from Simon & Schuster.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
or visit us online to sign up at
eBookNews.SimonandSchuster.com