The story of the first trans-continental railroad

by William Francis Bailey

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 anticipated 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 anticipated would be a source of great annoyance.[(Back to Content)]

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 Saturday, 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.

As early as 8:00 A.M. on the 10th, the spectators, mostly workmen of the respective companies, or other citizens of the railway camps commenced to arrive. At 8:45 a special over the Central Pacific Railroad came in with a large number of passengers. At 9:00 the Union Pacific Railroad contingent arrived in two trains and at 11:00 the Central Pacific Railroad's second train, carrying President Stanford and other officers of that Company, and their guests completing the party. In all there were about eleven hundred persons present, including a detachment of the 21st United States Infantry, and its band from Fort Douglass, Utah.

The Chinese laborers of the Central Pacific Railroad soon leveled the gap preparatory to putting down the ties and all but one rail length was finished. Then Engines Number 119 of the Union Pacific Railroad and No. 60 the "Jupiter" of the Central Pacific Railroad were brought up to either side of the gap. These engines were gaily decorated with flags and evergreens in honor of the occasion. A suitable prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Todd, of Pittsfield, Mass. The remaining ties were then laid, the last one being of California Laurel finely polished and ornamented with a silver plate bearing the inscription "The last tie laid on the Pacific Railroad, May 10th, 1869", with the names of the directors of the Central Pacific Railroad and that of the donor. This tie was put in position by Superintendents Reed of the Union Pacific Railroad and Strawbridge of the Central Pacific Railroad, and was taken up after the ceremonies and has since that time been on exhibition in the Superintendent's office of the Southern Pacific Company at Sacramento, (Cal.) Depot.

For the closing act, California presented a spike of gold; Nevada one of silver; Arizona one of combined iron, gold and silver; and the Pacific Union Express Company, a silver maul. At twelve noon at a given signal, Governor Stanford on the South side of the rail and Vice-President Durant on the north, struck the spikes driving them home.