The Story of the First Trans-Continental Railroad | Page 7

as a means of connection with the Iowa Lines until such time as they could construct a bridge suitable for this purpose. Coupled with these favorable amendments were two provisions that eventually militated against the Company. One of them permitting the Kansas Pacific Railway to connect with the Union Pacific Railroad at any point its projectors saw fit at or east of a point fifty miles west of Denver, Colo., instead of at the hundredth Meridian. This created a competitor instead of a feeder. The second was allowing the Central Pacific Railroad Company to build on east one hundred and fifty miles to meet the road from the East instead of stopping at the California State line. The restriction to one hundred and fifty miles was withdrawn in subsequent legislation. This resulted in a race as to which Company should cover the most ground and involved both of them in much additional expense. With the Charter thus amended, the Union Pacific Railroad Company which had not thus far done any real work, commenced active construction. The Credit Mobilier was formed to do the actual building, and with many trials, discouragements, and unforeseen expense, the work was continued to its completion.
The initial eastern point had been fixed by the Charter two hundred and forty-seven miles west of Omaha--at the hundredth Meridian, branches being contemplated to connect it with the Missouri River. In 1866 Congress authorized commencement at Omaha without reference to this fact,--the line to extend from Omaha to a connection with the Central Pacific Railroad.
The question of the gauge or width of track was another matter that occupied the attention of Congress. The question had by the Charter been left to the President. There was a divergence of opinions as to the best gauge for railroad tracks. At this time the Erie, and Ohio and Mississippi Railroads used a six foot gauge. The California legislature had fixed five foot as the gauge in that state, while the principal eastern roads including the Baltimore and Ohio, New York Central as well as the Chicago and Iowa lines, were what is known as standard gauge (i. e. four feet, eight and a half inches.) A committee of Parliament had settled on five feet, three inches as the gauge in England. President Lincoln had announced himself as in favor of five foot and the Central Pacific people had ordered their equipment of that width. The influence of the Chicago-Iowa lines as well as that of the Union Pacific people, was thrown in favor of the so called standard gauge, and on March 2nd, 1863, Congress passed what is one of the shortest laws on the Statute Books, namely,
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled, that the gauge of the Pacific Railroad and its branches through its whole extent from the Pacific Coast to the Missouri River, shall be and hereby is established at four feet, eight and one-half inches."
In 1869 about the time the Credit Mobilier Company was about to turn the finished road over, disgruntled stock and bondholders under the leadership of "Jim Fisk" endeavored to wrest possession from the Union Pacific Railway Company. Certain stock was recorded in his name and although paid for with a check that was refused by the bank on which it was drawn, Fisk went into court and secured an injunction preventing the board of directors acting until his relations with the Company had been adjudicated by the Courts. Under cover of these legal proceedings in the state courts, the New York Offices were forcibly entered, the books and securities of the Company removed and a feeling of insecurity and uncertainty aroused that caused a serious depreciation in the value of the securities they were endeavoring to market. W. M. Tweede being appointed receiver by the State Courts of such property of the Company as was to be found within its jurisdiction. It is said the trouble cost the Company some six or seven million dollars. Appealing to Congress, they were granted authority to remove its eastern offices from New York City to Boston. The next appearance in Congress was made necessary by a dispute with the Central Pacific Company over the point of connection. The Union Pacific Company claimed their grade extended to Humboldt Wells, five hundred miles west of Ogden, while the Central Pacific in reprisal claimed the line to the western end of Weber Canon some thirty miles east of Ogden. The facts were the two completed lines met at Promontory Point fifty-three miles west of Ogden, April 28th, 1869. By act of Congress, it was decided that the Union Pacific Railroad Company should build the line to Promontory where the two roads should connect but that the Central Pacific Railroad Company should