Assimilation

Here is President Theodore Roosevelt's view of immigrants and assimilation:

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American ... There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile ... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language ... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

—Theodore Roosevelt, 1919

I suspect that the immigrants may have shared the President's view, as my grandmothers, who came to America from Eastern Europe during the first decade of the 20th century, spoke only English in my presence, their children only learned English, they were intensely proud to be Americans, and (surprising to me in retrospect) my grandmothers never once even mentioned their childhoods in the old country.

Central Pacific Research: Altamont Pass Deed

From: Robert.Boehm@CH2M.com

I am working on a project in the vicinity of the wind farms on Altamont Pass (CA) and I am looking for some assistance in tracing the Central Pacific rail lines back to 1875. In researching the encumbrances for our property, the title company turned up a deed that references the following:

A right of way 400 feet in width for railroad purposes lying equally on each side of the railroad, or any branch thereof, then or thereafter constructed across that portion of premises lying within the lines of Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4, in Section 7, Township 2 South, Range 3 East, MDBM, as reserved in the deed by Central Pacific Railroad Company, a corporation, to Charles McLaughlin, dated September 3, 1875 and recorded September 11, 1875 in book 114 of deeds, page 456. The document is ... mostly illegible.

There is currently no evidence of a railroad or the remnants of a railroad within section 7. The closest rail lines I can find are the mainlines going over Altamont Pass about three miles to the south of our property. My client is not only concerned about the legal encumbrance, but also the potential historical significance of any railroads on the property. Any help you give would be greatly appreciated. If you need additional information, please let me know.

Robert Boehm, PLS
Geospatial Data Solutions
CH2M HILL
720-286-0237