Why do you think workers were organized into groups?

Why do you think workers were organized into groups?

CPRR rail line into Wyoming, nearly to Lander, WY

From: "Kim Viner" kdviner@msn.com

I am a senior docent at the Laramie Plains Museum in Laramie WY. Recently I have been studying the history of the construction of the transcontinental railroad.

I was discussing a topic with a museum researcher about miles built per day when he mentioned the well documented "10 miles in a day" episode.

He also said that the Central Pacific RR went on to build rail line into Wyoming, nearly to Lander WY.

He said that the line was never used but that the rails remained in place until well into the mid 1900's.

I have some doubts about this and have searched high and low and can find no reference to such a CPRR line.

The only RR line that I can find any record of anywhere near Lander, WY was a line put in by the U.S. Steel company that had an iron mine near South Pass.

That line was used from the 1960's to 1983.

Do you have any information that would confirm the CPRR built a line into Wyoming in the 1860's? ...

—Kim Viner, Laramie, WY

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Laramie Boomerang, June 23, 1885.

"Direct democracy: Origin of the species - From Athens via Switzerland to the Wild West"

"Direct democracy: Origin of the species - From Athens via Switzerland to the Wild West." © The Economist, Apr 20th 2011. (Special Report)

" ... Into this vacuum had stepped a private power: the railroad. ... As one reporter wrote in 1896, 'it didn’t matter whether a man was a Republican or Democrat. The Southern Pacific Railroad controlled both parties, and he either had to stay out of the game altogether or play it with the railroad.' This was the corruption that enraged California’s Progressives. Hiram Johnson was especially livid. ... Direct democracy in California is thus an aberration. It has no safeguards against Madison’s tyranny of the majority. It recognises no saucer that might cool the passions of the people. Above all, it is not a system intended to contain minority factions. Instead, it encourages special interests to wage war by ballot measure until one lobby prevails and imposes its will on all. Madison and Hamilton would have been horrified. ... " [More]

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Map of the Central Pacific Railroad and its Connections

Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc. in La Jolla, California has for sale the beautiful "Map of the Central Pacific Railroad and its Connections" which was published in the California Mail Bag San Francisco News Letter and California Advertiser, Vol. 1, No. 4, Oct-Nov. 1871. (35 x 12 inches)

Rare decorative map of the route of the Central Pacific from the midwest to San Francisco, illustrated with 24 engraved images of the west, primarily of California and Nevada. Includes a smaller map entitled "Map of the Rail & State Route to Big Tree Groves and Yosemite" on the verso. The California Mail Bag was published by Frank Marriott from 1871 to 1878. Courtesy of Barry Ruderman.

[Courtesy Google Alerts.]

Samuel McMullen - Gravelly Ford Explosion in ?1870's

From: "Sean Thompson" seanst@mac.com

I am trying to track down an explosion that happened at Gravelly Ford during the construction of the railroad tracks where 1,600 kegs of black powder exploded, killing six men and injuring a lot of other people. My relative was a witness to it that day but I am unable to find any information about it on any of the railroad history sites. He worked on the main tracks at Illinoistown or Colfax California and all of the side tracks in Palisade. ...

—Sean Thompson

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1868 Central Pacific to Mary's Creek and Gravelly Ford – Daily Alta California, Volume 20, Number 6843, 11 December 1868.

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1868 Gravelly Ford – Chinese Graders, White Track Layers – Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 36, Number 5468, 5 October 1868.

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1868 Mormon Grading contracts on CP – Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 36, Number 5455, 19 September 1868.

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Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 36, Number 5510, 23 November 1868 – Page 2 Advertisements Column 1.

New Book: "Images of Rail: Southern Pacific in California"

From: "Kristal Conklin" KConklin@arcadiapublishing.com

We have a great new title coming out in your area! This is part of our Images of Rail Series which includes 200 black and white vintage photographs. As always, our books are fully returnable after 90 days and up to a year from purchase. ...

The new title is:

Images of Rail: Southern Pacific in California by Kerry Sullivan

You can see more detailed information here. ...

Kristal Conklin
Regional Sales & Marketing Manager
Arcadia Publishing

Deeds given to Thomas M. Howe by President Abraham Lincoln after the act of July 1, 1862

From: "Lynn tucker" rbtucker@verizon.net

Our family still has numerous original deeds given to Thomas M. Howe by Lincoln. They may relate to Railroad land for I see Thomas M. Howe's name is listed in the [Pacific Railroad] Act of July 1, 1862.

The deeds actually say they are pursuant to an Act of Congress approved on March 3, 1855.

Our deeds are dated July 1, 1863 (not 1862).

Howe was my husband's great grandfather. We had thought that the deeds were to mines in Michigan as Howe was a steel manufacturer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

His steel mills produced most of the weapons needed by the Northern army.

We had thought that Lincoln was just providing Howe with Michigan mining land in order for him to have the raw materials needed to make weapons of war.

There are many deeds penned by Lincoln's secretary deeding land in Michigan.

Does your museum have many of the original deeds relating to the railroad right of ways?

Any information you might have to share about them would be greatly appreciated.

I will quote the location listed on one deed and you may know if that became railroad land.

"duly located upon the southeast quarter of section thirty two, in township fifty on, north of range forty three, west, in the district of lands subject to sale at Marquette, Michigan, containing one hundred and sixty acres."

These are the exact words although phrases like "in township fifty" seem to make no sense.

Thank you for any information you might be able to provide.

—Lynn Tucker

Snowsheds at Donner Summit

From: KyleKWyatt@gmail.com

Does anyone know when the Central Pacific Railroad snowsheds were constructed on the east side of Summit Tunnel? Before or after tracks were laid? Timothy O'Sullivan photographed the sheds, but its not clear whether he did it in 1867 or 1868, nor when within whatever year. I'd appreciate any documentation on when the sheds were actually built.

I note I have three O'Sullivan photos of the CPRR at Summit – two which show sheds, and one which might show graded right-of-way without tracks. It's possible that O'Sullivan made a couple of trips to Summit – perhaps one in 1867 before track was laid, and another in later 1868. That is all speculation on my part.

Many thanks.

—Kyle

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52 Donner Lake Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California - 40th Parallel - USGS

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53 Donner Lake Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California - 40th Parallel - USGS

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O'Sullivan - Central Pacific Railroad near Summit Station

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Summit Tunnel Completed – Sacramento Daily Union,
Volume 34, Number 5203, 30 November 1867.

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Summit Tunnel Dates – Sacramento Daily Union,
Volume 34, Number 5230, 1 January 1868.

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See comment below:

O'Sullivan 52 Donner Lake Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California - 40th Parallel - USGS

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O'Sullivan 53 Donner Lake Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California - 40th Parallel - USGS

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Russell I-228 or 229 Summit of Sierra Nevada - Library of Congress

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Russell S-545 or 549 - CPRR Museum

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Reilly 233 Donner Lake and Snow Sheds, CPRR, California

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Watkins 4240 Donner Lake, CPRR, Cal

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E&HT Anthony 7109 CP Snow Sheds 10

Water rights under the Pacific Railroad Acts

From: "Holly Bute" hmcdbute@cccomm.net

... The Pacific Railroad Acts granted land and mineral rights to the respective railroads to construct railroads, but what about water rights? Were the railroads also granted specific water rights?

I am researching the CPRR claims to Truckee River Water rights and also rights to Newlands Project water. ...

—Holly Bute

Ticket cost from Virginia or east coast to Los Angeles in 1881

From: "Susan Villegas" suzanna_vee@yahoo.com

I am trying to figure out what a ticket cost for a black pregnant woman to 2 children riding the rails from Virginia or east coast to Los Angeles in 1881? I know that she had to get off the train in Dallas Texas to have her baby and later continued on. Would you know if they were to ride in a regular rail car or the head car? Looking for any information you can give on how they [travelled] and how long a trip. ...

—Susan Villegas

Travel from Baltimore MD (or New York City) to San Francisco by train in 1915

From: "Michael Barnard" 2011mrbarnard@gmail.com

I'm doing research for a book, and have been trying to find the amount of time it took to travel from Baltimore MD (or New York City) to San Francisco by train in 1915. Is there a schedule online that would describe a complete transcontinental trip from that era? Is there a resource that would describe the rail fares for such a trip? ...

—Michael Barnard

What were train stations like?

What were train stations like?

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