Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, was a strong advocate for the construction of the Pacific Railroad

"Colfax's namesake was strong advocate for railroad" by Nancy Hagman, © Colfax Record, 9/15/2011. (News Article)

"Long before the Civil War took place Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, was a strong advocate for the construction of railroads across the nation ... During the summer of 1865, at the request of President Lincoln just before his assassination, Colfax took a lengthy trip across the continent. ... Samuel Bowles, traveling with Colfax, reported in his journal, Across the Continent (1865), 'Our party made a very profitable and interesting excursion over the route of the Central Pacific Road from Sacramento to Donner Lake, on the eastern slope of the mountains, by special train and coaches, and along the working sections on horseback. The track is graded and laid, and trains are running to the new town of Colfax (named for the Speaker), which is fifty-six miles from Sacramento. Grading is now in active progress on the next section, to Dutch Flat.' " [More]

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