"CPRR Shovel Preserved"

From: "Chuck Hatler" gnhistory07@live.com

Are you folks familiar with this piece of lore? Any idea where the shovel went? I did a google, no luck.

—Chuck Hatler, Kansas City, MO

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1882 02 12 CPRR Shovel Preserved S-NL

1882, 12 Feb: C. P. Railroad Shovel Preserved

The Reno Gazette gives the following account of an interesting railroad relic:

The shovel, which broke ground for the Central Pacific Railroad is carefully preserved and may be seen in the private office of Huntington & Hopkins' store in Sacramento. It is polished brightly and the handle is varnished. It is one of the long handled, Mark Hopkins- brand. A silver plate on the handle bears these words:

Alpha. This shovel was used to cast the first earth in the construction of the Central Pacific railroad at the inauguration ceremonies, January 8, 1863.

(Butte Daily Miner, M.T.)