Chapters on the History of the Southern PacificDaggett, Stuart
History
Chapters on the History of the Southern Pacific
Daggett, Stuart
Pacific railroads -- History; Railroads -- California -- History; Southern Pacific Company
The first contract with Charles Crocker, covering sections 1 to 18,
provided for a lump sum payment of $400,000, of which $250,000 was to
be in cash, $100,000 in bonds of the company, and $50,000 in capital
stock. This was also the type of contract made with other contractors
up to section 30, although the amounts paid varied. At least one bill
for extras was allowed Mr. Crocker. Sections 30 and 31 were built by
Crocker, and after these were completed he was permitted to continue
without a written contract.
In June, 1865, Mr. Hopkins made a report to the president and directors
of the Central Pacific upon the general subject of contracts. In this
report Hopkins dwelt upon the necessity of rapid construction for the
purpose of capturing the passenger traffic between Sacramento and
Virginia City; and also in order to comply with the acts of Congress
and the state legislature, which required rapid construction of the
road. Persons of large capital, he said, seemed unwilling to bind
themselves to construct the road as rapidly as necessary. Charles
Crocker and Company, on the other hand, had pushed and were pushing
the work with extraordinary vigor and success, and had in all cases
complied with the orders and directions of the officers of the company.
He recommended, therefore, that arrangements be continued with that
firm, at rates specified in an accompanying resolution.[107] The
directors thereupon adopted this report, and resolved as follows:
_Resolved and ordered_ that Charles Crocker and Company be allowed
and paid for all work done and material furnished, or which may
hereafter be done and furnished, until the further order of the Board
of Directors, in the construction of the railroad of the Company, from
section 43 eastward, subject to and in accordance with the terms,
conditions and stipulations set forth in the contract with said
Charles Crocker and Company, dated September 19, 1863, except so far
as the same are modified or changed by this order, at the following
rates and prices, and in accordance with the following classification,
to-wit:
[Here are inserted the rates for clearing and grubbing, and excavation
in various kinds of rock, etc.]
The payments to be made monthly, according to the monthly estimates,
five-eighths thereof in gold coin, and the remaining three-eighths
in the capital stock of the Company, at the rate of two dollars of
capital stock for each one dollar of said three-eighths of said
estimate, with the privilege of paying said three-eighths in gold coin
in lieu of said stock, at the election of said Company, to be made at
the time of such payment.
[Illustration: Summit Valley. Altitude 6,960 feet. Emigrant Mountain
and Railroad Pass in the distance]
Payments in Cash and Stock
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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