The Overland Route to the Road of a Thousand Wonders: The Route of the Union Pacific & The Southern Pacific Railroads from Omaha to San Francisco, a Journey of Eighteen Hundred Miles Where Once the Bison & the Indian ReignedSouthern Pacific Company. Passenger Department
History
The Overland Route to the Road of a Thousand Wonders: The Route of the Union Pacific & The Southern Pacific Railroads from Omaha to San Francisco, a Journey of Eighteen Hundred Miles Where Once the Bison & the Indian Reigned
Southern Pacific Company. Passenger Department
Railroad travel -- West (U.S.); Southern Pacific Company; Union Pacific Railroad Company; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
It was done. The story of the doing cannot be told here. It is one of
volumes, and simply the names of the men whose daring and genius solved
its problems may be mentioned. It was a combination predestined,
irresistible, a union of men for whom opportunity needed to knock but
lightly, who saw the grandeur of the task before them and rose to its
inspiration. Each had his allotted place to which he seemed peculiarly
fitted and each, through the sheer love of the work and indomitable
purpose made perfect his part in this modern conquest of America. Judah,
the great engineer, saw the work through, and then, in a few months,
died—but fame is his. Senator A. A. Sargent framed the laws that made
the work possible. Senator Leland Stanford was the great political
executive who handled the road’s relations with the Government—a many
sided, brilliant man, and a mighty pioneer, in farming, fruit growing,
and stock raising, as well as railroad building. Charles Crocker was the
master mind in the field, and organizer of men and affairs, and withal,
much beloved by all who knew him. Judge Crocker, the road’s first
attorney, was of inestimable value to it, but so noiseless, modest and
retiring, that his relations with the line are almost forgotten. Mark
Hopkins was the trained man of business, who directed the office
affairs, carrying in his brain every detail of the enterprise, and
working upon it night and day. Collis P. Huntington, famous in every
line of work he undertook, outlived his associates, and became one of
the world’s greatest builders and financiers. To Mr. Huntington and to
Edward H. Harriman (whose financial genius and constructive ability have
contributed more in high class, modern railways to the advancement of
the West than any other man), the empire beyond the Missouri and the
Mississippi owes more than to any other two.
[Illustration: SHY DEER WATCH THE PASSING TRAINS FROM THE LEAFY COVERTS
OF THE CANYONS]
Sacramento has many places of interest; the capitol building and its
fine grounds, Sutter’s Fort, and the Crocker Art Gallery being among
them. The city has beautiful tree lined avenues, fine houses with flower
gardens, lawns, and citrus and deciduous fruit, good urban and suburban
electric line service, railways radiating in four directions, and three
more—two steam and one electric—under construction; altogether a modern,
charming city with such unusual out of doors attractions as only
California can give.
[Illustration: NEAR NEWCASTLE THE WILDER SCENERY GIVES PLACE TO PEACEFUL
ORCHARDS]
Among public works is the handsome Government building, in which are the
post office, land office, weather bureau, and other Government offices.
In yards the magnolia blooms and the broad leaves of the plantain and
banana arrest the eye. Palms are plentiful and with variety; orange and
lemon trees are numerous. Camellias bloom in profusion.
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