by Lloyd Philips
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This was the remark made by Silas Seymour, a consulting engineer helping to lay the line of the Union Pacific when observing the track laid to Corinne, Utah. The UP was to meet the CP at Promontory, Utah. He was correct, as this was the largest railroad in the world. The UP and CP both overcame many major obstacles of nature in building the railroads. East met west at Promontory, Utah. Today as we are able to move around the United States quickly and unhindered, and able to communicate almost immediately, it is difficult to fathom what a great accomplishment the building of the transcontinental railroad was. Prior to 1869 if traveling from New York or east coast to San Francisco there were two options, sea around the Cape Horn (or across Isthmus of Panama) or stagecoach from the Missouri River. The sea voyage would take months and by Stagecoach weeks. The cost might be as much as $1,000. A week after the Railroad was completed a person could make this journey in a week at cost of $150 first class, $70 for an emigrant. By 1870 the fare had decreased to $136 for first class, $110 for second class and $65 for emigrant. Freight rates were much less than rates for ox or horse drawn wagons, or even steamers and sail ships. Mail that did cost dollars per ounce and took days or weeks to get, now cost pennies and arrived in a few days. A telegraph line was built alongside the track simultaneously with the railroad. This allowed almost instant communication and enabled orders and correspondence to be given more quickly elimination time delays. Upon completion one could receive news within hours of it happening rather than waiting days or weeks for newspapers. In fact newspapers could now arrive within days rather than weeks. The railroad enabled the military to move its troops and equipment faster and cheaper than before. They saved millions of dollars yearly. Of course the troops preferred riding to marching. Together the railroad and telegraph made modem America possible. People and products were able to move about more easily and cheaper then before. The West was open to settlers and was quickly filled with people wanting land. Towns sprung up and the land started producing minerals and products, which were able to move to other than local markets. Produce found a ready market on the East Coast. Without the completion of the railroad the settlement of the West would have taken longer and at a higher cost. To most important thing that the transcontinental railroad accomplished was uniting the entire country from East to West. This was one of the most important happenings in United States history because modern America as we know it Today started on this occasion. |