History of Salt Lake City, Part 92

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194

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problem of the mining enterprise of Utah once solved gave the company a solid base to work upon, and the Walker Brothers pushed with all their financial might into the undertaking of making the Utah mines a marked success in the mining his- tory of the great West which had already so stirred the civilized world since the discovery of gold in California. From time to time large shipments of the Emma ore were made to the English market, which soon gave an impetus to silver min- ing in Utah, and caused a large number of our citizens to scatter throughout the mountains prospecting for mines. The fame of the Emma mine reached the Ter- ritories and simultaneously a large influx of miners and prospectors poured in to join in the work of prospecting with the Utah men, thus adding experience to the local enthusiasm. Capital of course soon followed in the wake, a new era dawned in the history of Utah, and the Gentile, equally with the Mormon, claimed the country as his own. The pertinency of this line of review in connection with the Walker Brothers is that they were at the onset, as capitalists and business men, prin- cipally instrumental in bringing this result about, but for which the Utah mines would not have become so famous in 1870, though ultimately of course they would have been developed by the aid of foreign, if not local, capital.

And here it may be noted, as a suggestive fact, that the Emma was the cause of the opening up of this class of mines (sil ver-lead), and also the immense smelt- ing interests in various parts of the United States, embracing millions of capital. It is no longer necessary to ship the products to Swansea, Wales, as this industry in the United States now competes with the smelting works of the Old World.

Of the first Emma company it may be noted that they made a Utah corpora- tion of it and Mr. Joseph R. Walker was elected president of the company. Treynor W. Park and Baxter bought half interest in the Emma and they took the mine to England and placed it upon the English market, where it was sold. Its subsequent history was not enviable. Utah mines, exemplified in the Emma, un- der the controlling hands of the Walkers, grew in honest fame; in the hands of foreign capitalists the Emma benefitted neither Utah nor its British purchasers.

After their initial undertaking in the Emma mine the Walker Brothers be- came interested in numerous other mining operations in the Territory. They engaged in Ophir District, East Canyon (as noted by Stenhouse), and built the first quartz mill in the Territory, which is known as the Pioneer Mill ; and they afterwards branched out into other Territories, notably into Montana.

In the year 1876, Mr. J. R. Walker went to Butte to view the outlook of that district. A sample of ore having been sent to Mr. J. R. Walker, he went to look the country over with a view to make ample investments if he found a mine to warrant it. This led to the purchase of the now famous Alice mine and other ad- jacent properties, and the erection of large reduction works. These embrace the largest dry crushing chloridizing works in the United States for the reduction of silver ores. Subsequently the mine and works were transferred to a Utah cor- poration bearing the name of the " Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company of Utah," It still runs under the management of the Walker Brothers, with J. R. Walker president of the company, they owning a large majority of the stock. Their mining operations since 1870 have extended into many districts, notably

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the Cottonwoods, Ophir, Bingham, the Park, American Fork, Montana, Idaho and Nevada.

The foregoing is simply the history of the opening of the Utah Mines; we cannot attempt, in a chapter, to grapple with the voluminous record of the mines of Utah to the present day.

CHAPTER LXXXII.

OUR RAILROADS. BRIGHAM YOUNG MARKS OUT THE TRACK OF THE "NA- TIONAL CENTRAL RAILROAD" ON THE PIONEER JOURNEY TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. PETITION OF THE FIRST LEGISLATURE OF UTAH TO CON- GRESS TO BUILD THE ROAD TO THE PACIFIC. BUILDING OF THE U. P. R. R. AND C. P. R. R. OPENING OF THE UTAH CENTRAL AND UTAH SOUTHERN. THE RAILROADS OF LATER DAYS.

Whatever may be said of the opposition of the Mormon leaders regarding the opening of the Utah Mines, it cannot be affirmed that they were opposed to the building of the railroads, uniting the eastern and western halves of the Amer- ican continent. True, such was the general opinion ; and it was created by the often repetition in the American press that the Mormon leaders entertained a sav- age fear of the approach of the railroads towards their domains, and that they desired an eternal isolation from the civilized world. Indeed, they and the In- dians of the West were regarded very much in the same light, touching the pro- jected railroads across the continent ; and that familiar caricature of the terrified but enraged chief, standing on the new laid railroad track, gesticulating menaces against the coming train, whose resistless force a moment hence would crush him into nothingness, was thought to be quite a happy exaggeration of the Mormon of the Rocky Mountains. But the reverse of this is true as applied to the pioneers of Utah.

It is a singular fact, yet one well substantiated in the history of the West, that the pioneers of Utah were the first projectors and first proposers to the Amer- ican nation of a trans-continental railroad. It is to be read in Historian Wood- ruff's diary of the journey of the pioneers that Brigham Young, who, bearing the military title of lieutenant-general for the occasion, daily with his staff officers went before the pioneer companies, marking out the way, often pointed out to them the track that the coming railroad would pass over in its course across the continent ; and this idea of a railroad following them was so strange that many of them esteemed it as a prophecy ; but to a Vanderbilt, a Tom Scott, or a Jay Gould, it would be esteemed as Brigham Young's instinct for railroads, so strik - ingly manifested in him twenty-one years later.

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At the first session of the Territorial Legislature, held in 1851-2, in Salt Lake City, memorials to Congress were adopted, praying for the construction of a nat- ional central railroad, and also a telegraph line from the Missouri River via Salt Lake City to the Pacific. In connection with this, we give the following note from George A. Smith's private journal, in which he wrote :

" I was elected a member of the Senate of the Provisional State of Deseret, and reported a bill for the organization of the judiciary, which was the first bill printed for the consideration of members. I also reported a bill in relation to the construction of a national railroad across the continent, which some of the members considered a joke, though I was never more in earnest."

It will be perceived, by reference that this bill was dated nearly three years prior to the memorials to Congress upon the same subject ; and it may be further observed that George A. Smith, Heber C. Kimball and Wilford Woodruff were always three of the staff that accompanied " General " Brigham Young in mark- ing out the pioneer path ; so it can be readily seen that George A. Smith was very familiar with this projected national railroad across the continent, that there was " no joke " in his bill, and that he " never was more in earnest."

The memorial to Congress was given in an early chapter of this history, as among the first doings of our Territorial Legislature ; but its points are so need- ful here before the eye of the reader that the memorial must be repeated. It was approved and signed by Governor Young, March 3d, 1852.

" To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled :

" Your memorialists, the Governor and Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, respectfully pray your honorable body to provide for the establishment of a national central railroad from some eligible point on the Mississippi or Mis- souri River, to San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento or Astoria, or such other point on or near the Pacific coast as the wisdom of your honorable body may dictate.

" Your memorialists respectfully state that the immense emigration to and from the Pacific requires the immediate attention, guardian care, and fostering as- sistance of the greatest and most liberal government on the earth. Your memori- alists are of the opinion that not less than five thousand American citizens have perished on the different routes within the last three years, for the want of proper means of transportation. That an eligible route can be obtained, your memori- alists have no doubt, being extensively acquainted with the country. We know that no obstruction exists between this point and San Diego, and that iron, coal, timber, stone, and other materials exist in various places on the route ; and that the settlements of this Territory are so situated as to amply supply the builders of said road with material and provisions for a considerable portion of the route, and to carry on an extensive trade after the road is completed.

" Your memorialists are of opinion that the mineral resources of California and these mountains can never be fully developed to the benefit of the United States, without the construction of such a road ; and upon its completion, the en- tire trade of China and the East Indies will pass through the heart of the Union,

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thereby giving to our citizens the almost entire control of the Asiatic and Pacific trade ; pouring into the lap of the American States the millions that are now di- verted through other commercial channels; and last, though not least, the road herein proposed would be a perpetual chain or iron band, which would effectually hold together our glorious Union with an imperishable identity of mutual interest, thereby consolidating our relations with foreign powers in times of peace, and our defense from foreign invasion, by the speedy transmission of troops and sup- plies in times of war.

" The earnest attention of Congress to this important subject is solicited by your memorialists, who, in duty bound, will ever pray."

On the 31st of January, 1854, there was another movement of the people for a Pacific Railroad. The citizens of Salt Lake and surrounding country, men and women, gathered en masse to make a grand demonstration in its favor.

There are numerous points in the foregoing remarkable document which should attract the notice of American statesmen.

Ist. A transcontinental railroad was contemplated by these Mormon pio- neers, who had crossed the Plains and had actually, day by day, in the spring and summer of 1847, indicated the very track of the coming railroad; and it is a curious fact that for several hundred miles the grade of the great transcontinental railroad is made upon the old Mormon road.

2d. The pioneers contemplated that their people would be its builders ; and a clear bid was made to Congress to draw on Utah for laborers, material (such as ties, rock, station houses, etc.) and provisions, to build the road inidway east and west, should Congress undertake this " national central railroad." Such an un- dertaking of the Nation, in 1852, would have lifted Utah to a pinnacle and en- riched her citizens more than would the gold of California had they settled that country. The proposition shows a masterly hit of local political economy.

3d. These memorialists not only suggested to the Nation, her duty towards her citizens who were establishing for her empire in the West, "five thousand " of whom had " perished on the different routes within the last three years, for the want of proper means of transportation ;" but they exhibited to the Nation her own paramount interests in the construction of this railroad to be owned by the United States.

4th. With great sagacity of pioneers, they tell Congress that the mineral re- sources of California and " these mountains can never be fully developed to the benefit of the United States, without the construction of such a road," which point shows that the memorialists did expect Utah to become a mining Territory ; while the counter exposition would show that these leaders desired to make their people builders of railroads, agriculturists, manufacturers, iron workers, etc., not miners of gold or silver.

5th. "Upon its completion the entire trade to China and the East Indies will pass through the heart of the Union," etc.

6th. " And last, though not least, the road herein proposed would be a per- petual chain or iron band, which would effectually hold together our glorious Union with an imperishable identity of mutual interest." A very palpable warning was this, that unless the East did mind the interests of the great though youthful

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West, the West would surely growl and perchance in time dissolve partnership ; and it may be considered very applicable to the present debated silver question.

We do not think there is anything in the national archives, nor in the con- gressional records, as early as 1852, relative to a projected railroad across the continent, so striking and suggestive as this memorial on such a railroad, which proceeded from the Utah Legislature of that date; and its pertinency to the U. P. and C. P. in 1868-9, when Brigham Young and the Mormons became con- tractors and builders of the Utah centre of those lines, is as a close connecting link of the history of the railroads which now unite the two halves of this conti- nent in " a perpetual chain or iron band."

On the incorporation of the Union Pacific, Brigham Young was a stockhol- der in the company ; and, as soon as it approached toward our local working distance, Brigham Young became a chief contractor. With himself he associated John Sharp, as his principal sub-contractor on the Union Pacific Railroad, and with them was also associated Joseph A. Young. Under this contract Sharp & Young did the heavy stone work of the bridge abutments, and the cutting of the tunnels of Weber Canyon. In this work they employed from five to six hundred men, and the contract amounted to about a million of dollars. Afterwards, dur- ing the strife between the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific, another contract was taken for Sharp & Young on the Union Pacific, on which they employed four or five hundred men, the contract amounting to $100,000. There were also numerous other sub contractors engaged under President Young in building this line.

During their work on the U. P. R. R., these now fairly trained Utah railroad builders projected the Utah Central, and they urged the policy on capitalists of their own community to secure the routes and built the home railroads, and not leave these enterprises open to either Eastern or Western companies.

After the completion of the U. P. and C. P., there arose a difficulty with the U. P. Company in the payment of their indebteduess to the Utah contractors, which in the sequel greatly facilitated the building of the Utah Central. In these difficulties of the settlement between Brigham Young and the U. P. Co., John Sharp, John Taylor and Joseph A. Young were chosen to go to Boston to bring the business to an issue; and so vigorously, yet prudently, did they press the matter with Durant and others that, in the lack of the Company's funds, Brigham got $600,000 worth of railroad stock, which was used in the construction of the Utah Central.

The Utah Central Railroad Company was organized March 8th, 1869, by the following stockholders :

Brigham Young, Sen., Joseph A. Young, George Q. Cannon, D. H. Wells, Christopher Layton (Kaysville), Bryant Stringham, D. P. Kimball, Isaac Groo, D. O. Calder, George A. Smith, John Sharp, Sen., Brigham Young, Jr., J. W. Young, William Jennings, Feramorz Little, James T. Little. Brigham Young was elected president. Ground was broken May 17th, 1869.

The next important event in the history of Utah was the laying of the last rail of the Utah Central. The completion of the Union and Central Pacific lines was a national event affecting greatly the destiny of Utah as well as that of the

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entire Pacific Coast ; but the completion of the Utah Central was the proper local sign of radical changes, affecting the mining and commercial enterprises of our Territory, as well as the every day life of our citizens. That event put the Ter- ritory en rapport with the age of railroads, and a world of expansion came to Mormondom with the laying of the last rail in Salt Lake City, and a community, originally formed in a state of isolation, appreciated at once that henceforth the hand of the East and the hand of the West were joined with Utah and fifty mil- lions of people were at her door.

It was January 10th, 1870 : the weather was cold ; a heavy fog hung over the City of the Great Salt Lake; but the multitude assembled, and by two o'clock P. M. there was gathered around the depot block not less than fifteen thousand people. As the train with the invited guests from Ogden, and other Northern settlements, came dashing toward the end of the track, shouts arose from the as- sembled city. A large steel mallet had been prepared for the occasion, made at the blacksmith shop of the public works of the Church. The " last spike " was forged of Utah iron, manufactured ten years previously by the late Nathaniel V. Jones. The mallet was elegantly chased, bearing on the top an engraved bee-hive (the emblem of the State of Deseret) surrounded by the inscription, " Holiness to the Lord," and underneath the bee-hive were the letters U. C. R. R .; a similar ornament consecrated the spike. The mallet and spike were made and ornamented by James Lawson. The sun, which had hid himself behind the clouds during the whole day, burst forth as in joy to witness the event of the laying of the last rail almost at the very instant. It was like a glad surprise, and the assembled thousands took it as a happy omen. The honor of driving the last spike in the first railroad built by the Mormon people was assigned to President Young.

On the platform car, during the performance of the ceremonies of consecra- tion of the road, were the following gentlemen :

Of the Utah Central : Brigham Young, president ; William Jennings, vice- president ; Daniel H. Wells, Christopher Layton and Feramorz Little, directors ; . Joseph A. Young, general superintendent ; John W. Young, secretary ; also of the Mormon Presidency and Apostles, Orson Hyde, John Taylor, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, C. C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, F. D. Richards, George Q. Can- non, Brigham Young, jun., and Joseph F. Smith.

Of the Union and Central Pacific Roads : J. E. McEwin, Esq., master mechanic C. P. R. R .; G. Cornwall, Esq., conductor, Utah Division, C. P. R. R .; James Campbell, Esq., division superintendent, Utah Division, C. P. R. R .; C. C. Quinn, Esq., master mechanic, U. P. R. R .; T. B. Morris, Esq., engineer, Utah Division, U. P. R. R .; Charles Carr, Esq., asst. supt., Utah Division, U. P. R. R .; J. McCormick and S. Edwards, Esqs., agents, U. P. R. R .; G. B. Blackwell, Esq., agent Pullman's palace cars; Walter Mckay, Esq., cashier, U. P. R. R.

Col. F. Anderson, special correspondent of the New York Herald occupied a seat at the reporters' table.

From Camp Douglas : Gen. Gibbons, Col. Hancock, Col. Spencer, Capt. Hollister, Major Benham, Lieut. Benson, Lieut. Brandt, Lieut. Jacobs, Lieut. Graffan, Lieut. Wright.

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The Camp Douglas, Capt. Croxall's and Ward brass bands ; also Capt. Beesley's martial band were in attendance.

After the performance of the ceremonies, which took place about 9 minutes past 2 o'clock, a salute of thirty-one guns-one for each mile of the road, was fired, when Capt. Croxall's brass band burst forth with enlivening strains, after which the following prayer was offered by Elder Wilford Woodruff :

"O God, our Eternal Father, we have assembled on this occasion to cele- brate one of the greatest and grandest events of the generation in which we live, and we offer up the gratitude of our hearts, with thanksgiving, for Thy merciful and protecting care that has been over us. When we were led into these valleys, by Thy servant Brigham, twenty two years ago, we found them a perfect desert, inhabited only by wild beasts, and a few red men who roamed over the plains. To-day, we behold teeming thousands of the Anglo-Saxon race, many of whom have assembled here to celebrate the completion of a line of railroad into this city, which has opened up commerce between us and all the world. Thou hast enabled Thy Saints, who have gathered here from the nations of the earth, to fill these valleys of the mountains with 600 miles of cities, towns, villages, gardens, orchards, and fields, and the desert has been made to blossom as the rose. We should be recreant to our duties did we not acknowledge the hand of Thee, O God, in Thy protecting care over us, which has enabled us to assist in leveling these mountains and in laying an iron band which has bound this continent together from ocean to ocean, and has made all the various States and Territories of this mighty nation neighbors to each other. For all these blessings we feel to render the gratitude of our hearts unto Thee ; and we pray that Thy blessings may rest upon us this day.

" We dedicate this railroad unto Thee, the Lord our God ; we pray that Thy blessings may rest upon it, and upon those who have erected and labored upon it. We thank Thee for the peace and quietude that we have enjoyed for many years that we have dwelt in these valleys of the mountains. Continue Thy blessings, O God, we beseech Thee, unto the inhabitants here and throughout the nation.

" These favors and blessings we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Re- deemer: Amen."

The following speech was made by Hon. George Q. Cannon, on behalf of President Brigham Young :

" Whilst joining in the pleasing ceremonies of this eventful and auspicious day, our minds naturally revert to the circumstances which led this people to un- dertake their weary, but hopeful journey across the desert plains and rugged moun- tains to these, then sterile valleys-to our condition at the time of our advent here, poor, and destitute of the common necessities of life ; driven from our homes and posessions and bereft of all that makes life comfortable, in consequence of our faith in God and in his son Jesus Christ, and our obedience to his holy gospel, and without a friend in this wide world to whom we could look for help, except God, our heavenly father, alone, on whom we could rely.

" Since the day that we first trod the soil of these valleys, have we received any assistance from our neighbors? No, we have not. We have built our homes,

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our cities, have made our farms, have dug our canals and water ditches, have sub- dued this barren country, have fed the stranger, have clothed the naked, have im- migrated the poor from foreign lands, have placed them in a condition to make all comfortable and have made some rich. We have fed the Indians to the amount of thousands of dollars yearly, have clothed them in part, and have sus- tained several Indian wars, and now we have built thirty-seven miles of railroad.

"All this having been done, are not our cities, our counties and the Territory in debt? No, not the first dollar. But the question may be asked, is not the Utah Central Railroad in debt? Yes, but to none but our own people.

" Who has helped us to do all this? I will answer this question. It is the Lord Almighty. What are the causes of our success in all this? Union and one- ness of purpose in the Lord.

" Having by our faith and unaided labors accomplished the work and achieved the triumph, which we to-day celebrate, we are now asking the parent Guvern- ment to sanction our labors in this commendable work, and the people of this Territory are also asking to be admitted as a sovereign State into the Union, with all the rights and privileges of a State government, and I move we have one. Let all in favor of it say 'Aye.'" A unanimous "Aye" from the assembled thousands was the response.

" We have felt somewhat to complain of the Union Pacific Railroad Company for not paying us for the work we did, in grading so many miles of their road. But let me say, if they had paid us according to agreement, this road would not have been graded, and this track would not have been laid to-day. It is all right.

" To our friends of the Union and Central Pacific Railroads, we offer our con- gratulations on their success in their mighty enterprise. Receive our thanks for your kindness to our company ; for, so far as I have learned, you have refused us no favor. Let us be one in sustaining every laudable undertaking for the benefit of the human family ; and I thank the companies for their kindness to us as com- panies, as superintendents, as engineers, as conductors, etc.

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History of Salt Lake City, Part 92

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194