History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

RAILROADS. 758
of railroad, 6 of which 297 belonged to the Union
Pacific, 150 to the Central Pacific, 386 to the Denver
and Rio Grande, 280 to the Utah Central, and 30 to
the Sanpete Valley.
In 1854, as we have seen, a memorial was addressed
to congress by the territorial legislature, urging the
construction of an overland railroad. In 18G0 a second
memorial was presented, to the same purport, 6 and
though neither of them was regarded, none rejoiced
more heartily over the advent of the railroad than
did the settlers of Utah. They felt now strong
enough to have let in on them the advancing tide of
civilization without being swept away by it. Brigham
had long foreseen that the railroad would bring
with it a new and manifest destiny to his people.
Being himself a man of destiny, he quickly adapted
himself to the altered condition of affairs, and declared
that he believed in it. As all Utah believed
in Brigham, it followed that his people would do
their utmost to help it to completion. They were for
the most part too poor to subscribe money, but whatever
of aid or material their land and labor could supply
was cheerfully furnished.
In May 1868 a contract was made between Brig-
172; 1870,63-4,79, 84-8, 108, 118; 1876, 29-30; Utah Laws, 1878, 57; 1882,
102-4; Deseret News, Nov. 23, 1859, Jan. 22, 1862; Rae's Westward by Rait,
99.
5 In 1860 there was a -weekly stage to S. L. City, conducted by Paissell &
Waddell, who during the same year started a pony express. In 1S61 they
were bought out by Ben Holliday, and in that or the following year a daily
line was established to S. L. City. In 1866 Wells, Fargo, & Co. purchased
Holliday's interest, believing that the railroad would not be completed for
six or seven years. They lost by the transaction, among their purchases being
$70,000 worth of new coaches which they never used, and afterward sold
to Gilmer & Salisbury for one fourth of the cost. John T. Gilmer commenced
staging in 1859 under Russell & Waddell. In 1864 he was appointed division
agent at Bitter Creek by Ben Holliday. About 1S76 he began mining in the
Black Hills, Utah, and afterward in Nev., Id., Ariz., and Cal. He was also
connected with the Stewart mine in Bingham canon, and others. In 1884
he was conducting a staging business in Utah, Id., Ariz., and Cal. OUmer's
Mails and Staging in Utah, MS. Descriptions of stage-coach travel in Utah
in the years before the opening of the railroad will be found in almost every
book that treats of Mormonism up to that time. Among others, sec Burton's
City of the Saints; Remy's Jour, to G. S. L. City; Chandler's Visit to S. Lake;
Bowies' Across the Continent; Dilkc's Greater Britain; Greeley's Overt. Jour.
6 See Utah Acts, 1858-9, 37-8; House Misc. Doc, 36th Cong. 2d Sess., 34.
Hist. Utah. 13