hubert howe bancroft - Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History ...

CHANGES AND BENEFITS. 631
tary of war, in 1883: "No person who has not been
across the continent by the several routes can possibly
comprehend the change now in progress there.
Nearly two thirds of the domain of the United
States lies west of the Mississippi, and at the close
of the civil war the greater part of it was occupied by
wild beasts, buffalo, elk, antelope, and deer, and by
wilder Indians. Now, by the indomitable courage,
industry, and thrift of our people, this vast region has
been reduced to a condition of comparative civilization.
Three great railroads now traverse the continent, with
branches innumerable, and a fourth is making rapid
progress. States, territories, cities, and towns have
grown up; neat cattle have already displaced the
buffalo; horses and sheep have displaced the elk, deer,
and antelope; and crops of wheat, rye, barley, and
oats are now grown in regions believed hitherto to be
desert or inaccessible. This is the real cause of the
great prosperity which now blesses our country and
swells the coffers of our national treasury."
Whatever may be the judgment of posterity as to
the character and policy of the railroad associates, we
who are living to-day cannot deny that to their boldness
of enterprise is due, in no small measure, the greatness
and prosperity of this our western commonwealth.
If they cannot as yet afford to establish such rates as
obtain in the more densely peopled sections of the
union, the tendency of these rates is steadily downward.
The time has gone by when any single line can
entirely crush out competition. The Southern road
is already forced to compete for transcontinental travel
and transportation, and for a part of the state traffic,
which necessity will only increase its efficiency. As
railroad builders no company has ever surpassed the
Central Pacific under whatever name it chooses to be
known. Their works are monumental SLB well as