LeLand Stanford CEO of the Central Pacific Railroad  May 11, 1869 The NY Sun A bond issued to help finance the Railroad          If you had asked the rail barons pushing to build a transcontinental railroad, "Will you make a profit selling tickets? Will you make a profit hauling farm crops and manufactured goods?" they would answer, "Certainly." If they were being utterly candid, though, they'd add, "Of course, that's not where the really big and quick money is."      A transcontinental railroad was proposed in the early 1840s.  Before the war with Mexico, its route would have been from Chicago and St Louis to the coast of Oregon. Southern senators and representatives in Congress opposed this, fearing it would simply bring more anti-slavery immigrants into the northern plains, creating more free soil states and breaking the grip minority pro slavery states had on Congress.       Adding Texas and the land gained by the...

  Harper's Weekly was one of the most influential publications of its day. The editorial below touches on so many issues of the day and many of which relate to today's opinions by contrast. The editorial original is in italics; my added commentary and background in   blue  and  not in italics.  Harper’s Weekly, Saturday April 24, 1858 THE PACIFIC RAILROAD Mr. Benjamin seems to have given this measure its quietus. The Senate, may, of course, reconsider the vote by which it has deferred further consideration of Sen. Green’s bill till December next, but it is not likely. Small as the majority was in favor of Mr. Benjamin’s motion, it is a majority which is likely to swell. (Sen. Judah P. Benjamin D-LA, a leader in New Orleans’ Jewish community and later the only intelligent member of the Confederate cabinet.  Last seen at the end of the Civil War in a row boat heading for a blockade runner with the remnants of the Confederate treasury. A brilliant lawyer,...

  From Harper's magazine, Jan. 31, 1858 It's estimated over 7,000 people died in railroad accidents before the Civil War Railroads -- In the late 1830s and early 1840s, increasing numbers of wealthy men saw opportunity to join together to create a “rail road.”  The earliest long rail line ran from Wilmington, NC to Weldon, NC on the Virginia border. Later, Weldon became a major transshipping point to carry slaves from the East to new owners in the Deep South.  Early locomotives were little more than a steam engine set on a flat wood surface with wheels attached to the bottom. The freight and passenger cars were simply open top boxes. Speeds varied from 10 to 35 mph. “Riding the cars “or “taking the cars” was the phrase for “ride the train” or “take the train.” Smoke blew back on the engineer and passengers, sparks frequently burning holes in clothes. If it rained, let’s hope you brought your umbrella. Soon, these cars had canvas tops applied to them and a cover for the en...