OPENING

OF T H E

ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC RAILROAD,

A N D COMPLETION OF

SOUTH PACIFIC RAILROAD TO SPRINGFIELD, MO,

MAY

3,

1870.

SPRINGFIELD, MO.
1870.

385.4
At66o

OPENING
OF T H E

ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC RAILROAD
A N D COMPLETION OF T H E

SOUTH PACIFIC RAILROAD TO SPRINGFIELD, MO.

A great event in the history of St. Louis and of the State
of Missouri occurred in the opening of the railroad to
Springfield on the 3d day of May. The South Pacific Railroad has burst through upon the prairies of Southwest Missouri and has welded its western terminus upon the rails of
the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. This latter road is going
to the Pacific coast as rapidly as it is possible to construct a
road in this day of rapid railroad building. It had been
announced that the road would be opened to Springfield,
and hundreds of the influential and substantial citizens
among the friends of the President and Directors received
their cards of invitation. A long train of passenger and
sleeping cars were provided, among them two of Pullman's
silver palace cars, which were festooned with gay garlands,
and decorated with bright bouquets of flowers. Every
preparation was made for the comfort of the large crowd
invited. About eight hundred invitations had been issued.
W h e n all were safely seated in the cars the whistle sounded,
and the long train drew its length out towards the West
with every car as full as was consistent with comfort to the

4
ladies and gentlemen composing the guests of the company.
For what occurred on the trip and at Springfield, the following special despatches to the Missouri Democrat will be found
to be the most accurate report made for the press.

[Special despatches for the Missouri Democrat of May 4th.]

OPENING OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC RAILROAD TO SPRINGFIELD.
E X C U R S I O N OUT ON T H E P R A I R I E S , ON T H E A T L A N T I C
AND PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Laying a Mile a Day of American

Rails on the 35th Parallel Route to the
Pacific.

FIRST DESPATCH.
ARRIVAL.
SPRINGFIELD, M O . , MAY 3.—The great South Pacific jubilee excursion party arrived at this place at a little after eleven
o'clock this forenoon.
ON T H E R O U T E .

A t every station, after leaving the Pacific depot in St.
Louis, crowds were assembled, and cheer after cheer went
up as the excursion train swept by.
Accessions were made at each stopping place last night,
even in the forest; and on the plain bonfires were blazing in
honor of the occasion.
Arriving at Springfield we found a vast crowd assembled,
comprising people of all grades, high and low, white and
colored, men, women, and children.
The irrepressible iron horse, invading and penetrating
this remote section, miles away from the proud center of
civilization, has brought a new life to this region. T h e

5
people here keenly realize this fact, and will prove themselves worthy of it.
Cannon were fired, cheers rent the air, flags fluttered to
the breeze—the inhabitants and all nature appeared to participate in the grand jubilee.
Many of the ladies and gentlemen comprising the excursion party repaired to the City Hall, while others promenaded
the town, taking in all its picturesque beauties, which are
by no means insignificant.
A platform has been erected
IN FRONT OF THE COURT-HOUSE.

for the speechifying, and such other preparations made as
were deemed suitable by the citizens.
A little before one o'clock Simpson's battery, preceded by
the Springfield band and the stars and stripes, appeared in
the public square, the parrots on the gun carriages reminding the denizens most forcibly of the glorious panoply of
war so familiar to their visions in days gone by.
Among
THE NOTED PERSONAGES

with the excursionists, it may be proper to designate, in this
dispatch, Governor McClurg, Lieutenant-Governor Stanard,
Ex-Governor Fletcher, Mr. Hayes, President of the South
Pacific, Mr. Peirce, Managing Director, Mr. Stout of New
York, Mr. Eich of Boston, Hon. R. T. Van Horn, Mr. Coffin of New York, Mr. Curtis of Boston, and several others,
altogether too numerous to mention.
At one o'clock
THE BATTERY TOOK POSITION

on the public square and blazed away, making the plains
resound with the reverberations of its thunders. This was
the signal for the assembling on the square, and visitors and
citizens flocked thither to the music of Herwig's soul-inspiring strains.

6
It was announced that the speaking would commence at
half-past two o'clock—giving the people an hour and a half
to amuse themselves as best they might.

SECOND D E S P A T C H .
THE CELEBRATION.
SPRINGFIELD, M O . , May 3.—Assembling around the platform was a large crowd of people, who evinced great interest in the proceedings and the occasion.
On motion of Colonel Boyd, Governor McClurg was
unanimously called to preside.
After thanking the assemblage for the honor conferred,
the president announced, in pursuance of a resolution, the
following vice-presidents : Hon. R. T. Van Horn, Ex-Governor T. C. Fletcher, Hon. S. W . Hendlee, Hon. S. A.
Rountree, Hon. J. S. Phelps, Hon. D. T. Jewett, Lieutenant Governor E. 0 . Stanard, R. W. Jamison, Esq., Major
Lee R. Shyrock, Hon. John Hogan. Messrs H. E Havens
and D. C. Kennedy were appointed secretaries. An appropriate prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Greenman. After
the organization was perfected, the president introduced
Hon. John S. Phelps, who delivered the following address
of Welcome :

SPEECH OF HOIST. JOHN S. PHELPS.

Mr. President and Directors of the South Pacific Railroad : In behalf of the citizens of Springfield and its vicinity, I tender you a hearty welcome. F o r years we have
been anxiously looking for the completion of a railroad to
this city. We knew the difficulties to be overcome, the obstacles to be removed, and the arduous work to be accomplished, and we duly appreciated the great advantage the
road would be, not only to Springfield, but to the surrounding country.

7
You now have our heartfelt thanks that the great and difficult work is finished, and to you, Mr. President and Directors of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad, the completion of
the road to this point is a source of as much joy as it is to
us. Here your great enterprise commences; here your
work begins, and without the completion of the South Pacific
railroad, you could not move; you could do nothing. You
propose to build a railroad to the Pacific ocean. It is a work
of vast importance to us and to the State. Indeed it is a
national work.
Welcome, again I bid you welcome. Our hearts are with
you in the enterprise, and to you, ladies and gentlemen, who
have come hither to meet us on this occasion in behalf of
the citizens of Springfield and vicinity, I also tender a welcome. I notice there are with us the Governor and oth§r
officers of the State, Ex-Governor Fletcher, the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, two of the members of Congress of this State, two ex-members of Congress, an exmayor of the city of St. Louis, ex-postmaster of the city
of St. Louis, the President of the Board of Trade of St.
Louis, the Secretary of State and an ex-secretary of State,
several ex-members of our Legislature, and other distinguished gentlemen who have held high and important positions in their localities at the hands of the people. All
these have come here to grete us. I tender you a cordial
welcome, and hearty welcome. Many of you perhaps
have had business relations for years with some of the
people of this city and of the Southwest, yet, as this is
your first visit to our beautiful country, you can hardly
appreciate the difficulties under which we have labored without an easy and expeditious connection with the
other portions of the State. W e were almost in an insolated condition; access to our country could only be obtained
by days of tiresome and weary travel over rough and rugged roads, and through a hilly and mountainous country,
whilst for years you have been in the enjoyment of railroad

8
communication with all the advantages you possess ; nay,
more, we have rejoiced with you in your good fortune and
prosperity, and have earnestly endeavored to secure the
same beneficent results to ourselves. "We cordially greet
you on this morning of our prosperity. We unite with you
in rejoicing that this railroad, of such infinite advantage to
the people of Southwest Missouri, and of such great
importance to the State, and which will tend so greatly to
increase its wealth and population, is completed to our city.
You have but just entered upon the table land, and beautiful country which extends not only to the western line of
the State, but for many miles beyond the limits of our State.
And now, my countrymen, this is a happy day for us. We
celebrate the completion of the South Pacific railroad to our
city. This is an event which opens to us a new and a bright
future henceforward, by reason of an easy and rapid communication with all parts of our country. This part of our
State, with its mild and salubrious climate, with its fine,
pure water, and numerous streams, with its rich mineral
wealth, with its fine fruit of every description, and with its
rich and fertile soil, invites the enterprising man to make it
his abode, and unite with us in advancing its material prosperity.
Everything which can be produced in the United States
can here be produced in superabundance, except the ice of
Alaska, the cotton and rice of Carolina, and the tropic fruits
of Florida. No portion of our country surpasses this in
natural advantages. The bright and happy future, the sub.
ject of our wishes for many long years, has just arrived upon
us. No longer shall we be compelled to travel by stage on
bad and dangerous roads, over a broken, hilly and mountainous country, to reach the commercial emporium of our
State. No longer will we be compelled to give one-half of
our surplus crops to transport the other half to market. No
longer will we be compelled to pay such heavy prices for
the transportation of such merchandize as we need; and

9
though I have spoken of hills and mountains between this
city and St. Louis as objects we dreaded in our journey,
yet those hills and mountains are rich in minerals, and will
soon greatly contribute to swell the volume of wealth of
our State. About one hundred and ten miles of railroad,
part of it through a very rugged and broken country, and
very expensive to construct, has been built and put in operation within the last eighteen months. To the capital, to
the skill, energy and perseverance of the South Pacific Railroad Company we are indebted for the great benefits we
are now about to enjoy.
But, my friends, you can and will contrast the past with
the present. We are not here to dwell on the past—we are
to consider the present and the future. The Atlantic and
Pacific railroad commences at this city. This road will be
constructed via the valley of the Canadian river and Albuquerque, in New Mexico, to the Pacific ocean. Ten miles
of that road is now completed and ready for use. The roadbed to Peirce City, 52 miles west of this, is now ready for
the superstructure, and the road will be completed to Peirce
City before the 1st day of next July. Grading on the road
beyond that point has been done.
This road is to be the great thoroughfare to the Pacific.
You have just entered upon the beautiful and fertile country which extends for hundreds of miles in a westerly course
from this city, and through which this road will pass. No
Trans-Continental route possesses the advantage this route
possesses. I have travelled upon and near the route this road
will pursue to New Mexico, and of that portion of the route
I speak of my own knowledge. Passing westerly through the
Cherokee country; thence to its crossing the Arkansas
river, thence to the Salt F o r k and the Red P o r k of the Arkansas river, thence to the North F o r k of the Canadian
river, thence to the Canadian river and up the valley of that
stream to the Territory of North Mexico, you pass a wellwatered country, one which admits of settlements along its

10

entire route. The streams which will be crossed have more
timber on them than any other streams passing through the
great Plains, and much of that timber can be used in building that road, and in portions of the upland there are
forests.
The ascent is gentle, and the grades will be light. There
are no mountains to be crossed till you approach Albuquerque, and the pass Carmel affords a feasible route through
the mountains to the valley of the Rio Grande. Crossing
to Rio del Norte, near Albuquerque, the ascent to the summit of the mountain, between the Rio del Norte and the
Colorado of the West, is so gradual that you hardly perceive you are ascending.
From that point the Colorado Chiquito, or Flax river, is
soon reached. Passing down the valley of that stream for
some distance, you then leave it and pass near the San
Francisco mountains, where there is an extensive forest
(called the Black Forest) of pine and cedar; thence to the
Bill Williams creek, and run it to the Colorado; west of
the Colorado, and near the junction of the Sierra Nevada
and Coast ranges of mountains, it is possible to the construction of a railroad. Beyond these mountains you enter
the Tulare Valley, leading down the San Joaqin river.
The climate of this entire route is mild; it is near the
35th parallel of latitude. But little snow in the most severe
winters falls in any portion of this route, hence the running
of cars will not be obstructed by snow. The greatest altitude on the route is about seven thousand feet above the
level of the ocean. In that latitude the cold on the highest
summit is not severe. The country on its entire route will
be settled, except a small portion between the Colorado
river and the mountains.
This route is central, and therefore will accommodate both
northern and southern portions of the country. It will
reach the Mississippi river at two points or more. A branch
road will extend east nearly from the valley of the Canadian

11

river to Fort Smith, Arkansas, there connecting with the
Memphis, Little Rock, and Fort Smith railroad, thus having
direct communication with Memphis, and by this road, the
the South Pacific, we connect with St. Louis, and from
Memphis and St. Louis then there is railroad connection
with every important part on the Atlantic coast, and on the
Gulf coast of the Mississippi.
If no road to the Pacific had been built, any one looking
at the map of your country, considering the population, accessibility for all, climate, and a route adapted to settlement,
would have selected the mouth of the Ohio river—Cairo—
as the starting point, and thence by the Valley of the Canadian river, as the most feasible route to the Pacific. If only
one road was to have been built, the same advantage would
have resulted by commencing the road at St. Louis, and
Memphis, and uniting the roads west of the State*of Arkansas.
Other considerations governed in selecting the route of
the Union Pacific railroad. W e do not complain of that
route. W e are glad that road has been built. We do not
complain because the Government aided in building that
road, not only by a grant of land, but by a money or bond
subsidy; but we ask the Government to be just. Xet it
not be partial in its favors, nor in its bounties. All sections
of the country should have alike.
Other roads must be built to the Pacific. The Atlantic
and Pacific, the Northern Pacific, and it is probable an extreme Southern road will be built. The necessities of the
country, its trade and commerce, and the rapid development
of the resources of our Territories, the transportation of
troops and their supplies to preserve peace with the Indians,
demand several roads. Other aid for their construction
beside lands should be granted. But with respect to this
road the Government has not yet complied with its obligations. It has not secured the right of way for the entire
grant of land promised in the charter; but we have confi-

12

dence all these obligations will, in due time, be discharged,
and that the progress of the road will not be retarded for
the want of any proper action on the part of the Government.
We trust the difficulties with respect to the lands in the
Indian country, will be adjusted in a manner compatible
with the interests of all, doing injustice to none. Our interests in this road must be carefully watched by our delegation in Congress; if obstacles to its progress have been
placed in the way, they must be removed. The wild Indians
must not be located on the line of our road; those which
have been so located should be removed; such are the feelings of our people; the progress of our road must not be
interfered with nor retarded.
In the Indian country this road will pass near numerous
salt springs, and not far from the celebrated salt plain.
Here, in the summer season, provided by solar evaporation,
salt, to the thickness of four or five inches, is found lying
on the ground. This salt plain is eight or ten miles in
length by three or four miles in width. I t is rumored that
the Indians know of a salt mine in its vicinity, but until the
wild Indians shall be kept away and the means of transporting the salt by rail shall be furnished, those salt springs
will be of little value. The construction of this road will
render them a source of wealth.
This road will pass through the heart of the Territory of
New Mexico, which now contains a population of 120,000.
Though rich in minerals, the Territory is sparsely inhabited.
Until recently all the supplies for its inhabitants were transported by wagon, nearly one thousand miles. In the vicinity of the line of this road coal of a good quality has been
found, and iron, rich copper ore, and the precious metals are
found in many localities. The recently discovered mines of
silver and gold compare well in richness with the mines of
Nevada and California. This Territory will soon receive a
large access to its population. Its mines will be successfully
worked, and will add greatly to our wealth.

13
But let us remember that we are seeking to extend and
enlarge our commerce with China, Japan, and the East India trade which is rapidly increasing. As our business relations with the people of China and Japan shall become
more extended, these nations, with their abundant population, will furnish many emigrants to this country. And why
shall they not come among us, if they shall desire to do so ?
Why shall they not aid in the cultivation of our soil ?
W h y shall they not, by their industry, add to the wealth of
this nation ; and why shall they not become citizens, if such
shall be their wish. Shall we repel laborers from coming
amongst us ? W e say let them come; it was a happy event
in the deplomacy of our country when Japan opened to the
nation a more liberal and extended commerce than was prior
to that time enjoyed by any nation. The merchant princes of our State, in our great city of St. Louis, have already opened a direct trade with China. They receive their
goods by the Union Pacific railroad; this is a step in the
right direction, and thanks to the merchants of St. Louis
who have inaugurated this trade, this commerce in its infancy, who can properly estimate what will be the value of
that trade in a few years hence ?
But when this road shall be extended to the Pacific, the
products of India and Japan will pass our very doors on
their way to St. Louis and other portions of our country.
This road to Southwest Missouri should have been built
long before this time. I t will profit nothing to inquire who
was at fault, nor who to censure, if any. Let it be as it may,
we nowhave a road which greatly contributes to our wealth,
our prosperity and our happiness. I t contributes greatly to
the wealth of the State, and especially does it advance the
commerce and prosperity of St. Louis. W e rejoice in the
prosperity of that city. It is destined to be the great city
of the Valley of the Mississippi; it is the city of Missouri,
and all the people rejoice in its prosperity. Let her people
be true to her interests—improve the advantages she now

14
possesses, encourage and build up her manufactures, exextend her trade and commerce, and she will outstrip all
her rivals.
In behalf of the people of Springfield and its vicinity,
and in behalf of the people of Southwest Missouri, I
return to the President and Directors of the South Pacific
railroad our heartfelt thanks for the great and inestimable
benefit they have conferred on us, and to the President and
Directors of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad we say, God
speed them in the great and noble enterprise in which they
are engaged ! Push forward the work until the road shall
reach the Pacific. Our hearts are with you ; and to those
from distant parts of our State, who have honored us with
their presence on this day of our rejoicing, we tender our
thanks, and again bid them, and the officers of the railroad
companies, welcome, a hearty welcome ! (applause.)
SPEECH OF FRANCIS B. HAYES, ESQ.

Hon. Francis B. Hayes, President of the Atlantic and Pacific, was then introduced, and was received with cheers and
applause; in response he spoke as follows:
Mr. PRESIDENT: It is my privilege to return to the citizens
of Springfield and this vast concourse of people gathered
from all parts of Missouri, the grateful thanks of the directors
and stockholders of the South Pacific and Atlantic and
Pacific railroad companies for their cordial greetings.
We have met in this beautiful city, the most lovely flower
of Southwest Missouri, to congratulate each other upon the
opening of this country to further development and improvement. Most heartily do I congratulate all friends of the
enterprise that the many difficulties we have encountered—
more, far more than you imagine—have been overcome, and
that now the engine is in Springfield. You have kindly
recognized what the South Pacific railroad has accomplished,
and this gives that company courage to join hands with the

15
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company in the great march to
the Pacific.
This good city is the initial point of the Atlantic and
Pacific railroad, and the mountains of the Gasconade and
Ozark haveing been conquered, and two hundred and ten
miles of road completed, we will now move westwardly with
rapid strides. We have within a few days reached Springfield, yet at this hour our engine is ten miles west of this
point, and within thirty or forty days it will be screaming
fifty miles further west. We shall not rest then. Before
the leaves fall our friends at Neosho must be prepared to
welcome us, and thence onward we shall go, provided our
good friends of the neighboring Territory will give us safe
convoy through their country, and we receive the aid promised us by the United States.
We shall push our branch road also westwardly from Van
Buren, in Arkansas, and uniting on the Canadian river that
branch with the main road from Springfield, we hope to give
the country, on the thirty-fifth parallel, the most desirable
route to the Pacific ocean. The immense work in which we
are engaged requires all the assistance you and the country
at large can give us. As you will give us the credit of keeping our word to you up to this time, I ask you to believe
me when I state that we will continue to be faithful to our
promises. Springfield shall be raised to be one of the large
cities of the United States, and Missouri shall enjoy the
immense benefits of this great Trans-Continental railroad,
if the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company obtains the aid
which has been promised to it, and which promises the great
State of Missouri has the right to demand shall be faithfully
performed by the United States.
It is for you, gentlemen and ladies, as well as for me and
my associates, to unite in accomplishing the great work we
are engaged in; and if we do succeed in our efforts, and this
road is completed, you and I will have the satisfaction of
having aided in accomplishing a work of more importance

16
and value to this State and to the nation than any ever before
undertaken. Then let our cry be, "Onward, onward to the
Pacific ocean." (Cheers.)
Ex-Governor Fletcher was the next speaker, whom the
President asserted needed no introduction to a Missouri
auditory.
SPEECH OF GOVERNOR T. C. FLETCHER.

He was received with applause, and spoke as follows:
My FRIENDS : There is victory in this—glorious victory !
Such a victory as peace only brings to patient, persistent
toil in the right. In such an hour the human heart knows
its most delicious thrill of feeling. God pity the poor
miserable creature who has never experienced the joy
throbs of a victory crowning the struggle for the accomplishment of some good thing for mankind.
A y e ! I hear the deep rumbling echoes which are given
back from the forests and hills around us for the first time.
'Tis the sound of the tread of the ages—the noise of the
footfall of destiny as it grandly marches onward.
A t this distance of two hundred and forty-one miles from
where the central city of the Republic sits upon the sunset
bank of the Father of Waters—at an altitude of nearly nine
hundred feet above the quays of that city. Here, at a distance of nearly fifteen hundred miles from Boston, a portion
of the stockholders in this enterprise send greetings and
congratulations to their associates down by the Atlantic
shore, telling them in words of lightning the story of their
success, and announcing that there is to-day an unbroken
line of railroad and telegraph communication from Plymouth Rock to Springfield, Missouri.
From where the Pilgrims landed to where yonder locomotive stands, has been the scene of one steady, unchecked,
triumphant march of a people whom God designed to lead
in the advance of the column of progressive liberty and
civilization.

17
On a great occasion in our history I declared that I had
no words of mere exultation for the hour of victory. I cease
to fight when the battle is ended, and cease to talk of an
enterprise when talk is no longer necessary to its success.
To the soldiers in the army of progress, every triumph should
be but an incentive to the achievement of other and greater
things. All that we have accomplished should be but earnest
of the things we are to do.
I congratulate the people of Southwest Missouri on the
completion of the South Pacific Railroad, and the bringing
of the locomotives, iron, and cars for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. The completion of the one enterprise is but
the beginning of another far more grand in its proportions
and results, I do not wish to even consume the time to
recapitulate the chief points of interest in the history of the
road the completion of which we celebrate to-day. I have
been with it almost from its infancy, and have known all its
friends. I see around me here some who have done noble
service, others are absent and deprived of the pleasure of
participating with us in this joyous assemblage. From Hon.
J o h n S. Phelps I first learned, some fifteen years ago, to appreciate the project for this road. The franchises of the
Atlantic? and Pacific Railroad were the greatest inducement
for building this road, and for the act of Congress incorporating that company we are chiefly indebted to the Hon. B.
Gratz Brown, who was its author and had charge of it in
the Senate. And next, I believe, we are under obligations
to the distinguished Representative from the Sixth District,
Hon. R. T. Van Horn, who had charge of it in the House,
and who I am glad to see with us to-day. But the whole
truth is, we are indebted for the road most of all to Francis
B. Hayes and Andrew Peirce, J r . When the last days for
accepting of and complying with the requirements of the
act of 1868 were drawing to a close I went East as chief
executive officer of the State, to promote its acceptance.
I found New Y o r k capitalists wanting in confidence in

18
each other and in every body else, and so busy with the
stock board, the gold board, and the horse-races that nothing could be done there. I was invited to go to Boston,
and did so. A few men of wealth were called together,
they met proixiptly at the minute designated, and their
words were few. They only required of Mr. Hayes to
say that he had examined and approved |this enterprise,
and of Mr. Peirce that he would take charge of the work,
when they put one million seven hundred and fifty thousand
dollars into my hands in less than an hour, to start the enterprise. I t was the confidence these capitalists of Boston—
and Mr. Stout, Mr. Coffin, and one or two others, who are
from ISTew York, and yet do not go to the races—had in
Messrs. Hayes and Peirce that procured the money. But
I did not intend to talk of the past. I would like to
recall some of the stirring scenes in the past history
of this road in which your able and energetic member of
Congress, Colonel Boyd, Colonel Gravely, Senator Headlee and many others of the true men of the Southwest bore
a noble part, but must not stop for that purpose. There
be men in Missouri who live -in the past. I leave all the
finished railroads of the State with them, to talk and write of
as long as the Good Lord—for purposes beyond mortal
ken—shall permit them to cumber Free Missouri. As we
enter the grand future now open before us, I expect to leave
all these men with the dead past, and will do so without a
sigh of regret—leaving " the dead to bury the dead," and
only asking of them not to obstruct the course of those who
desire to achieve something useful and good in the future.
By the financial and business ability of the officers of the
South Pacific Railroad Company—by the honest and faithful performance of their undertakings, the road is finished,
and the Southwest is clasped in the iron embrace of commerce. Just yonder is the great city, only now ten hours
distant; you may almost see the cloud of smoke ascending from the fires of her busy industry. There the thousands engaged in manufactures are ready to become the

19
-consumers of the surplus productions of your surpassingly
fertilie prairies. There the arteries of trade are so centered
that your live stock and produce may be thrown into the
great depot for distribution and for exchange for the
productions of other industries and other climes.
I t is not backward along the way we have come that we
want to look, but forward. Urged by the new hopes born
of past successes we move onward, Onward ! till this track
shall lead to the ocean shore and the products of the Indies
and of the orange groves, sugar plantations and cotton fields
of the Gulf coast region shall be brought to, and through
Springfield to the principal point of their distribution in the
Uorth American valley—the heart of the Continent at St.
Louis; portions of them to be borne oft* up arid down the
river* and other portions to go on Eastward over the iron
arches, which, in proportions of beauty and grandeur, are
soon to span the great river, and challenge the wonder and
and admiration of the world.
The Locomotive has swept its fiery course across the
Kickapoo prairie, lighting up new interests, new hopes and
new enterprises to the people of the Southwest. It starts
this afternoon on the American rails of the track of the Atlantic and Pacific road—its head light will reflect the rays of
the declining sun as they fall across the broad emerald expanse of Grand prairie—and it will go crashing its way down
the western declivity of the ridge on towards the valleys of
the great streams of the West and South. A t the signal of
the booming of the 4th of July guns it will join the shout
of the nation's jubilee at a point where four hundred and
ten miles more of railroad will connect ^Galveston with St.
Louis by rail, and where about thirty miles more of road
will penetrate the Indian country.
The Government has become liable for about sixty-four
millions of dollars in bonds, on account of Pacific railroads
to the north of us, beside large land grants. The completed5 road and all the incomplete ones which have received

20

a subsidy in bonds, connect with the Northern system of
roads leading eastward. All these roads are so far North as
to practically exclude from any benefits from them all of
that now important part of our country formerly known as
slave States. The interests of the central belt and Southern States, in fact of the whole country, demand a railroad
to the Pacific along or near the 35th parallel of latitude.
The grant of land is all that Congress has given to aid this
most important road. For the greater part of the way the
alternate sections not given would perhaps be worthless to
the Government for centuries yet to come without the railroad. By the railroad they will be made saleable, and the
proceeds of their sale will reimburse the Government for
almost the whole amount put into the other roads.
Yonder you see the track already reaching out westward
away across the Prairie. There goes the locomotive out on
the Atlantic and Pacific railroad track, drawing a train of
iron, which is being laid at a rate of more than a mile a
day—no fear but it will go on to the western border of the
State at nearly the same rate of speed in construction. Congress will apprehend the interests of the country and the
necessities of the company, and will cure all the defects in
the previous legislation on the subject of this great national
thoroughfare, so as to give what the charter contemplates,
and relieve the company of the difficulties attending its
entry upon the lands of the Indian Territory. In less than
a hundred days the track-layers will be at the doors of the
Shawnees and Wyandottes, and through their lands Congress must yet provide the right of way and other rights of
the company. Then on the road will go through the country of the Cherokees and Creeks across the Arkansas to the
Canadian, up that beautiful valley through northern Texas,
on to Anton Chico, and to Abuquerque; beyond the Rio
Grande del Norte, through New Mexico and Arizona to
the Rio Colorado, and so to the Pacific shore.
This, I assert, is the true route, and the one from which

21

a greater portion of the country will be benefited than any
other. I t would have been the first built but for the difficulty of reaching this, the beginning point. From where
we stand to-day to California, the entire length of the line
is in a mild and beautiful climate. Almost the*whole of
the way lies through fertile valleys abounding in water,
timber, and grass. In the highlands, contiguous to the
road, will be developed wondrously rich deposits of minerals and valuable ores. All the south and central portion
of the Republic can reach and will obtain the benefits of
this road. Down the Rio Grande a road will branch off
through western Texas down to the Gulf or other railroad
connections at Eagle Pass, or other points with roads coming through Texas to the southward of the great desert of
the Llano Esticaddo. S.omewhere in northern Texas the
Southern Pacific Railroad of Texas will connect with this
road and lead off its share of trade and travel down to a connection with the Texas Central road, which comes up from
Galveston, and then on towards Marshall, to a connection
with the Vicksburg and Shreveport Railroad and all the
railroads of the most southern States. Further on eastward
is the branch road provided for by the charter called the
" Arkansas Branch." Over this branch will go the trade
and travel of the southern portion of the great central belt
of States, finding distributing points where there are now
railroad centres, or where they will hereafter grow up,
such as F o r t Smith and Little Rock, which, by means of
the roads in process of construction and projected by our
rapidly rising sister State, Arkansas, as will soon be points
of the distribution of trade, then on to Memphis and the
great river and the southern system of roads.
But I consume more than my share of time. It makes
the heart of a true American swell with pride and joy in
contemplating the country to be developed by this road.
Westward from here it traverses for many hundreds of miles
the richest and most desirable country on this continent;

2Q

the most surpassingly fertile and beautiful valley of the
Neosho, then the broad valley of the Arkansas and the
valley of the Canadian, the extended plateaus of the Indian
country and Texas, the great deposits of lead, copper,
iron, nickel, and zinc, the luxuriant grasses of the illimitable natural meadows on which the cattle in innumerable herds
graze the entire year. The soil and climate adapted to
cotton-growing, the sparkling fountains supplying the rushing streams which pour their wealth of limitless water-power
away unchecked and anshackeled by machinery, as they
have done through all the centuries gone by. All this vast
territory, embracing more square miles than half of Europe,
and capable of sustaining profitably more population than
any similar area in the world, is to be developed by this
railroad.

SPEECH OF GOYERJSTOK McCLUKG.

(From the Tribune.)

:—Upon the list of names furnished me of speakers for this occasion, I find the next in
order,'my own, I would gladly have been excused, but it
seems to be considered a duty devolving upon me, while I
should regard as a pleasure to mingle my voice with the rejoicings of this day in celebration of an event so glorious
a,nd important to this city, to the great 'commercial city of
the State, St. Louis, and to the whole State.
Apart from the rejoicings of others, I have in addition,
other causes. An opportunity, a pleasant one, is offered me,
through the proffered and accepted hospitality of the courteous President and Directors of the South Pacific railroad,
to meet the once familiar faces of friends of days numbered
with yeaiTs that are past; of tried friends whose feelings have
not been estranged by space rto.r alienated by time.
LADIES AND (GENTLEMEN

2

3

Though faces have^ become, in many cases, somewTiat furrowed and heads silvered over, hearts have remained unchanged. I find the same welcome and cordial grip of hands
as in years past before the days of railroads in Missouri.
For, young as you know me to be, I have met many of you
before a railroad tie was laid in our State. More than one
of your citizens now hear my voice, who, more than twenty
years since, heard me speak of the day when a railroad
would run from St. Louis near to my then place of business, thirty miles east of this.
I was no prophet, nor the son of one ; but it required little foresight to see that the increasing resources of this region of country would not be permitted to lie dormant while
human energy should remain and capital could be commanded.
I have been providentially led to visit your country. I
saw its beautiful valleys, its gushing streams, its fertile soil,
its hills swollen with minerals, and I was tempted to cast
life's lot among you. I became, twenty years ago, young as
I am, a citizen of the country now included in the country
lying east and directly adjoining this.
I was not attracted by your fertile agricultural and grazing lands alone, because markets were remote, transportation difficult and the returns for agricultural labor not remunerating.
I was attracted first by the minerals of your hills; for in
passing over them the iron and lead ores looked out from
the surface and invited release from their long confinement.
A n d while the proceedings of this day's celebration will, to
some extent, go into history, I trust I will not be considered egotistic when I say, in speaking of your resources and
prospects, that my late partner, W. D. Murphy, and myself were the first persons, after the Indians, who smelted
load ore, west of the Pineys and south of the Osage river.
In 1844 and '45 we smelted three or four hundred thousand
of pounds, and delivered a portion to merchants of this city,
one of whom, at least, now honors me with his attention.

2

4

But the price was low, three to foi\r cents per pound in
St. Louis, transportation was difficult, profits small, if at all,
other business was better, mining was abandoned, and it was
left for this day, when labor and enterprise are better remunerated—this day of railroads and increased capital—to resume the work, to unearth these mines of wealth all around
you and throw the materials upon the markets of the world.
My friends, the thought suggested to me by these remarks is, that it might not be amiss to give you a few facts
and figures to be used hereafter as you may see proper, for
or against any proposition of your own in a r g u m e n t ; for I
have not come here to make an argument or a political
speech; not abuse anybody's propositions, but to rejoice with
everybody in their rejoicings, and to enable them to rejoice
the more.
I will say then, how changed the times since the period
alluded to ! Some one, probably, says: a Y e s . W e have
high taxes to pay now." That is true, comparatively, but,
my friends, we now have something to pay with. A t the
period I name taxes were low, and property so low that the
taxes were with great difficulty paid, if paid at all. This,
my friends, Governor Phelps well remembers.
Property could scarcely be converted. As an illustration
for all kinds of property of the farmers, cows, though
valued at but from five to seven dollars per head, in vain
for years sought a market, as quite a number here can testify. At one-fifth of one per centum tax, it then took the
value of three or four to pay the tax upon ten thousand dollars; while now the value of two will more than do so
with the rate of taxation at one-half of one per centum, that
being the present rate for revenue purposes, payment of
State interest, and for school purposes combined.
Yes, how changed the times! twenty-five to fifty cents per
day was then the price of labor in these parts. What is it
now ? Make the comparison. Twenty-five to thirty or
thirty-five cents was then the price per bushel for wheat,

25
and ten to fifteen for corn. What now ? W h a t are the
causes of the change ?
Your facilities for a market are better; railroads, looking Westward, have sent enterprise and population ahead.
There is an increased population to consume your surplus,
and enterprise to find the wealth in your hills. There is a
demand for all that can be produced, because it can be consumed in this country, where railroads annihilate space, and
a population of active producers and consumers interchangeably and mutually assist each other. Conversions are easy
through the channels of trade, because the miner wants
the wheat and beef, the farmer wants the iron, the merchant wants all, and the railroads are ever ready to transport from one to another.
You are placed within fifteen hours of the emporium of
your State, when, at the period I have named, you were
removed seven days' travel, and, in very late years, three.
You are within one day's transportation of the same city for
merchandise, when formerly fifteen days were required.
Thus are the material comforts of life increased. And
these things are so seen and felt that your rejoicings to-day
are not restrained.
But I ask you not to forget that much is due to the enterprise, the energy, the business ability, the perseverance of
the gentlemen who have had the good fortune to be able to
command the money with which to construct the South
Pacific railroad, this day opened in a formal manner to your
famed city—to the present directors, the business manager,
and not least, the President of the present company, who
have had the boldness to invest the capital.
To be sure they expected to be remunerated in the end.
All hope they will be. I doubt not they will be. Still it
requires nerve to invest four, five, or seven millions of dollars in any enterprise, and good management to make one a
success.
But I must in candor say, never has a road been pushed

26
to completion thus far, since the road fell into the presefit
hands, with more energy, skill, ability, and permanency in
the character of work.
And why speak of the gentlemanly character of these persons ? Why, no man can be a successful business man unless
he is a gentleman. When you hear a man has been successful, you may always put him down as a gentleman. If
he is not, he ought never to be, and never will be in anything successful long at a time.
Now, these are your present prospects. And you greatly
rejoice. Still you have only seen the beginning of the end
oi your prosperity, if you are sensible—and I know you are.
Do your duty as citizens, as merchants, as farmers, as miners,
and as manufacturers, and soon this one road will not be
able to do all the buiness of this country; for it will not
have the capacity.
You have the fertile soil, therefore you can produce what
is necessary for the subsistence of a dense population. But,
if all produce from the soil2 you will not have consumers in
your midst*for-yoiir surplus, and will be compelled to transport grains that can illy afford to pay transportation, even
when there is a demand elsewhere. You, therefore, should
have diversified labor. You wTant the miner who will seek
the wealth in the hills, and at the same time will buy and
consume the products of the farms at prices as high as paid
in distant cities. You want the woolen manufacturers who
will buy the farmers 5 wool at their doors and manufacture
it into clothing for the farmers and miners, and who, in
doing so, will cause towns of operatives to spring up, who,
also, will add to the number of consumers for the farm products. The same may be said of tanners, of boot and shoe
manufacturers, of hat manufacturers, of wagon and carriagemakers, of manufacturers of farming implements, of furniture and wooden ware; for the materials for all you have
in profusion, and you also have in every direction the water
power that caiT be made available. And all these things

27
will add to the population and increase the business of the
enterprising merchants. You can and should become a
great manufacturing city.
I had almost forgotten to speak of iron. Iron ore is
known to exist not far from you in large quantities. Coal
is not distant, indeed near. The two can be brought
together here, and iron be manufactured in a thousand forms
to supply the innumerable wants of a country so increasing
in its population and in its demands, that a large proportion
of the rails for our railroads still comes from England. Ev&h
a portion of the rails now laid between this point and St.
Louis came from England. " I s this not so, Mr. Hayes,
President oi the Road ?" H e replies that it is true as to all
of their rails east of Springfield.
True, while you daily walk over the ore in your hills.
Can we not stretch our minds westward and see in the
not distant future, the teeming populations that a manufacturing city like this should be, will in part be able to
supply.
Don't fear you can become over much industrious, enterprising, and producing. H e only is far from market who
has nothing to sell. Produce—you need not look only East
for a market.
Westward the march of Empire goes. Even now, while
one immigrant stops with you, two others go further to the
West. The red man and the buffalo disappear before the
pale man and his iron horse.
But I am not here to make a speech. Railroads are not
made by speeches. If they were, we would have more . of
them and the fare would be reduced. That is low enough,
however, on excursions like the present, when we have
•kindly presented to us free passes. Still I like to hear others
speak. I avoid it myself when I can.
I am here as one honored by the people of the State, and
whose duty as well as pleasure—it seemed to be<—to at least
be a spectator on this occasion, so important to the South-

28
west, to the great commercial city of the State—St. Louis—
and to the whole State; and because I have been honored
by an invitation by the enterprising officers of the railroad,
and wish to give all the en 3ouragement I can by saying to
them: God speed you in your work of opening up the region
west to increase travel, commerce and improvement—to an
increased development of those resources that lie dormant—
in hastening the day when the country still west will become
a mass of moving, active, enterprising citizens, and the wTater
power of Spring river and streams beyond will be so improved
that their entire valleys will present the appearance of Yankee States, and tens of thousands of busy operatives will find
support, competence, and material contentment by manufacturing to supply the wants of their fellow citizens of this
same great nation, who shall seek earthly Eldorados, and form
other States still nearer the setting sun, and to supply whom
the South Pacific Railroad will require other roads to help,
and Springfield merchants others than themselves to sell and
to ship supplies.
Knowing the Southwest as I do, I have no doubt as to its
future wealth, enterprise, intelligence, and importance. If
any one doubt, let him take a trip and prove the comfortable
cars of the South Pacific railroad, and survey from the dividing ridges the well watered and fertile valleys on either side,
which must be fascinating even to those who have extravagantly pictured in their imaginations a promised land.
HON. C H A U N C E Y L. F I L L E Y

was the next speaker, and he put his congratulations in an
earnest, brief and eloquent strain, which was loudly applauded.
HON". J . O. ORKICK, (Speaker Missouri House of Representatives,)

followed, and indulged in brilliant reflections on the future
of Missouri and the Southwest.

2

9

•Mr. L. K. SHYROCK, (President St. Louis Board of Trade,)

was introduced, and received with the liveliest expressions
of satisfaction. He spoke briefly and to the point, and in a
manner showing him to be not only a most accomplished
business man, but also one capable of putting great truths
in impressive language.
HON. D. T. J E W E T T

was announced, and made some pertinent remarks, giving
jome account of the action of the Legislature in conveying
to the company now controlling it the South Pacific railroad*
R. S. E L L I O T T

was called out, and made several happy hits in a few brief
remarks.
HON. J O H N H O G A N

ascended the platform, on invitation of the President, and
talked with great acceptance.
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR

STANARD

was introduced. In St. Louis, he said, we have long heard
of the Southwest, of its genial clime, rich prairies and valleys, and inexhaustible mines, and have long desired more
intimate communication wTith this section. While Springfield had been congratulated so much, he desired to felicitate
St. Louis upon the consummation of the great iron link
which bound her to the beautiful and fertile fields now in
view.
Governor Stanard continued his remarks for some few
moments only, but in a ready off-hand style which elicited

3°'
the closest attention, and his well put points drew forth frequent applause.
HOIST. ROBT. T. VAN" HORN

was next introduced, and spoke as follows:
]\fe- PRESIDENT AND FELLOW-CITIZENS : I did not come here
to make a speech. I came to see Southwest Missouri, to
see Springfield, to see Jeb. Smith, Sam. Headlee, and other
old personal friends, and to see ten thousand happy people,
happy in the consummation of the long looked for event—
the building of the South Pacific road to this city.
Coming from a section of the State earlier blessed with railways than you, I can realize how you feel to-day. For if
you feel half as jubilant over your road, as we in Kansas
city did over our first locomotive, you are supremely happy.
My attention was first drawn to this road by reading the
speeches of Colonel Phelps, while he was a member of Congress, about the " beautiful valley of the Canadian/' And
I have become so enamored of that enchanted region, that
I do not intend to be satisfied until, at the request of President Hayes, I shall make one of a party like the present, and
pass.,through that valley on our way over a completed road
to the Pacific. It is to be, must be, and by the promise of
to-day, shall be.
Springfield has for a generation been the political capital
of Southwest Missouri. You have before you now another
and a far better destiny, if you only will it—to become the
railroad capital of the Southwest. From my home—the
rising young metropolis of Kansas city—we will have a road
by way of Springfield to Memphis, giving you an outlet
north and south. Then we intend to use your road going
to the Pacific, and, to make all things even, you can use our
road to the Gulf, thus aiding and binding together all parts
of our great State.
^Let me say a word for the men who have built your road.
The politicians sometimes take great credit for doing great

3i
thiuga. It is true, charters and legislation are the first steps
in railway enterprises, but there is more of the,real eloquence
of progress, in one neigh of the iron horse as he thunders
oyer your prairies, than in all of the speeches of all the politicians you have been blessed with, since the South Pacific
was first heard of. The real men are the men who do the
work-—the men who, living more than a thousand miles
from you, with no prior interests in our State, had the enterprise, the courage, the patriotism, to put down their
money, and put forth their energy to build, this magnificent
artery of commerce for Missouri. And it has been,no small
work even.in railroad building. I have had the good fortune
to travel over most of the roads—the great lines of the
Union—from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and;, save the section of the Sierra Nevada mountains on the Central Pacific
of California, there is, with a single exception, no such heavy
work, such difficult engineering, as has been necessary to
put through this road west of Rolla, through the country of
the Gasconade. These men are entitled to every honor, to :
every word of praise or gratitude, which has been giveu
them, and more than we ever can give them.
Now, let me give you a word of advice, for unless you are
unlike other communities you will need it. When you begin to think this road is charging you too much for passage.,
or too high freights, as many do after they get accustomed
to railroads, don't sit down and abuse? the company, and
growTl over the heartlessness of monopolies, but go to work
and build another road, more roads, and by competition
bring down rates to your liking. This is. the proper; way
for an enterprising people to overcome such causes of complaint. I will undertake now to assure on behalf of the
owners of this road, that you will never find them complain
of such a remedy.
HOIST. S. H. BOYD

was the next speaker.

H e said:

CITIZENS OF THE SOUTHWEST.—DO

you hear the shout of

32
the locomotive ? It announces the completion of a revolution for the benefit of those so fortunate now as to be citizens of this rich and most lovely portion of the great Commonwealth of Missouri. This day inaugurates an epoch to
us—a grand gala day—a day of rejoicing, not only on the
part of the thousands and thousands of people who are
here, but to all Southwest Missourians. W e rejoice that our
unparalleled agricultural resources are to be made available
to us, and upon our illimitable natural pastures will graze
many more thousands of cattle. But above all we rejoice
that this new means of communication will bring to our
peaceful, happy homes, the new blessings of comfort and
intellectual enjoyments. (Applause.)
W i t h warm hearts and open-handed hospitality, we welcome the men whose enterprise and energy have brought
about this result. W e welcome them and congratulate
them, on having achieved the grand feat, which for twenty
years has baffled all efforts of our people; to them and to
the distinguished representatives of the heretofore more
favored cities of the State, who come to congratulate us on
our good fortune, we tender our most hearty hospitalities.
These friends who-are visiting us from other cities cannot
comprehend the extent of our rejoicing, because they have
not felt as we have, for a quarter of a century, that we possessed the best country of all the West, and yet cut off from
markets and from all trade and commerce of the great valley by the mountains of the Osage, the Gasconade, and
Niangua, which seemed an impassable barrier to all efforts
at making us an outlet.
Here we are to-day, away out here on the famous Ozark
mountains, for the first time brought into communication,
by all the means known to the highest civilization of the
Christian era, with the great seats of learning and refinement, and the great markets of the. world. I have been
twice happy in my life. I doubt if any one of all this happy
throng is really as happy as myself. The gloriously bright

33
spring-time of early May, when the flowers were just beginning to deck our prairies, I knew the first greatest happiness
of a man; and now, to-day, after years and years of the
best energies of the best years of my life have been freely
devoted to this object, I am permitted to see it-crowned with
glorious success.
Fellow citizens, I have lived with you all my life, you
have again and again confided to me your interests in the
National counsels. It is a source of regret to me that I have
not done more and better things for you; but whatever I
may have done, or failed to do, I have the proud consciousness of having done for you all in my power, and cannot reproach myself for any of my public acts. (Cheers.)
I thank you as a friend and neighbor. I have now done
the work you set before me, and about all I have undertaken
to do. As your friend and neighbor, I will try to labor with
you in the private walks of life for the attainment of the
highest standard in our community of a well organized
society, in which Christian principles and intellectual advancement shall control.
W e must not forget these New York and Boston friends;
we must remember what we are indebted to them. W e
will hope to see the distinguished President, Mr. Hayes,
among us frequently, and I hope you may all come to know
him as well as I do, and I know you will esteem him as
highly. And I need not tell you of the indefatigable
managing director, Mr. Peirce. I am justified in styling him
the king of railroad constructors of our country. ISTow, ray
friends, you will soon see all the beautiful lands of this region
of country utilized. The railroad company will dispose of its
broad acres, some of which you may see spread out yonder,
just beyond the city limits, and soon the settlers will be
upon it.
Mr. Hayes says that the watch-word of the company is
and he only says what he means. When he says

ONWARD,

34
onward, he means on to the Pacific—he means on to where
he will find the goods of the Celestial Empire. He is ja
man in whom there is only one complete and whole thought
as to his intentions, and that is success—victory; he has i t ;
he will continue to enjoy it, and it will crown him and his
associates all the way along the 35th parallel, whether in
the valley lands of the Arkansas and Canadian, on the plains,
or among the mines of ISTew Mexico and Arizona. Good
bye. (Cheers.)
<
ME. J . M I L T O N T U E N E E

made some appropriate remarks, which were well received.
SE1STATOE H E A D L E E

closed the speaking with some well-timed and happy remarks.
AETEE

FESTIVITIES.

A ball was arranged for those tarrying in Springfield on
Tuesday night, and doubtless a good time was experienced
by^those attending, as the preparations were on a liberal
scale.
Weduesday morning an excursion took place to the end
of the line, ten miles wrest of Springfield, on the Atlantic
and Pacific Railroad, where the track was being laid at the
rate of more than a mile per day. A number of the distinguished guests tried their hands at driving a spike, and much
merriment was occasioned by the contrast of their efforts
with the practised strokes of the track-layers.

Extracts of article in the Missouri Democrat of May 5th :
T H E SPEIISTGEIELD CELEBEATIOISr.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

Notwithstanding the two columns of telegraphic matter

35
printed in the Democrat of yesterday morning, concerning
the big railroad celebration in Springfield on Tuesday, commemorative of the completion of the road to that point,
many interesting incidents and particulars failed of mention, and our reporter feels constrained to give a brief resume of the trip from St. Louis to Springfield and return :
SOUTH PACIFIC RAILROAD AND ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC ROADS.

The South Pacific branches off from the Missouri Pacific
at Pacific, formerly called Franklin, thirty-seven miles from
the metropolis of Missouri, and is at present completed to
Springfield, twohundrad and forty-one miles from the western bank of the Mississippi at St. Louis. At Springfield
the Atlantic and Pacific road commences, and the track is
laid and in running order ten miles beyond this point.
When this latter road shall have been completed, the great
trans-continental link to the Pacific ocean, on the 35th parallel, will have been perfected. The grading has been done
fifty miles west of Springfield, and the rails have already
been purchased with which to lay the track. Ground was
broken for the South Pacific in November. 1868, preliminary
surveys having been made the previous summer.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS.

The following gentlemen are the officers and directors of
the South Pacific:
President—Francis B . Hayes, Boston.
Managing Director—Andrew Peirce, Jr., St. Louis.
Directors—Uriel Crocker, Isaac Eich, Jacob Sleeper,
Charles J . Morrill, George S. Curtis, Boston; Andrew B.
Stout, Joseph Seligman, William H. Coffin, New Y o r k ;
Frederick Billings, Woodstock, V e r m o n t ; Oliver Ames,
North Easton, Massachusetts; Charles E. Harwood, Springfield, Missouri.
Superintendent—W. H. Patriarche.

36
THE EXCURSION AND WHO PARTICIPATED IN IT.

To attempt to give the names of all who participated in
the excursion and festivities attendant upon the jubilee at
Springfield on the 3d, in honor of opening the South Pacific
to that point, would take up a space unwarranted by the
record. There were a large number whose attendance reflected honor to the occasion. The excursionists comprised—
besides a score or more of ladies, whose presence gave respectability and tone to what might otherwise have been a
mixed and noisy crowd—the Governor of the State and an
ex-governor, judges of superior and inferior courts, legislators, aldermen, lawyers, doctors, merchants, railroad men,
capitalists, river men, newspaper men. It was a happy
party, and from the time of leaving St. Louis, about seven
o'clock on Monday evening, until the arrival at Springfield,
about eleven o'clock on Tuesday morning, nothing occurred
to mar the harmony of the occasion or ruffle the. temper of
the company's guests, if we except a little grumbling on the
part of those who were unable to secure places on which to
repose their bones and indulge in "tired nature's sweet restorer" in the sleeping cars.
COMPLIMENTARY RESOLUTIONS.

Before reaching St. Louis, yesterday, the following complimentary resolutions were read in the several cars, and
adopted:
Resolved, That the guests of the Directors of the South
Pacific Railroad return to them and the officers of the road,
and especially to Messrs. Hayes, the President; Peirce, the
Managing Director; and Patriarche, the Superintendent;
their earnest and hearty thanks for the very interesting and
pleasant excursion on the occasion of the celebration of the
opening of their road to Springfield, on the 3d inst.
Resolved, That the generous and bountiful supply served
by that excellent caterer, Mr. Pezolt, surpasses anything we
could have expected on such an occasion.

37
Resolved, That it is the unanimous opinion of the five or
six hundred guests from St. Louis and points along the
route, that the construction of this road (the new part especially) is unsurpassed by that of any road in the country.
Resolved, That the rapidity and completeness with which
this road has been finished thus far, speak in the strongest
possible language of the ability of the Managing Director
and his assistants, and commend the road to all travelers
and business men who may have occasion to travel or send
goods to the Southwest; and we bespeak for the company
the most favorable consideration of our citizens and the
public generally.

Extract from an article in the Tribune, of Jefferson
Missouri:

City,

SOUTH PACIFIC RAILROAD EXCURSION.

We have been on the Railroad excursion to Sprinfield,
and the question is, how shall we describe it? Others have
anticipated us in giving the amusing incidents of the t r i p ;
in telling who were t h e r e ; in describing the luxurious
lunches given by the directors; in recording the speeches
of magnates, railroad and political, and in portraying the
general features of the country. Rather than tell a twicetold tale, we shall make but brief reference to these matters,
and shall only say that we believe it to be the most pleasant
railroad excursion ever given in the west Its bonfires,
processions, salutes of artilllery, songs of glee clubs, pleasant conversatians, and welcome speeches, will long live in
the memory of every excursionist.
,
Having said this, we pass on to notice what the South
Pacific Company has done, and what are the effects of its
labors.
In November 1868, the present company commenced work

38
at Arlington on the Gasconade, 89 miles from the junction
of the South Pacific with the Missouri Pacific, in a country
destitute of supplies. Over 500 tons of hay purchased in
St. Louis were hauled over the hills and through the mud,
to feed the teams at work between Arlington and Lebanon.
Ovei? 12,000 men were sent out on the work by agents in
Eastern cities. The first work was to ascend from the valley of the Gasconade to the summit of the Ozarks, and it
was of the most expensive character. For the first eleven
miles there is not a foot that is not either cut or fill. Some
of the fills are of rocks 60 feet in height, costing $60,000
per mile. Three-fourths of the material moved west of the
Gasconade has been either rock or hard-pan. Near Marshfield is one mile of rock excavation that cost $70,000. Several other miles on the road cost from $30,000 to $60,000
each. Thirty miles of the road from Arlington to Lebanon
has rock ballast, which will last for ages. The depots are of
modern construction, and of the most substantial character.
At Springfield, we saw two depots of brick. The freight
freight depot is 100 by 24; the passenger depot 78 by 26.
A t St. Louis is another depot 400 feet by 70. The piles
on which it stands were growing near Little Piney on the
7th of February last, and in twenty-one days afterwards,
the depot was receiving freight. W e doubt whether this
has ever before been equalled in the history of railroads.
W e next come to consider what it has done in developing
the resources of the country. Between Arlington and
Springfield^ it has started thirteen new towns since last November, A t Richland, 36 miles west of Arlington, there
was then not a a single house and only one inhabitant, who,
living in a tent, sold his goods out a of wagon. There are
now there six stores that will, if they continue as they are
now doing, sell from $30,000 to $50,000 worth of goods
each this year.
A t Lebanon, in the new town, are 42 stores on one
street, one of which has averaged $1000 of sales per day
since last November.

39
At Springfield a new town has been established, about a
mile from the old town. I t is laid off on both ;sic|es of the
road, with public squares and wide streets. Out from the
freight depot, already referred to, runs a mercantile switch
on which are now four large storehouses nearly completed,
and to which five others will soon be added. Here,-too, is
a hotel with all modern improvements, built by the company, containing over eighty rooms, situated, as it is, on the
summit of the Ozarks, with a view, in one direction, of ten
miles, and in another of thirty, in a county celebrated. Sox its
pleasant drives, romantic scenery, crystal streams and wondrous caves. W e predict that this will be one of the most
popular summer resorts of the west. Old Springfield need
not fear for its laurels. Hitherto it has been so confident
of its strength that it has lain dormant, waiting for good luck
to drop into its lap. This new town is causing it to exert
its energies. It is building a new hotel at a cost of $60,000;
a new market-house is also to be erected. Over 2,500,000
of bricks will be put into buildings there during the present summer, and before five years elapse the space will be
built up between the two towns, which together, will then
make a city of 20,000 inhabitants.
Under the influence of cheap transportation, Granby,
which now turns out $200,000 worth of lead, per annum,
from a single section, will double its yield; and there are,
according to Prof. Swallow, in Southwest Missouri, jfbur
hundred square miles which have equal indications of being
valuable lead lands.
In eighteen months the company has done twice as much
as was done by previous companies in sixteen years; it -has
built one hundred and fifteen miles of first-class road.; it
has triumphed over obstacles which appalled ordinary engineers; it has not only fulfilled, but .anticipated its engagements. Due at Springfield in December, 1871, it went ten
miles beyond it in May, 1870. It has proved itself worthy
of our confidence, and we ask our representatives, both in

40
State and National legislatures, to give it that consideration
which its merits justly demand.
We have also alluded to the resources of this magnificent
empire of Southwest Missouri. Rich in agricultural, mineral, and manufacturing resources, we need railroad connection with it. There are iron mines, rivaling in extent and
quality those of Lake Superior or Pilot Knob; pine forests
equaling those of Wisconsin or Michigan; water power not
inferior to that of New England, and lead mines excelling
those of Galena and Dubuque.

The following is a letter received from General JOHN
MCDONALD, Supervisor of Revenue for Missouri, Arkansas,
Indian Territory and Kansas, while this was going through
the press :
UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE,
SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE, DISTRICT OF MISSOURI, ARKANSAS,
INDIAN TERBITORY AND KANSAS,
ST. LOUIS, MO., May

23,

1870.

DEAR S I R : Pardon the liberty I take in addressing you in
regard to the impression made upon my mind by trips over
the South Pacific railroad.
The road, at present, is complete from St, Louis to Springfield, Missouri, and is being pushed to the line of the Indian
Territory with all possible speed. I was perfectly surprised
at the stability and solidity of the road. For miles in passing the Ozark Mountains the road is cut through solid rock;
and the curves, inclination of the track, fills, culverts and
bridges are only equalled by the Baltimore and Ohio and
the Pennsylvania Central Railroads. The iron Fish-joint,
making one continuous rail, is laid almost perfect; the
ties, 2,640 to the mile, are large and durable, and are held
in their places by a general system of rock grouting.

41
The road passes in many places through a mountainous
country, resembling that lying along the Central Pacific.
The scenery along the road is magnificent, and the rolling
woodland and prairies, stretching far awray on either side
of the route, invite the husbandman to their productive laps.
The undertaking was truly great; and the men who have
spent their capital, time and energy, in the prosecution of
this national work deserve the highest praise from the public;
and their future efforts should be encouraged by the generous support of the Government.
I feel satisfied that the march of civilization will conduct
your noble enterprise through the Indian Territory; and the
demands of progress will guarantee aid and right of way to
the golden shores of the Pacific.
The Government will be directly benefited by your road,
and, therefore, it should lend a helping hand to its perfect
completion.
Wishing you every success, because you deserve it,
I am truly, &c, your friend,
J O H N MCDONALD,
Supervisor,
Hon.

FRANCIS B. HAYES,

President of Sovth Pacific and Atlantic and
Pacific Railroad Companies.