. How we built the Union Pacific railway, and other railway papers and addresses . g the forenoon Vice President T. C. Durantand Directors John R. Duff and Sidney Dillon and ConsultingEngineer Silas A. Seymour of the Union Pacific, with otherprominent men, including a delegation of Mormons from SaltLake City, came in on a train from the east. The NationalGovernment was represented by a detachment of regularsfrom Fort Douglass, Utah, accompanied by a l)and, and 600others, including Chinese, Mexicans, Indians, half-breeds, ne-groes and laborers, suggesting an air of cosmopolitanism, allgathered
. How we built the Union Pacific railway, and other railway papers and addresses . g the forenoon Vice President T. C. Durantand Directors John R. Duff and Sidney Dillon and ConsultingEngineer Silas A. Seymour of the Union Pacific, with otherprominent men, including a delegation of Mormons from SaltLake City, came in on a train from the east. The NationalGovernment was represented by a detachment of regularsfrom Fort Douglass, Utah, accompanied by a l)and, and 600others, including Chinese, Mexicans, Indians, half-breeds, ne-groes and laborers, suggesting an air of cosmopolitanism, allgathered around the open space where the tracks were to bejoined. The Cliinese laid the rails from the west end, and theIrish laborers laid them from the east end. until they met andjoined. Telegraphic wires were so connected that each blow of th*edescending sledge could be reported instantly to all parts ofthe United States. Corresponding blows were struck on thebell of the City Hall in San Francisco, and with the last blowof the sledge a cannon was fired at Fort Point. General Safford. DRIVING OF THE LAST SPIKE 69 presented a spike of gold, silver and iron as the offering ofthe Territory of Arizona. Governor Tuttle of Nevada pre-sented a spike of silver from his state. The connecting tiewas of California laurel, and California presented the last spikeof gold in behalf of that state. A silver sledge had also beenpresented for the occasion. A prayer was offered. GovernorStanford of California made a few appropriate remarks onbehalf of the Central Pacific and the chief engineer respondedfor the Union Pacific. Then the telegraphic inquiry from theOmaha office, from Avhich the circuit was to be started, wasanswered : To everybody : Keep quiet. When the last spike isdriven at Promontory Point we will say Done. Dont breakthe circuit, but watch for the signals of the blows of the ham-mer. The spike will soon be driven. The signal will be threedots for the commencement of the blows. The magnet
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