The pioneers of '49 A history of the excursion of the Society of California pioneers of New England . , and, as apartner, became actively engaged in the mercantile house established by his brothers, whosebusiness had grown to large proportions, they being extensively engaged in importing, andhaving branch houses scattered through the State. The magnitude of the firms transactions,the multifarious knowledge demanded, and the natural aptitude of Mr. Stanfords mind for theadministration of affairs of importance, all combined to develop and enlarge those extraor-dinary powers of observation and ge
The pioneers of '49 A history of the excursion of the Society of California pioneers of New England . , and, as apartner, became actively engaged in the mercantile house established by his brothers, whosebusiness had grown to large proportions, they being extensively engaged in importing, andhaving branch houses scattered through the State. The magnitude of the firms transactions,the multifarious knowledge demanded, and the natural aptitude of Mr. Stanfords mind for theadministration of affairs of importance, all combined to develop and enlarge those extraor-dinary powers of observation and generalization which were subsequently displayed in theexecution of the gigantic railway projects which he undertook and carried through with suchenergy and success. At the breaking out of the civil war, Mr. Stanford was a most pronouncedfriend of the Union. He was chosen a delegate to the Chicago Convention in i860, and votedfor Abraham Lincoln, as the Republican candidate for the presidency. The acquaintancewhich he there made with Mr. Lincoln, ripened into intimacy and confidence ; and Mr. Stan-. ^^c>[r^!Uo^i^c^ STAJYFOBD imiVEBSITY. 151 ford spent many weeks at Washington, after the inauguration, and became the trusted adviserof the President and his Cabinet, in regard to the appointments for the Pacific Coast. and Mr. Seward regarded him as the ablest and most rehable friend of the Govern-ment in California. In 1861 he was elected governor by a plurality of 23,000 votes, opposinga party never defeated before. He became the most popular governor that California had everhad. On Feb. 22, i86r, he threw out the first shovelful of dirt on the Central Pacific Railroad ; andon May 10, 1869, when the Central and the Union Pacific met at Promontory, Utah, 830 milesfrom San Francisco, 1,084 niiles from Omaha, 4,905 feet above the sea, he held a sledge ham-mer of solid silver to whose handle were fastened wires affording telegraphic communicationwith the principal cit
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherbostonleeandshepar
