Chapter I: Front Matter

_BOOKS BY EDWIN L. SABIN_

WILD MEN OF THE WILD WEST
“OLD” JIM BRIDGER ON THE MOCCASIN TRAIL
PLUCK ON THE LONG TRAIL; OR, BOY SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES

_GREAT WEST SERIES_

“THE GREAT PIKE’S PEAK RUSH”; OR, TERRY IN THE NEW GOLD FIELDS
ON THE OVERLAND STAGE; OR, TERRY AS A KING WHIP CUB
OPENING THE IRON TRAIL

_RANGE AND TRAIL SERIES_

BAR B BOYS; OR, THE YOUNG COW-PUNCHERS
RANGE AND TRAIL; OR, THE BAR B’S GREAT DRIVE
OLD FOUR-TOES; OR, HUNTERS OF THE PEAKS
TREASURE MOUNTAIN; OR, THE YOUNG PROSPECTORS
SCARFACE RANCH; OR, THE YOUNG HOMESTEADERS

THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY
NEW YORK

THE WEDDING OF THE RAILS]

OPENING THE IRON TRAIL

OR

TERRY AS A “U. PAY.” MAN

(A SEMI-CENTENNIAL STORY)

BY
EDWIN L. SABIN

AUTHOR OF “THE BOY SETTLER,” “THE GREAT PIKES
PEAK RUSH,” “ON THE OVERLAND STAGE,” ETC.

“Drill, my paddies, drill!
Drill, you tarriers, drill!
Oh, it’s work all day,
No sugar in your tay--
Wor-rkin’ on th’ U. Pay. Ra-a-ailway!”

_Song of the “U. Pay.” Men_

NEW YORK
THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY
PUBLISHERS

COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY
THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY
FOURTH PRINTING

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

TO THE READER

It is fifty years ago, this year 1919, that the first of the iron trails across the United States, between the East and the West, was finally completed. At noon of May 10, 1869, the last four rails in the new Pacific Railway were laid, and upon Promontory Point, Utah, about fifty miles westward from Ogden, the locomotive of the Union Pacific and the locomotive of the Central Pacific touched noses. That was indeed a great event.

The Union Pacific, coming from Omaha at the Missouri River, had built over one thousand miles of track in three years; the Central Pacific, coming from Sacramento at the Pacific Ocean, had built over six hundred miles in the same space. Altogether, in seven years there had been built one thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five miles of main track, and the side-tracks, stations, water-tanks, and so forth.

In one year the Union Pacific had laid four hundred and twenty-five miles of track; in the same year the Central Pacific had laid three hundred and sixty-three miles. In one day the Union Pacific had laid seven and three-quarters miles; in one day the Central Pacific had laid a full ten miles. These records have never been beaten.

The whole thing was a feat equaled again only when America speeded up in the war against Germany; for when they once get started, Americans astonish the world.

Twenty-five thousand men, including boys, were working at one time, on the twain roads. This book tells of the experiences of Terry Richards and George Stanton, who were two out of the twenty-five thousand; and of their friends.

THE AUTHOR.

AT THE UNION PACIFIC END

TERRY RICHARDS On the Job

GEORGE STANTON Likewise on the Job

TERRY’S FATHER }
STOKER BILL SWEENY } The Crew of No. 119

GEORGE’S FATHER Out on Survey

MOTHER RICHARDS }
MOTHER STANTON } Heroines of the U. P.

VIRGIE STANTON First Passenger Across

HARRY REVERE Expert Lightning Shooter

JENNY THE YELLOW MULE Dead in Line of Duty

SHEP THE BLACK DOG “Killed in Action”

JIMMIE MULDOON Who “Stays Wid the Irish”

MAJOR-GENERAL GREENVILLE M. DODGE The Big Chief

COLONEL SILAS SEYMOUR His New York Assistant

PADDY MILES Boss of the Track “Tarriers”

GENERAL “JACK” CASEMENT The Scrappy Hustler

MR. SAM REED Construction Superintendent

MAJOR FRANK M. NORTH White Chief of the Pawnees

LINEMAN WILLIAM THOMPSON Who Rescues his own Scalp

GENERAL GRANT, General Sherman, U. P. Vice-President Thomas C.
Durant, Director Sidney Dillon, and other distinguished visitors;
Major Marshall Hurd, John Evans, Tom Bates, Francis Appleton, and
other daring survey engineers; General John A. Rawlins, young Mr.
Duff, Mr. John Corwith, tourists; Mr. David Van Lennep, geologist;
Sol Judy and old Jim Bridger, scouts; Chief Petalesharo’s Pawnees;
United States soldiers; the Irish “tarriers” who built the road;
Jack Slade’s “roaring town” toughs; and bad Injuns.

AT THE CENTRAL PACIFIC END

GOVERNOR LELAND STANFORD A President in Broadcloth

VICE-PRESIDENT COLLIS P. HUNTINGTON Who Raises the Money

MR. CHARLES CROCKER Commanding “Crocker’s Pets”

MR. SAM S. MONTAGUE Chief Engineer

MR. J. H. STROWBRIDGE Construction Superintendent

MR. HI MINKLER Who Opens Paddy Miles’ Eyes

MIKE SHAY, Pat Joyce, Tom Dailey, Mike Kennedy, Fred McNamara, Ed
Killeen, George Wyatt, Mike Sullivan, the ten-miles-a-day “cracks”;
and the 10,000 Chinks who saved the Central.

TIME AND PLACE: 1867-1869, upon the great plains, through the deserts
and over the mountains, during the famous railroad-building race to
cross the continent.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. TERRY RICHARDS ON THE JOB 1

II. A LITTLE INTERRUPTION 12

III. “TRACK’S CLEAR” 24

IV. DOWN THE LINE--AND BACK 39

V. THE CHEYENNES HAVE SOME FUN 60

VI. MOVING DAY ALONG THE LINE 74

VII. OUT INTO THE SURVEY COUNTRY 83

VIII. GENERAL DODGE SHOWS THE WAY 99

IX. MORE BAD NEWS 111

X. A MEETING IN THE DESERT 122

XI. MAJOR HURD IN A FIX 138

XII. TWO ON THE SCOUT TRAIL 148

XIII. SET FOR THE GREAT RACE 166

XIV. THE “TARRIERS” MAKE A RECORD 178

XV. A FIGHT FOR A FINISH 197

XVI. FAST TIME DOWN ECHO CANYON 207

XVII. THE LAST STRETCH 217

XVIII. THE U. P. BREASTS THE TAPE 229

XIX. THE C. P. SHOW THEIR METTLE 238

XX. THE WEDDING OF THE RAILS 251

OPENING THE IRON TRAIL