the paths of inland commerce-第29章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
issouri and making the twelve hundred miles from St。 Joseph to Salt Lake City in ten days。 Stations were established from ten to fifteen miles apart； and the line was soon extended on to Sacramento。 The nineteen hundred miles from St。 Joseph to Sacramento were made in fifteen days although the government contract with the company for handling United States mail allowed nineteen days。 A host of employees was engaged in this exciting but not very remunerative enterprisestation…agents and helpers； drivers； conductors who had charge of passengers； in addition to mail and express and road agents who acted as division superintendents。 In 1862 the Overland Route was taken over by the renowned Ben Holliday； who operated it until the railway was constructed seven years later。 Freight was hauled by the same company in wagons known as the 〃J。 Murphy wagons；〃 which
were made in St。 Louis。 These wagons went out from Leavenworth loaded with six thousand pounds of freight each。 A train usually consisted of twenty…five wagons and was known； in the vernacular of the plains； as a 〃bull…outfit〃； the drivers were 〃bull…whackers〃； and the wagon master was the 〃bull…wagon boss。〃
The old story； however； was repeated again here on the boundless plains of the West。 The Western trails streaming out from the terminus of steamboat traffic between Kansas City and Omaha had scarcely time to become well known before the railway conquerors of the Atlantic and Great Lakes regions were planning the conquest of the greater plains and the Rockies beyond。 The opening of the Chinese ports in 1844 turned men's minds as never before to the Pacific coast。 The acquisition of Oregon within a few years and of California at the close of the Mexican War opened the way for a newspaper and congressional discussion as to whether the first railway to parallel the Santa Fe or the Overland Trail should run from Memphis； St。 Louis； or Chicago。 The building of the Union Pacific from Omaha westward assured the future of that city； and it was soon joined to Chicago and the East by several lines which were building toward Clinton； Rock Island； and Burlington。
But the construction of a few main lines of railway across the continent could only partially satisfy the commercial needs of the West。 True； the overland trade was at once transferred to the railroad； but the enormous equipment of stage and express companies previously employed in westward overland trade was now devoted to joining the railway lines with the vast regions to the north and the south。 The rivers of the West could not alone take care of this commerce and for many years these great transportation companies went with their stages and their wagons into the growing Dakota and Montana trade and opened up direct lines of communication to the nearest railway。 On the south the cattle industry of Texas came northward into touch with the railways of Kansas。 Eventually lateral and trunk lines covered the West with their network of lines and thus obliterated all rivalry and competition by providing unmatched facilities for quick transportation。
In the last days previous to the opening of the first transcontinental railway line a unique method of rapid transportation for mail and light parcels was established when the famous 〃Pony Express〃 line was put into operation between St。 Joseph and San Francisco in 1860。 By relays of horsemen； who carried pouches not exceeding twenty pounds in weight； the time was cut to nine days。 The innovation was the new wonder of the world for the time being and led to an outburst on the part of the enthusiastic editor of the St。 Joseph Free Democrat that deserves reading because it breathes so fully the Western spirit of exultant conquest：
〃Take down your map and trace the footprints of our quadrupedantic animal： From St。 Joseph； on the Missouri； to San Francisco； on the Golden Horn two thousand milesmore than half the distance across our boundless continent； through Kansas； through Nebraska； by Fort Kearney； along the Platte； by Fort Laramie； past the Buttes； over the Mountains； through the narrow passes and along the steep defiles； Utah； Fort Bridger； Salt Lake City； he witches Brigham with his swift pony…ship through the valleys； along the grassy slopes； into the snow； into the sand； faster than Thor's Thialfi； away they go； rider and horsedid you see them？ They are in California； leaping over its golden sands； treading its busy streets。 The courser has unrolled to us the great American panorama； allowed us to glance at the home of one million people； and has put a girdle around the earth in forty minutes。 Verily the riding is like the riding of Jehu； the son of Nimshi for he rideth furiously。 Take out your watch。 We are eight days from New York； eighteen from London。 The race is to the swift。〃*
* Quoted in Inman's 〃The Great Salt Lake Trail；〃 p。 171。
The lifetime of many and many a man has covered a period longer than that interval of eighty…six years between 1783； when George Washington had his vision of 〃the vast inland navigation of these United States；〃 and the year 1869； when the two divisions of the Union Pacific were joined by a golden spike at Promontory Point in Utah。 In point of time； those eighty…six years are as nothing； in point of accomplishment； they stand unparalleled。 When Washington's horse splashed across the Youghiogheny in October； 1784； the boundary lines of the United States were guarded with all the jealousy and provincial selfishness of European kingdoms。 But overnight； so to sneak these limitations became no more than mere geometrical expressions。 〃Pennamite；〃 〃Erie；〃 and 〃Toledo〃 wars between the States； suggesting a world of bitterness and recrimination； are remembered today； if at all； only by the cartoonist and the playwright。 The ancient false pride in mock values； so cherished in Europe； has quite departed from the provincial areas of the United States； and Americans can fly in a day； unwittingly； through many States。 Problems that would have cost Europe blood are settled without turmoil in the solemn cloisters of that American 〃international tribunal；〃 the Supreme Court； and they appear only as items of passing interest in our newspapers。
In unifying the nation the influence of the Supreme Court has been priceless； for it has given to Americans； in place of the colonial or provincial mind； a continental mind。 But great is the debt of Americans to the men who laid the foundations of interstate commerce。 No antidote served so well to counteract the poison of clannish rivalry as did their enthusiasm and their constructive energy。 These men； dreamers and promoters； were building better than they knew。 They thought to overcome mountains； obliterate swamps； conquer stormy lakes； master great rivers and endless plains； but； as their labors are judged today； the greater service which these men rendered appears in its true light。 They stifled provincialism； they battered down Chinese Walls of prejudice and separatism； they reduced the aimless rivalry of bickering provinces to a businesslike common denominator； and； perhaps more than any class of men； they made possible the wide…spreading and yet united Republic that is honored and loved today。
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
The history of the early phase of American transportation is dealt with in three general works。 John Luther Ringwalt's 〃Development of Transportation Systems in the United States〃 （1888） is a reliable summary of the general subject at the time。 Archer B。 Hulbert's 〃Historic Highways of America；〃 16 vols。 （1902…1905）； is a collection of monographs of varying quality written with youthful enthusiasm by the author； who traversed in good part the main pioneer roads and canals of the eastern portion of the United States； Indian trails； portage paths； the military roads of the Old French War period； the Ohio River as a pathway of migration； the Cumberland Road； and three of the canals which played a part in the western movement； form the subject of the more valuable volumes。 The temptation of a writer on transportation to wander from his subject is illustrated in this work； as it is illustrated afresh in Seymour Dunbar's 〃A History of Travel in America；〃 4 vols。 （1915）。 The
