Nothing Like it in the World
Nothing Like it in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, was written by the late, great historian Stephen Ambrose. While this is not one of my favorite Ambrose books, it’s still a very interesting read.
It tells the story of the Transcontinental Railroad, from its early stages before the Civil War to its completion and growth through the end of the 19th century. It’s a story about engineering, business, government, and pioneering spirit.
Beyond the obvious historical facts, it taught me several important points truths, namely that Governmental corruption is not an exclusively modern trait, nor is dishonest contractors.
An interesting lesson learned was how the Central Pacific (heading East from San Francisco) viewed cost issues. Cottonwood was the local material for making ties, but only lasts a few years. More durable materials would have to be shipped overland from the East, at terrible expense. Since they were racing the Union Pacific for land, every day lost was money lost.
A little accounting showed them that it was actually more profitable to use the local Cottonwood, build faster, and then replace all of the original ties with wood from the East once the track was completed. Such was the cost of overland freight before the railroad and the value of the lands awarded to by the Government.
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