![]() ![]() It is of interest to note that Ames Brothers shovels still litter theright-of-way between the desert East of Moor, Nev. The first load of BSI 63 rails were sent to California on the ClipperShip "Herald of the Morning", which regularly sailed between Boston andSan Francisco in 1863. The steel rail, first purchased fromFrance by the CPRR in 1871 was a major step in keeping the rails safe andprofitable. As the enginesof the trains got heavier, and the loads carried became heavier, the railfailed, and had to be replaced. It is not unusual to find long strips of this brokenrail alongside the old CPRR grade in Nevada and Utah as the train passedover the rail, it broke off and left the majority of the rail standing,but the top, or ball of the rail was left deformed. The cut cross-section of the BSI 1863 rail clearly shows the challengethe early railroads had with iron rail - it laminates, or fragments asit is used. the firstrail was laid on October 26, 1863. averaging 100 tons to the mile, this BSI63 rail was laid between Sacramento, Cal. in 1863, near Boston,Mass., is representative of the first 5,000 tons of rail laid on the CentralPacific Railroad of Cal. This piece of 60 pound-to-the-yard rail, branded BSI 63, which was manufactured by the Bay State Iron Co. Hence, Massachusettsrail was the first laid on the Central Pacific Railroad of California. When Huntington went to New York, as a Vice President of the CentralPacific Railroad of California, he had a difficult time obtaining creditto purchase the first load of rails after failing to purchase rail fromany supplier in New York, he looked to the brothers Oliverand OakesAmes, with whom he had done business since his first days in California.The brothers not only approved his purchase of Ames Brothers Shovelsfor the construction of the proposed railroad, but then referred him tothe Bay State Iron Co. Huntington." A fire onthe night of November 2, 1852, destroyed his store and that of Mark Hopkins, who had the store next to Huntington's this fire triggered the partnership Huntingtonand Hopkins in 1855. Huntington immediately went to Sacramento City, and opened a businessin a tent on K St. He was an ambitiousfellow, said to have left New York with $1,200 in cash, and landed in SanFrancisco with $5,000 in cash! Huntington followedthe call of GOLD in 1849, sailing from New York on Maaboardthe "Crescent City", arriving in Chagres, Panama on April l, 1849. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama, and boarded the "Humboldt", and on August30, 1849 sailed through the Golden Gate. ![]() Hewas born in Harwinton, Connecticut on October 22, 1821, a descendent ofSamuel Huntington, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence,President of the Continental Congress, Governor of Connecticut, and ChiefJustice of the Supreme Court of Connecticut. ![]() Graves Collection Collis Potter Huntington, a prosperous merchant in SacramentoCity, was the partner that purchased this first load of iron. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the User Agreement which permits personal use web viewing only no copying arbitration no warranty.Ĭalifornia Iron from the G. Graves Collection Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |