nd out. Before Congressional
Committees, public meetings, or to the unfortunate individual whom he
succeeded in buttonholing "the Union Pacific Railroad," was the
subject of endless oratory. In no small degree was he responsible for
the opinion, "The road should and must be built," that became
prevalent in 1860-1864, and which resulted in the action of Congress
looking to the construction of the line. He was prominent in its
affairs and largely instrumental in the formation of the Credit
Mobilier.

As to the man himself, he was a genius, if, as a celebrated writer
has said, "Genius is a form of insanity." A contemporaneous writer
(George D. Prentice) thus describes him:

"A locomotive that has run off the track, turned upside down and its
wheels making a thousand revolutions a minute. A kite in the air
without a tail. A ship without a rudder. A clock without hands. A
sermon that is all text; the incarnation of gab. Handsome, vivacious,
versatile, muscular, neat, clean to the marrow. A judge of the effect
of clothes, frugal in food and regular only in habits. With brains
enough in his head for twenty men all pulling different ways. A man
not bad--a practical joke in earnest."

Among his many undertakings were the Freeing of Ireland, Candidacy for
the Presidency, Woman's Suffrage, Circumnavigation of the world. As
illustrative of his character the following incident is apropos: While
publishing a newspaper in England he was assessed a small fine,
failing to pay which he was put in jail, where he preached to the
prisoners on the rights of man and attacked the monarchy. The day
following the authorities freed him on the ground that he was
demoralizing the prisoners. Time has dealt lightly with him, and no
one can read of his latter days--his brilliancy all eclipsed--a
recluse except for his love and companionship for children--unmoved.
In his day he was a power and in no small degree did he contribute to
the living monument of great men--The Union Pacific Railroad.

The first President of the Company, Major General John A. Dix, was
selected for the universal respect in which he was held. Secretary of
the Treasury in 1861, resigning to go as general in the Union Army, he
was the one man who it was felt would command confidence in the early
days of the proposition, when the promoters had not as yet an
opportunity to gain the respect of the financial world or of Congress.
It was understood that he would not be able to dev