joined together. Near the great
Salt Lake of Utah a tie of polished laurel wood banded with silver
marked the successful crossing of Utah's territory. Five years later
Nevada contributed some large silver spikes to join her length of track
to the rest. California sent spikes of solid gold, symbolic both of her
cooperation and her mineral wealth; Arizona one of gold, one of silver,
and one of iron. Many other States offered significant tributes of
similar nature. And when at last the great day came when all the short
lines were connected in one whole, what a celebration there was from sea
to sea! Wires had been laid so that the hammer that drove the last spike
sent the news to cities all over the land. Bells rang, whistles blew,
fire alarms sounded. The cost of the Union Pacific was about thirty-nine
million dollars and that of the Central Pacific about one hundred and
forty million dollars. The construction of the Southern Pacific
presented a different set of problems from those of the Northern, but
many of the difficulties encountered were the same. Bands of robbers and
Indians beset the workmen and either cut the ties and spread the rails,
or tore the track up altogether for long distances. Forest fires often
overtook the men before they could escape, although trains sometimes
contrived to get through the burning areas by drenching their roofs and
were able to bring succor to those in peril. Then there were washouts
and snowstorms quite as severe as any experienced in the northern
country."

"I'm afraid I should have given the whole thing up!" interrupted Steve.

"Many another was of your mind," returned Mr. Tolman. "The frightful
heat encountered when crossing the deserts was, as I have said, the
greatest handicap. Frequently the work was at a standstill for months
because all the metal--rails and tools--became too hot to handle. The
difficulty of getting water to the men in order to keep them alive in
this arid waste was in itself colossal. Tank cars were sent forward
constantly on all the railroads, northern as well as southern, and the
suffering experienced when such cars were for various reasons stalled
was tremendous. The sand storms along the Southern Pacific route were
yet another menace. So you see an eagerness for adventure had to be
balanced by a corresponding measure of bravery. Those early days of
railroad building were not all romance and picturesqueness."

Stephen nodded as his father rose and took u