Beschreibung:

Archive of Early Union Pacific Railroad Construction Letters, William L. Patterson, UPRR contractor, 19 ALSs, 12 covers, receipts, primarily March-December, 1867-68. William Patterson, a native of Sterling, Illinois, along with a partner, William Miller was one of the many contractors who worked west from Omaha to complete the Union Pacific link for the transcontinental railroad. This small, but fascinating clutch of correspondence provides a glimpse into Patterson's work -- and the problems he faced -- working in Wyoming along the Green River and then driving the Echo Canon, Utah tunnel through the Wasatch Range outside of Salt Lake. The correspondence begins with a November 11, 1867 letter from Miller, written from Chicago telling Patterson that he has ordered derrick towers and drills for shipment West, along with rope and tackle for lifting blocks. He also relayed news that a National Bank was to be started in Cheyenne, and that he had instructed an acquaintance to rent a house in Fort Saunders. By March, 1868, Miller and Patterson were "on the ground." In a letter written from the UPRR office in Salt Lake, Thomas Morris writes Miller to inform him of the upcoming work season, though he cannot yet give him many details as to depths of cuttings or lengths of tunnels. Clearly sensitive to making certain that enough teams of mules, horses and oxen are available for the coming season, he instructs Miller to find Whether there are any teams needed by the men who now have any contracts... and ...whether they are supplied with teams or no...I can furnish from 30-50 teams now & could increase that quantity if required.... By April 27 Miller was more certain of the work that lay ahead. I have decided about the line from Bitter Creek...across Green River & up to the high ground between Green River & Black's Fork. This is the third line run -- the other have grades of 120-80 ft for mile...All the rock on my section some 70-80 miles (they say) will be slate of a clayey nature...There will be one cut of this clay slate of 85,000 c.yds and two embankments of about 100,000 c.yds each. All good work. Perhaps warning Patterson of the preliminary nature of his plans he emphasizes that nothing has been decided. July 14 found the Miller and Patterson crews decidedly "underway." Writing from an office in Weber, Utah, Morris the UPPR agent penned a letter beginning simply with I will furnish you with 50 head of good young beef in very good order at your camp at 11 cents pr lb...I would like to furnish you with 30 head pr month for next six months. Revealing the fluctuating price of beef on the hoof, Morris then goes on to project how the price/lb. will change in the months ahead. And then, perhaps revealing how the relationship between the UPRR and its sub-contractors operated, Miller baldy asks: How about hay? I want you to let me have the contract for beef and hay if I will do as well by you as others...If you want flour send me the price you are willing to give what will you give for 100 sack good flour?. Finally, in a PS, Morris reminds Patterson -- Don't forget what I told you about prices -- Brigham Young will have "some work down here. It will not give him much spare time.. Alluding to the notion that the Mormons might get the contract for the head of Echo Canyon, he indicates that he (Young)will fail, and that UPPR official "...will want Brigham Young west". This is the last letter from Morris. In July, S.B. Reed, Chief Construction Engineer for the UPRR, writes from the Laramie Office of the Superintendent of Engineering and Construction delivering some bad news. Dear Sirs -- The Company does not accept your proposition for work at the head of Echo and wishes to know what part of your outfit for that work you wish to dispose of. Sometime between this letter and October, 1868 the partnership managed to find more Echo Canyon work -- and was running up bills on the UPRR account. A 1p letter sent from Benton [Montana Territory] by shippin