Founded as an investment by these four men in 1861. Friends of the galion big four depot, galion, ohio. The big four railroad barons by alton pryor, paperback barnes. Huntington leland stanford more leland stanford charles crocker more charles crocker.
We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Show off your favorite photos and videos to the world, securely and privately show content to your friends and family, or blog the photos and videos you take with a. Workers, including the irish, receive little attention. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. The peninsula of san franciscoinsofar as it had no bridges to the mainlandwas an island. The story of huntington, stanford, hopkins, and crocker, and of the building of the central pacific the railroads oscar lewis on. Eventually, the big four railroad, which consolidated with the bee line in 1889, took over the operation of the depot.
Make offer east broad top to the mines and back by grenard. They were also thomas durant, oakes ames and oliver ames of the union pacific, building westward from omaha. Visit these websites or explore a book on the transcontinental railroad. Central pacific railroad, american railroad company founded in 1861 by a group of california merchants known later as the big four collis p. Big four railroad, danville illinois flickr is almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world. Big four bridge sidney 2020 all you need to know before. In 1861, hopkins and the rest of the big four men founded the central pacific railroad. Huntington, leland stanford, charles crocker, and mark hopkins. Friends of the big four depot is a group of individuals who share a common love and interest in the big four. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. The big fourcollis huntington, mark hopkins, leland stanford and charles crockerruled california government, both state and local, for thirty years. In 1862, the central pacific and the union pacific railroad companies began building a transcontinental railroad that would link the united states from east to west. The big four railroad barons and other railroad stories ebook by.
The big four formed the citys second cable car company, the california street cable railroad, to go from market street to their mansions at the top of nob hill in 1878. Transcontinental railroad construction, competition. If you have similar interest, this is a must read as it goes into depth the characters of each other big four and their specific role to the building of the central pacific railroad. Louis railway, formed the cleveland, cincinnati, chicago and st. In 1930, over 350,000 railroad cars had stopped in anderson on the big four lines. Big four rode railroads to big profits sfgate a good book about the railroad is white, richard, railroaded, the transcontinentals and the making of modern america, w. So although its nominally about the big four who made their fortunes from the building of the central pacific railroad huntington, leland stanford, charles crocker and mark hopkins. Early history of the cleveland cincinnati chicago and st. An account of california journalist and wit ambrose bierce and his struggle with the railroad octopus controlled by the big four collis p. Judah also was instrumental in securing government aid for the construction of the railroad. Hopkins huntington so frames and dominates the book that it might.
This is the book chapter about the big four and other important people of the central pacific railroad, the western portion of the first transcontinental railroad. Institute of museum and library services, administered by the indiana state library. The big4 owned or leased 2,222 miles of line, about 875 39 percent of which were in indiana 673 owned and 201 leased. Louis railroad big four route 1889 merger of 1 cleveland, columbus, cincinnati and indianapolis railway, 2 cincinnati indianapolis, st.
His investing chops were pretty sharp, and his worth in todays. Big four railroad railroad crossing in rural area this project is made possible by a grant from the u. Its primary routes were in illinois, indiana, michigan, and ohio. The impact of the railroad california state university. Stanford, hopkins, huntington, crocker rode railroads to big profits. To date, we have authored nine railroad route guidebooks covering the various midwestern passenger railroad routes out of chicago.
Big four of the central pacific railroad ii a moment in. Check page 47 the palace hotel on cypress street was located across the street from the big four, new york central tracks not illinois central tracks. They were the big four of the eastwardbound central pacific in california. Central pacific was the only company that had laid track going east. Gary kamiya is the author of the bestselling book cool gray. Jan 20, 2008 so although its nominally about the big four who made their fortunes from the building of the central pacific railroad huntington, leland stanford, charles crocker and mark hopkins. It operated in affiliation with the new york central system. The men who built the transcontinental railroad 1863 1869. The big four railroad barons and other railroad stories. First transcontinental railroad and stanford forever linked.
History of the big four men railroad system sample essays. Description about 8 miles from this undergrade crossing of the michigan central railroad that road crosses the benton harbor division of the big four railroad on a timber trestle, and the electric line crosses both railroads at this crossing on a steel structure over the michigan central trestle. The four merchants eventually dubbed themselves the big four and their manytentacled empire of railroads and freight lines was renamed southern pacific railroad in 1884, although its detractors preferred to call it the octopus. The story of huntington, stanford, hopkins, and crocker, and of the building of the central pacific the railroads lewis, oscar on. Huntington was a master salesman born on october 22, 1821 in harwinton, connecticut. Another point of view, perhaps is ambrose, stephen, nothing like it in the world. The big four was the name popularly given to the famous and influential businessmen, philanthropists and railroad tycoons who built the central pacific railroad, c. Despite the odds, the big four had a talent for survival, white said. The big four railroad barons and other railroad stories by.
Rise and fall of a railroad southern pacific shaped. The southern pacific railroad, which they owned, was the single largest corporation in california and controlled 85 percent of the states railroad tracks. The big four of the central pacific railroad the dollop dot net. They preferred to be known as the associates, rather than the big four, to no avail. While a book on the subject escapes me, here is my personal big 4 connection. The sun rises over the ohio river as seen at the big four railroad bridge that spans indiana to kentucky. He later moved to new york to work for his brother who. The big four were leland stanford, mark hopkins, charles crocker and collis huntington. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Building the railroad was a monumental undertaking. The big four, collis huntington, mark hopkins, leland stanford, and charles crocker, ruled california government for 30 years. View all hotels near big four bridge on tripadvisor. The shops were a busy place for many years employing over one hundred men at various times, but that came to an end in 1925.
The story of huntington, stanford, hopkins, and crocker, and of the building of the central pacific the railroads. Leland stanford, is remembered as part of the big four in financing the construction of the central pacific railroad, which included along with himself collis. In 1862, the central pacific and the union pacific railroad companies began building a transcontinental railroad that would link the united states from east to. In my novel daffodil sunrise, the university is placed in a town along the ohio river. Huntington began working at a young age on the family farm to contribute to the family income. Among the prominent figures in the early history of san franciscos nob hill neighborhood were the big four, a popular name given to the railroad magnates charles crocker, mark hopkins, collis p.
The line continued as one of the busiest tracks in the state. At that time, it was very dangerous and difficult for africanamericans to travel because black travelers couldnt eat, sleep, or buy gas at most whiteowned. Joint biography of the builders of the central pacific railroad and its. History of the big four men railroad system essay example for free newyorkessays database with more than 65000 college essays for studying. They were they organizers and founders of the central pacific and southern pacific railroads.
Stanford, hopkins, huntington, crocker rode railroads to big. The founders of the central pacific railroad were a study in contrast. Railroad whales were richer than you could ever hope to be. The big 4 owned or leased 2,222 miles of line, about 875 39 percent of which were in indiana 673 owned and 201 leased.
This stanford historical society symposium reflects on the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad and its legacy. The american railroad passenger car, parts i and ii johns hopkins studies in the history of. Stanford, hopkins, huntington, crocker rode railroads to. This is the first book to look at bierces early muckraking campaign in depth through bierces acid journalism and the railroads private and public reactions. With their funds and business acumen, they helped to build the first transcontinental railroad. The shops at wabash were important enough to the railroad that when they burnt in 1894 the big four they not only rebuilt the shops, but they built them to handle twice the capacity that was required. He was the main power behind the railroad, but preferred to stay behind the scenes. There are many more mistakes in this book that was done from railroad album pictures donated to the kankakee historical society.
Louis and chicago railway, and 3 indianapolis and st. At the end of 1925 it reported 2,391 routemiles and 4,608 trackmiles. The big four railroad barons and other railroad storiesnook book. A ppopular history of the central pacific railroad as told through its leaders. The registered agent on file for this company is william o whitworth and is located at 415 s 17th, mattoon, il 61938. The timeline stretches from the late 1960s to the present, with hundreds of never. Read the big four railroad barons and other railroad stories by alton pryor available from rakuten kobo. Make offer east broad top to the mines and back by grenard kramer 1980 railroad train book great temple of travel a history of birmingham terminal station, 19091969. Crocker 18181875, who served as the cprr attorney from 1865 to 1869, added. San francisco and the connection to the big four chinese. The big four became some of the richest and most powerful men in the whole country.
The big fourcollis huntington, mark hopkins, leland stanford and charles crockerruled california government, both stat. So although its nominally about the big four who made their fortunes from the building of the central pacific railroad huntington, leland stanford, charles crocker and mark hopkins huntington so frames and dominates the book that it might have been called he saw the money in it. However, the advent of the automobile caused a subsequent decline of rail travel and. The big four was the name popularly given to the famous and influential businessmen. They first came together to build and manage the central pacific railroad which was the western part of the first transcontinental railroad finished in 1869. Crockerwho got control of the newly organized central pacific railroad property. He had the reputation for being the most ruthless of the big four, and later went on to expand railroad links on the east coast. In addition, the big four started building railroads that linked the bay area with outlying communities that provided raw goods for san francisco. Charles crocker is best remembered for being part of the big four in financing the construction of the central pacific railroad, which included along with himself. I am a big fan of the transcontinental railroad history, and have read numerous books on the subject. Williams the pacific tourist williams illustrated transcontinental guide of travel, from the atlantic to the pacific ocean published in 1878, the big four was replaced by the five associates or representative men of the central pacific railroad, with charles crockers older brother judge edwin b. The far west by don jocelyn this allcolor title presents a close look pictorially at railroads located in the far western portion of the u. Huntington, leland stanford, mark hopkins, and charles crocker. After great disappointment in failing to raise the capital for the railroad, judah was approached by four men and in a meeting above a hardware store they listened to his plan.
The big 4 historic railroads in general indiana railroads. Jan 28, 20 he had the reputation for being the most ruthless of the big four, and later went on to expand railroad links on the east coast. The first book to explore the historical role and residual impact of the green book, a travel guide for black motorists published from 1936 to 1966, the green book was hailed as the black travel guide to america. Major rail lines represented are the southern pacific, santa fe, western pacific, union pacific, plus amtrak. The southern pacific railroad was the single largest corporation in california and controlled 85 percent of the states railroad tracks. Im just curious as of late how much the big four system added to the nyc system when it was acquired. Our popular outside the rails book series now serves as a major fund raiser for the american passenger rail heritage foundations rail rangers program, which provides free on board educational programs on private. Many books on the railroad focus on the big four and the barons of the up, he says. The southern pacific railroad, which they owned, was the single largest corporation in california and controlled 85 percent of. It operated in affiliation with the new york central system its primary routes were in illinois, indiana, michigan, and ohio. Friends of the galion big four depot home facebook.
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