Beyond the West: containing an account of two years' travel in the other half of our great continent far beyond the old West, on the plains, in the Rocky mountains, and picturesque parks of Colorado. Also, characteristic features of New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho ... Oregon, Utah, Nevada, and ... California, the end of the West ... the great continental railroad, together with the ... most wonderful natural scenery in the world .../ by George W. Pine.

BEYOND THE WEST.
their locomotives have to be drawn on wagons one
hundred and fifty to two hundred miles. Each mile
requires six hundred tons of rail and two thousand
six hundred and fifty ties.
Roads in this part of the country average but one
thousand seven hundred to the mile. These were
collected and brought from long distances to Omaha,
and then drawn upon wagons on the line of the road.
It is said there were as many as six thousand teams
employed at one time hauling materials on the road;
but after the first twenty-five or thirty miles was
completed a locomotive was placed upon the track
to take forward materials.
Thomas C. Durant had energetic associates, but
he was the central motive power. Having been a
large railroad builder and operator, he engaged largely in the enterprise during the early, uncertain years
of the war. He furnished firom his private means
the larger portion of the first resources. He had
built western roads before, over the prairies, in advance of settlements, and had learned how they take
along with them population and business. After he
completed the first two or three hundred miles of the
road it became evident that large profits would be
realized Then the few men composing the company had no more trouble to obtain all the means
needed to complete the work. The expenses were
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