Transcontinental Railroad | The Golden Spike | 4

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 4 December 2024

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In January 1869, leaders of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific met in Washington, D.C. to discuss the final stretch of construction. For years, the two railroads had been advancing toward each other without a defined location for their tracks to meet. But now, their grading crews were working within sight of each other in Utah. In the frantic race to the finish, it became increasingly difficult to hide the fact that the tracks destined to unite the nation were built on a foundation of corruption.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, history buffs, if you can't get enough of the captivating stories we uncover on American
0:04.7	history tellers, you'll love the exclusive experience of Wondry Plus.
0:08.4	Dive even deeper into the past with ad-free episodes, early access to new seasons, and
0:13.0	bonus content that brings history to life like never before.
0:16.2	Join Wondery Plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcast and embark on an unparalleled journey through America's most pivotal moments.
0:37.0	Imagine it's January 1869 in Washington, D.C., and you're walking through a corridor in the Willard Hotel.
0:44.2	You're the president of the Union Pacific Railroad, and you've come here today with your chief engineer Grenville Dodge.
0:50.0	You glance at him as you approach the door of a hotel suite.
0:53.8	Tightness around his eyes mirrors your own wariness as you raise your hand to knock.
0:59.4	The door swings open, and before you stands Collis Huntington, the vice president of your rival company, the Central Pacific Railroad.
1:07.8	Huntington's black hair is as unruly as ever, and his penetrating eyes dart between
1:12.5	you and Dodge. He steps aside to let you both in. You glance at the maps and letters littered across
1:19.0	the table. Huntington doesn't offer you a seat, and you don't bother waiting for one. I'll get straight
1:24.4	to the point, Collis. It's time we put an end to this wasteful business of having our men grade past each other in Utah. The workers are all exhausted, and I know I am too. Huntington raises an eyebrow. And? And I say we should put our heads together and fix a meeting point. Oh, what do you have in mind? We'll take the distance remaining between the two lines and meet in the middle.
1:45.2	That'll put the rendezvous just west of the promontory mountains.
1:49.0	Huntington huffs, with a look of disbelief.
1:52.0	You really think I'm going to give you the promontories?
1:54.9	Well, yes, it's the fairest option.
1:57.2	This way you can focus your cruise in Nevada and western Utah.
2:00.8	Huntington takes a step forward.
2:02.5	His expression darkening.
2:03.8	Well, I'll see you damned first.
	...

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