124 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



is curious, and shows how much genuine enterprise was brought to 

 bear on the construction. He started on the overland route alone, in 

 November, 1860 ; travelled most of the way on mule-back, with such 

 company as he could pick up on the road journeying much of the 

 way entirely alone. His object was to examine the route thoroughly, 

 and, if possible, to see the Indians, and learn from them more of the 

 country and its features and resources than could be gathered from 

 a more rapid journey. He started at a time when the Indians are 

 most dangerous to travellers, because they are suffering for food ; but 

 instead of avoiding them, he took pains to go out of his way to meet 

 them. He got from them much valuable information as to the differ- 

 ent routes, depth of snow on each, the kinds and quality of timber, and 

 where to find it, etc. He came to the conclusion that, with the ex- 

 ception of a few lawless, thieving Indians that disgrace every tribe, 

 they are quite as harmless, when properly treated, as many of the 

 whites that go among them. He afterwards employed some of them 

 to accompany the train while building the line, to herd and look after 

 the stock, for which the most trusty of them are the best help for the 

 purpose he could get. 



Mr. Creighton reached San Francisco on March 1st, and immedi- 

 ately returned to New York by steamer with Mr. Wade. The out- 

 break of the Southern insurrection made the speedy construction of 

 the line of greater importance, and no tune was to be lost in getting 

 together the material. Accordingly the directors met at Rochester, 

 and organized the company, April 17th, by electing J. H. Wade, 

 president; H. Sibley, vice-president; and E. Creighton, superinten- 

 dent ; after which nearly all the material had to be made. 



The wire to be used on the line was No. 9 galvanized iron wire. 

 The insulators, wire, and tools were taken to Omaha, Kansas, at 

 which place all the material of the expedition was gathered to start 

 westward. 



With a remembrance of the manner of constructing telegraph lines 

 in his mind, the reader will be able to judge of the labor required 

 to set up two thousand miles of telegraph, through a wilderness in- 

 habited only by Indians and wild beasts, and parts of which are a 

 dreary desert. Of the force employed on the Pacific side we have 

 no knowledge ; but Mr. Creighton, for the line from Omaha to Salt 

 Lake, had four hundred men, fitted out with tents, tools and outfit for 

 a hard season's campaign, including rules and navy revolvers for each 

 man, with the necessary provisions, including one hundred head of fat 

 cattle for beef. These were driven with the train, and killed as they 

 were needed. 



For transportation of material for the line and provisions for the 

 little army of workers, five hundred head of oxen and mules, with 

 over one hundred wagons, were purchased by the company, and this 

 not proving sufficient, other transportation was hired, making the total 

 number of beasts of burden up to seven hundred oxen and one hun- 

 dred pair of mules. When all was ready, the party started from 

 Omaha, and set their first pole on the 4th of July. The line was com- 

 pleted to Salt Lake on the 18th of October, and the California party 

 reached Salt Lake six days later, on the 2-itk. 



They advanced at the rate of about ten miles per day. The whole 



