Search Documents
61 Documents foundEdit Search
« Previous | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next »
-
December 24, 1864 | Annual report
Report from Division Engineer Samuel B. Reed to Chief Engineer Peter A. Dey Describing Survey from Green River to Salt Lake City, December 24, 1864
In this December 24, 1864 report, Samuel B. Reed describes his surveys and explorations of the land from Green River, Utah to Salt Lake City. He gives his recommendations for the route of the Union Pacific Railroad line, including the availability of timber for railroad ties and coal to power the locomotives.
-
January 13, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, January 13, 1865
In this short letter from January 13, 1865, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing his work schedule and informs them that he hopes to head west again before March 1.
-
1865 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Thomas C. Durant, March 1865
In this letter from March of 1865, Samuel Reed writes to Thomas C. Durant, Vice President of the Union Pacific Railroad, submitting a list of the men he will need for a work party he will take with him to make surveys in the mountains of the Utah Territory. He notes that "if the line is run South of the Unitas and East of Green River a military escort will be necessary for the safty of the party."
-
March 26, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Mary C.E. to Jennie Reed, March 26, 1865
In this letter from March 26, 1865, Mary C.E. writes to Jennie Reed, wife of Samuel Reed, describing flooding which has damaged the local railroad and bridges, preventing mail from getting through. She discusses the drafting of a family member, who has not yet received his notice and may therefore avoid having to report for duty. She also notes that an acquaintance died sixteen days after receiving a wound to the ankle in the war, and that his family did not learn of his death for two weeks.
-
April 12, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Artemus J. Mathewson to Samuel B. Reed, April 12, 1865
In this letter from April 12, 1865, Artemus J. Mathewson writes to Samuel Reed following a return from a trip to New York . He states that "the committees had not met and dissolved and others had met & they were meeting nearly every day." He discusses some survey maps and profiles he presented to them and repeatedly asks Reed come visit him, seeming anxious to discuss the matter in person. Mathewson rewrote and extended this letter the next day.
-
April 13, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Artemus J. Mathewson to Samuel B. Reed, April 13, 1865
In this letter from April 13, 1865, Artemus J. Mathewson writes to Samuel Reed describing a taxing visit to New York , during which he was required to draw and shade profiles of the work done on the railroad the previous summer in the mountains of Utah. He notes that he repaired some of Reed's survey tools, and asks Reed to write a letter on his behalf to Thomas C. Durant requesting reimbursement for the "expense of the luxury" of room and board Mathewson incurred during his illness in Utah. He tells Reed he is uncertain that he will be able to accompany him "out on that miserable desert" for the next season's work.
-
April 20, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, April 20, 1865
In this letter from April 20, 1865, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing the difficulty of traveling by stagecoach and mentions that he heard the news of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination. Reed notes that their party was the first to inform many people of the President's death. He also describes a memorial service in Omaha, NE.
-
May 14, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, May 14, 1865
In this short letter from May 14, 1865, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing his arrangements to leave Omaha at 8:00 p.m. that evening with two assistants. His bill for the stage is an exorbitant $1,200.
-
May 21, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, May 21, 1865
In this letter from May 21, 1865, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family noting their arrival in Denver after a week-long stagecoach ride. Reed notes the ample evidence of Indian attacks along the route.
-
June 4, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, June 4, 1865
In this letter from June 4, 1865, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing his preparations to start another survey the following morning. Reed outlines his potential route and notes the inexperience of his crew, as most of his previous group found other employment. He also details an upcoming Indian gathering, featuring all of the tribes in the vicinity of Salt Lake and Brigham Young.
-
July 22, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Artemus J. Mathewson to Samuel B. Reed, July 22, 1865
In this letter from July 22, 1865, Artemus J. Mathewson writes to Samuel Reed discussing his work on the railroad "in cutting out the deep cut from Chi. to Lockport." He states that he has not yet received a reply from Thomas C. Durant, Vice President of the Union Pacific Railroad, regarding reimbursement for extra expenses he incurred after becoming sick while working on the railroad in Utah the previous season. Mathewson also reminisces about the time he and Reed spent together working on the railroad and describes the land they traveled over in great detail.
-
August 27, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Artemus J. Mathewson to Samuel B. Reed, August 27, 1865
In this letter from August 27, 1865, Artemus J. Mathewson writes to Samuel Reed discussing the advantages and disadvantages of running a railroad line through various areas in the mountains and valleys of Utah. He states that he has been reading the reports of Captain Howard Stansbury, who led an expedition in 1849 to survey and map the valley of the Great Salt Lake, and tells Reed "your operations last year and this will give more of real value - and mayhap twice that amt than Stansbury's whole operations." Mathewson also notes the increase in Indian hostility both on the plains and in the mountains. He tells Reed, "like you, I think you have been lucky to keep your scalp."
-
November 1, 1865 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to T. C. Durant, November 1, 1865
In this letter from November 1, 1865, Samuel Reed writes to Thomas C. Durant, Vice President of the Union Pacific Railroad, describing his work surveying a line from Salt Lake City to the Humboldt River Valley in Nevada.
-
January 31, 1866 | Annual report
Report of Division Engineer Samuel B. Reed: Surveys Made on Pacific Slope for the Union Pacific Railroad, 1865
In this January 31, 1866 report, Samuel B. Reed describes his surveys and explorations of the land from Salt Lake City, Utah to the California state line. He gives his recommendations for the route of the Union Pacific Railroad and suggests building the line from West to East (rather than from East to West), due to timber availability. He further suggests that subsequent survey crews should use camels, rather than horses or mules, due to the lack of water on a good portion of the route.
-
August 16, 1866 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, August 16, 1866
In this letter from August 16, 1866, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing the heat and lack of rainfall. Reed notes that no rain has fallen in Omaha for more than six weeks. He also mentions an upcoming party for Lieutenant General Sherman in which Reed has been invited to attend.
-
September 23, 1866 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, September 23, 1866
In this letter from September 23, 1866, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing an upcoming visit by Thomas C. Durant, Vice-President of the Union Pacific Railroad. Reed also notes that he plans to go west soon and will be gone for most of the week, which he hopes will be his last trip for the season.
-
1867
Report from Samuel B. Reed to Oliver Ames, 1867
In this copy of a report from 1867, Samuel Reed writes to Oliver Ames, President of the Union Pacific Railroad, detailing the progress of the railroad's construction over the past year. He describes the totality of the work that has been done on the railroad from October 1, 1866 to September 1, 1867, giving very specific accounts of the miles of track laid, telegraph lines built, railroad ties used, bridges constructed, amount of earth and rock excavated during grading, and the like. He also discusses the great difficulty he has had in obtaining ties for the railroad, particularly from the Black Hills and in the area of Laurence Fork, Nebraska. He writes that there have been "serious delays in grading and in furnishing ties caused by the decided hostility of the Indians, our grading men have been frequently attacked, some men have been killed and a large amount of stock lost." Reed also includes an account of the materials on hand as of September 1, 1867.
-
February 26, 1867 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, February 26, 1867
In this letter from February 26, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family in Illinois describing the recent delay in mail service due to a severe winter storm stopping traffic on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad.
-
March 25, 1867 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, March 25, 1867
In this letter from March 25, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing the effects of another severe winter storm in Nebraska. He mentions that he has six locomotives on the east side of the frozen Missouri River and "would not hesitate to cross them on the ice if we needed their services."
-
March 27, 1867 | Letter
Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, March 27, 1867
In this letter from March 27, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing the difficulty of clearing the tracks of snow. He expects that the storm will destroy some bridges.
