May 23, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from May 23, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing his new office in North Platte, NE. He also mentions the "troublesome" Indian situation, lamenting that the government "does not give us sufficient protection."
May 14, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from May 14, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing recent Indian attacks near Julesburg, Nebraska. He also mentions that since the railroad has been completed from Omaha, NE to North Platte, his only concern will be with the new construction to the west. The eastern section will be "the same to me as any foreign road."
May 8, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from May 8, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family letting them know that he will be relocating to North Platte.
May 6, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from May 6, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing the unrest among members of the Union Pacific Railroad's executive committee. Following their inspection of the line, they "broke up in a row" and thus, "no work has been let west of the fourth hundred and will not be until they come to some agreement."
May 4, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from May 4, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family noting the executive committee's pleasure at the condition of the line. Reed mentions that he may be spending most of his future time in North Platte, given the expected arrival of a new general superintendent of construction.
April 27, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from April 27, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing his feelings about the hard work he has done getting the road repaired and putting trains back on their regularly scheduled runs.
April 25, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from April 25, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family with mixed feelings, noting that the first train in ten days has passed over the road, but that a "large amount" of work still needs to be done to get the road in "good order."
April 19, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from April 19, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing the recent flooding on the Platte River and his attempts to get the road repaired by the following week, when the Union Pacific's executive committee will arrive to inspect it.
April 18, 1867
In this letter from April 18, 1867, Jennie Reed writes to her husband, Samuel Reed, on the eve of the anniversary of their wedding day telling him how much she misses him. She insists he be careful about his health and write to her more often.
April 18, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from April 18, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing a trip to the western end of the line. He details his attempts to "put the road in order" following a recent flood of the Platte River and its tributaries. Reed laments that it will cost above $50,000 and be "ten or twelve days before I can get a train over the road."
April 5, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from April 5, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing the expected arrival of Union Pacific Vice-President Thomas Durant. Reed also notes an attempt by a representative of Ames & Company to overhaul the construction department's books and vouchers.
April 2, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from April 2, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing contracts with Boyd & Reed and I. H. Lacy to construct ten miles of road each. Upon completion of their contracts, the Union Pacific Railroad will reach 400 miles, or 25 miles west of Julesburg, Colorado.
March 27, 1867 | Letter
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.
March 25, 1867 | Letter
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 25, 1867 | Letter
In this March 25, 1867 letter, Sarah Sim tells her mother of Nebraska's recent attainment of statehood and of the expansion of the railroad across Nebraska. She reports that there is over 300 miles of railroad in Nebraska west of Omaha, and predicts easy access to any part of the country within a year.
March 1, 1867 | Document
A Freedmen's Bureau travel voucher for 107 adults and 16 children (under 12) - "destitute freedpeople" traveling from Charlotte, North Carolina to Plaquemines, Louisiana. Generally, when large numbers of freedpeople travelled, it was under the terms of a labor contract.
February 26, 1867 | Letter
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.
February 22, 1867
In this letter from February 22, 1867, Jennie Reed writes from Joliet, Illinois to her husband, Samuel Reed, in Omaha, Nebraska in answer to his complaints that he has not received letters from her. She, in turn, complains about the length of his letters while noting that she does not doubt he is busy enough that he has little time to write more. She also inquires about John R. Boyle's location, and tells her husband she is "so sorry that you feel so lonely yet you chose the sad part & would not let me go."
February 19, 1867
In this letter from February 19, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to Thomas Durant informing him that some of the estimates received from General Grenville Dodge for work on the track are much higher than what Reed and Durant anticipated when Reed was in New York .
February 13, 1867 | Letter
In this letter from February 13, 1867, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family letting them know that he has arrived in Omaha after a long journey from New York City.