Chapter 6 Section 2: The Age of the Railroads

1. Chapter 6 Section 2: The Age of the Railroads Chancey Plagman

2. Key Points/Summaries • Section 2 of Chapter 6 covers the rise to power of the railroad industry in the mid to late 1800’s. • It covers what the trains did and how it changed many things. • Goes over how well the trains worked and any problem they made.

3. Pros: Increase in trade. Booming of towns. Lower unemployment rates. Quicker travel. Safer than wagons. Comfort for passengers. Cons: Construction costs. Engines breaking down. More settlement out west decreases room for Native Americans. Risks for workers. Until time zones were established, trouble with time. Pros. VS. Cons

4. Growing in size and importance • During this time, certain parts of trade grew considerably: iron, coal, steel, lumber, and glass. Each of them helped in building trains or fueling them. • Towns grew as well. Small stops became big cities: Flagstaff, Abilene, Denver, and Seattle. • Two cities in particular were big because of a certain supply. Chicago was known for its stockyards, and Minneapolis was known for its grain.

5. Railway Workers • The most important thing about keeping things running was the workers. • Most of them were veterans from the Civil War, from both north and south. • There were risks though. An estimated 20,000 died every year due to accidents. • Since trains were important, so were the people around them. Both workers and conductors were given high pay and luxurious rooms to sleep in.

6. Gare Montparnasse Derailment • On October 22nd, 1895, the Granville-Paris-Express overran the buffer stop. • It crashed through a 2 foot thick wall and landed on the street on the nose of the train. • One woman walking by was crushed by the massive engine. • Though only 2 people of the 131 onboard were injured.

7. George Pullman • An important figure in the railway luxury business is George Pullman. • Born on March 3rd, 1831 in Chautauqua, New York. He took average-pay jobs until his 28th year. • In 1859 he moved to Chicago and boasted the sleeping cars, two trains cars combined into one where workers slept. • In 1863, after his business took off, he reached the level of a millionaire and died rich in 1897 in Chicago at the age of 66.

8. Time Zones • Back in the early days of railway travel and trade, time was a major issue. • At one point, a person traveling from the east coast to the west coast would have to change their pocket watch approximately 20 times. • In 1869, Professor C.F. Dowd finally split The United States into four time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific.

9. “And now for something completely different.” • A message from a familiar face: “I deem it proper to add, that on the 17th day of November last, an executive order, was made upon this subject and delivered to the vice-president of the Union Pacific Railroad Company, which fixed the point on the western boundary of the State of Iowa, from which the company should construct their branch road to the one hundredth degree of west longitude and declared it to be within the limits of the township, in Iowa, opposite of Omaha, in Nebraska.”

10. Who said that? • Here’s some clues: • President of the United States. • Known for his time slot as president. • Has memorable facial hair. • And here he is:

11. Sources • The book: Chapter 6 Section 2. • Lincoln’s quote: http://cprr.org/Museum/Lincoln_1864.html • Information on George Pullman: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Appletons%27_Cyclop%C3%A6dia_of_American_Biography/Pullman,_George_Mortimer • Gare Montparnasse: http://danger-ahead.railfan.net/accidents/paris_1895.html • Now wake up! It’s time for the next presenter!