mail for several years after 1890 and as there is no account of a successor, it is possible he continued to serve in that capacity until rural delivery went into effect. Delivery of mail direct to homes in rural communities, coincided with development of industrial projects intended to benefit the people, some of which were commenced form one year to a decade before and others from 18 to 56 years after rural mail delivery went into effect. Except for a few minor changes, such as dividing and rearranging routes, this system has operated efficiently for the past 60 years and there is nothing to indicate that it will ever become more modern in its operations than it is today. Four men have the distinguished credit of serving people of Slaterville in capacity of postmen over that long period of time. Fred J. Kinley, an accommodating, obliging, and considerate man, who resided in the small neighboring town, Plain City, was the first of these and served a greater number of years than either of the others. Mr. Kinley's route, which at first covered all of Slaterville, was No. 2 of the system and the first number on the mail box of the writer's family which was never changed during 15 years, was 223. The large route, after a few years was divided, but Mr. Kinley continued to serve families of the north half of the settlement and Delbert Bingham a young man residing in Marriott settlement, became postman of a new route which covered the south half of Slaterville. After delivering mail for 45 years, Mr. Kinley was succeeded upon retirement by Keater, Delivery of mail since he entered the service has been confined entirely to the east half of Salterville. Mr. Butt, who followed Mr. Bingham after his retirement in 1934, was postman of the south half and lower part of our settlement. When Mr. Kinley entered the service, the only means of making deliveries was with a horse and cart or buggy. The automobile was practically in its infancy and was not even perfected sufficiently by 1910 to be a dependable vehicle for use on jobs requiring prompt, efficient service. Though a luxury possessed by few at that time, the distance it could cover in a fixed period and speed it could travel, were limited. It is understood, that Mr. Kinley didn't turn to use of the automobile until about 16 years after rural delivery commenced. However, it will be remembered that Mr. Bingham in taking over deliveries on the new route, used a motorcycle at first, which later alternated with an automobile. Mr. Keater and Mr. Butt, who respectively succeeded the above named postman after their retirement, entered the service when the automobile age was in full swing, and cars have been used in the service ever since. -114- Chapter 10 RAILROAD AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTS Hopes and aspirations of our Pioneers during peaceful pursuits of activities in improving individual and community interests prior to 1860, were brightened by prospects of a railroad entering the West; a project that had been contemplated by the Railroad Company and sanctioned by the Government. The Union Pacific Company planned to extend a road from Omaha, Nebraska west to the Pacific Coast, which would have opened at that early date territory along the line to the outside world, and made markets of populated centers to the East and West, accessible to struggling Saints in Mormon communities of this inland region. However, by 1860, it became evident that construction of the road was destined to await emergencies of the Civil War. The boiling feud between the Federal Government and the Southern states over action taken to free the slaves had reached such proportions that war was inevitable. The slave traffic had become so entrenched in the Southern industrial life, especially as it affected the production of cotton on large plantations, that the states refused to yield, seceded from the Union, formed a Confedercy, and elected men to lead in defiance of Government mandates. By 1861, armies of the Union and those of the Confedercy, were marshalled against each other in a conflict that determined whether this Nation under Heaven, would survive as a united body of free states. While burdened with the many problems in prosecuting the war, need of a transportation system to serve the West and to be available for service in any future eventualities involving the Government became more pressing. Surveys of various routes that could be followed in constructing a road, simmered down to three: a Northern route, to serve the Dakotas, Montana, and Pacific Northwest; overland or "Old Mormon Trail"; the Central route, and Southern route, known as the "Buffalo Trail." The Central route or "Mormon Trail" was chosen and 25 June 1862 Congress passed the Enabling Act which President Lincoln signed into law seven days later, 2 July. This act created the Union Pacific Railroad Company, a corporation authorized to construct a railroad and telegraph line from the north margin of the Valley of the Platte River in Nebraska, to the western boundary of Nevada, with a grant of 400 feet of right-of-way through public land, and also every alternate or odd section of land to the amount of five sections on either side of the road within the limit of ten miles, mineral land excepted. The first rail was laid in the bottoms out of Omaha, 10 July 1865. On 22 September, ten miles of road were completed and in use. The equipment on hand on that date consisted of four locomotives, thirty flatcars, and five boxcars. During the year 1866, a distance of 260 miles was completed and the following year, 1867, brought the line to the summit of the Rocky Mountains, or Sherman Hill, a distance of 240 miles. During 1868 and until 10 May 1869 the road was completed to the summit of Promontory Hill, a distance of 550 miles. The events that took place on Promontory Hill that historic day, May 10, 1869 drew a crowd estimated at 1,100 people. None of whom present on that memorable day are living today. At 8 A.M. spectators began to arrive from local points and at 9 A.M., the whistle of the Central Pacific train was heard and soon -115-