Many from MorganTook Part ee in Early Railway Construction ti _; _ Mr. H.C. McConaughy MN fas Editor Morgan Co. News Dear Editor: _A short time ago I noticed a statement in your paper asking for information and facts about the’ construction of the railroad through this valley. I have looked over a number of old papers and records of my grandfathers and find the following: Grandfather Richard Fry came into this valley inSeptember of 1860. In the early sprin of 1868 he was aves A sibs contract from Brigham Young who seemed to have been the general contractor for a mile and a half of railroad grade in Weber Canyon, and must have been located from the mouth of west as Eagle Rock Point east for a mile and a half of grade, anda deep cut known as Carlyle Cut was yay involved in some places Hardscrabble & € Furnished Ties for UP, Road : ; a a " : A a inc) asi hee rs ce ‘o> werh EL o ‘ ” This This is Tunnel No. Three in Weber Canyon. 100-year old tunnel is through the ridge which comes out to Taggart’s Cabin Camp, and today’s bridge—and the Mrs. Mabel Richins Winters Tells of Grandfather's Work on U.P. By Mabel Richins Winters Salt Lake and Ogden. My grandfather, Joseph Aime Agustus Bunet, who was born in France, was anearly convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. On May 15, 1861 he boarded the ship, “Monarch of the Sea” and after a 34 day voyage landed in Castle Garden, New York. From there they traveled by boat and rail to Florence, Nebraska. He and his family then made the trip across the plains with the John R. Murdock Company, They arrived inSalt Lake valley on Sept. 12, 1861, where he made his home, Joseph A. A. worked as a watchman. He had brought fine surveying instruments withhim from France, and he did some™ surveying work in and around In the spring of 1868 the Union Pacific Railroad was moving westward. By 1869 it had reached Morgan, Previous to thisSanford Porter Jr. and his brother Chauncy Warriner Porter had built a road up an adjoining canyon above Porterville. They named it “Hardscrabble” because of the difficult terrian. Here they build a saw mill with an upright saw which was run by water power. By working early and late they could cut out three or four feet of lumber a day. y ~. The year of 1867, Grandfath- er joined a crew of surveyors that were going to Hamboldt, Wells, Nevada and into Idaho territory. He returned and later helped survey the right of way, and was a civil engineer on the construction through the Echo Canyon and Weber Canyon railroad projects for the Union Pacific, hence from Ogden to Promontory. The family said he was gone so long, over a year on one of these projects, that they thought he had been killed by the Indians, and would never return. The Indians bitterly fought the building of the railroads, and in every way possible tried to impede the work and efforts of the construction crews. tunnel—are wider. at center.—Union Note sheds and house Pacific Railroad Photo. Many surveyors, graders and workmen were killed at their posts. Men stood guard while graders, who worked with their guns beside them, built the road beds, and layed the rails. Even then, many anIndian arrow found its mark. When he surveyed in Summit County, grandfather liked the peaceful valley of Henefer, and decided that someday he would buy a farm and live there. However, his dream was not realized until a fewyears later. Plans were made andthe family moved to Henefer in Summit County. He purchased a ranch two miles south of town, at the mouth of Franklin Canyon. Grandfather at this time had two wives, a polygamist, with a large family of 16 children. It was hard work clearing the farm, and money was scarce, so to augment the income he became the Summit County Survevor for many years, Almost immediately after moving to Henefer in 1872, he vee _ His daily humble prayer was ~ one of thanksgiving for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and fox the privilege of living in this great and wonderful America. near the cliff was elected to the office of surveyor. His surveying specifications and plot drawings were so accurate that his original surveys of Summit County stand to this day. He was known as one of the best farmers in the Valley. Many of his farm products won first prizes at the State Fairs. Grandfather was president of the 27th Quorum of Seventies, and was obedient to the Seventies calling as missionaries. He left in 1882 for a mission to France, Switzerland, England and Italy. This was familiar territory to this multi-lingual man, for he spoke eleven langguages fluently, and was well versed in many subjects, especially history, astronomy, law and mathematics. He was a Justice ofthe Peace in Henefer for many years. Many people went to him for advice and council. He gave large sums of money for the building of the Salt Lake Temple and for the He and 121904 died was at buried the age it on wagons valued his Citizenship. of a in the Henefe United States again and took it to Morgan. From the mill to Morgan was ten miles, This gave employment to several men which was a bles sing as some of the families were very poor.—Ella Hemming. Summit Cemetery in the family plot. After living under different government powers in Europe during his early life, he was very proud of, and greatly Hell - to be used in erecting bridge abutments for the railroad. Another early pioneer of the valley by the name of T.R.G., Welch was given the contract to furnish wooden ties for a considerable stretch of the road. These ties were hand hewn with ax and ads, made from timber brought out of the nearby canyons. The ties when finished were stacked along the road grade in square piles to await the coming of the rails. For all this work very little money changed hands. Work orders were given the men which could be exchanged for goods and groceries at the ZCMI or the Williams stores. For all the work orders these stores cashed they were allowed to draw drafts on the general contractor in Salt Lake City. All this work was completed on time and was ready by the time the track laying gangs came later in the spring. Most of the grade work through the valley was made with gangs pushing wheel barrows up planks, | Several hundred menwere used in this work and onanumber of occasions almost a mile of grade could be wheeled up in less than a week. The name of the engineer who surveyed and layed out the work was a Mr. Carlyle. An honor Was paid to him when my grand- Another brother Lyman W. Porter got the contract tofurnish ties for the railroad. They cut and dragged the timber with father decided to name the deep horses from the side of the cut after him.'I have heard my mountain to the mill. Then Grandfather say on many loaded it on wagons and hauled occasions he was a gentleman it to his home in Porterville of fine quality and efficiency... for inspection. Then they loaded Respectfully submitted, . Stake Tabernacle, Grandfather was High Priest and ordained a Stake Patriarch on Mav oe of hard clay and rock. Picks, shovels, plows, wheel barrows, scrapers, and carts were used to carry the dirt and ‘rock out along the grade. Danial Williams who was the forerunner of the J. Williams and Sons Company opened a lime kiln near by and was soon able to ship his lime both east and the canyon at a point then known Ma ae Ee l Richard T, Fry. |