Echo was a Roaring Boom Town; The driving of the golden spike at Promontory, Utah on May 10, 1869, marked the com¬pletion of the transcontinental railroad, but in the then booming city of Echo, the completion date was January 16, 1869. On that date the first engine came steaming into Echo and was met by celebrating towns¬people, construction men and those from nearby towns who heralded the coming of the rail¬road. In early 1869, if you wanted a celebration, Echo City was the place to have it. This thriving, if not quite peaceful metropolis, which had been purchased in December, 1868 from John Bromley by Brigham YoungJun. for $200, boasted three saloons, two hotels, dance halls and enough "spirits" to keep the small army of railroad con¬struction men going. The town was so rough, in fact, that the permanent citizens forbade their children to ven¬ture near the celebrants after dark. It was equipped with mov¬able saloons which followed the construction. These saloons were known to have cellars dug in which to deposit whiskey bottles, sawdust from the floors and other debris before moving on. In the mouth of Echo Canyon a saloon cellar opened by con-struction many years later, re¬vealed no less than seven skeletons mixed with the other debris. LOCAL WORKERS There were very few of the local citizens who were not, in one way or another, connected with the building of the railroad. Brigham Young had contracted 190 miles of grade and 76 miles of road from Echo Canyon to Promontory. He hired many local men and equipment and the economy of the entire area was given a boost as the hundreds of workers had to be fed, clothed and housed. This work and extra money was especially welcome for in the summers of 1867 and 1868 grasshoppers had destroyed much of the crops in the area. Among those who have gone on record as working for the rail¬road construction were: Charles H. R. Stevens, Henneferville, rock mason. He layed rock for fills, many of which are still standing. Esther B. Taylor, Henneferville, who earned a living for her 12 children and ill hus¬band by taking in washings from the hotels in Echo. She walked the three miles each day, balancing baskets on her head. She never let her hands lie idle, and would carry a baby or knit socks while walking. Joseph A. A. Bunot, civil en¬gineer. Elias Asper, Echo, who owned Asper House, a prominent hotel, saloon, store and dance hall. Thomas H. Stephens, Henneferville, who owned a slaughter house and furnished meat to the UPRR Commissary. Robert Allen Jones, Henneferville, drove a yoke of oxen and scraper during the summer of 1868 making grades, cut and hauled ties during the winter. Alonzo Winters, Henry Wilde and Arza Hinkley of Wanship and Coalville contracted to build a mile of railroad. Winters then contracted further work. William, Amos, and Nephi Sargent built fences enclosing the railroad grades. They later worked at the rail-head after the completion of the short line to the coal mines, shoveling coal from the narrow gauge cars into the main line cars. Many other men we reem¬ployed cutting and hauling ties which were made from timbers cut at the head of Echo Canyon by a company sent by Joseph A. Young. ECHO, BOOMING CENTER The original track did not follow the present route at the mouth of Echo Canyon. Instead, it came down Wasatch Hill with a series of switch-backs so the engines could make the grade. The reason for this was to save building time which would be used making the long tunnel and the many deep cuts and fills through the hills. The Union Pacific was anxious to reach Promontory by the time the Central Pacific arrived. in 1870, crews returned to cut the tunnel and put the road on its present route. In the 1880's, Echo was the rail center of the area and also known as a vacation spot. People came from Evanston and Ogden by train as well as from the surrounding towns. A large grove of trees called Stevensens Grove was the amusement center where they found a dance pavilion and other amusements for picnics and parties. The Coal Chutes, water tanks and an engine house were built in Echo around 1880 to supply the needs of the trains traveling the branch lines. In 1899 the engine house was torn down because engines were being made larger and no helper en¬gines were needed. When a new depot was built in 1911, the old one was converted into a home which was occupied by Fred and Phyllis Richins until it was des¬troyed this spring for the build¬ing of the Interstate Highway. A new coal chute, the fourth one to be built in Echo, was built in 1941 when fire destroyed the old one. It was torn down in 1956 and the last coal-burning steamer went through Echo in 1953. At that time the huge 4000 coal-burning engine used 28 tons of coal coming from Og¬den to Echo. A smaller 3900 engine used 23 ton.