The Age of Railroads C-6.2

Railroads Span Time and Space Transcontinental Railroad: To travel across the country By 1890 there was close to 100,000 miles of RR tracks. Railroad Time: Needed to have a consistent time frame for train schedules Leads to time zones

Opportunities and Opportunists Pullman- built sleeper cars and other railroad cars Created a town for his workers Residents of the Pullman company town lived in luxury housing that was clean and well built Town also offered services for company workers like doctor’s offices, shops, and parks Town was controlled by the company, for example, residents were not allowed to loiter or drink alcohol

Opportunities and Opportunists…continued Credit Mobilier Stock holders in Union Pacific Railroad formed a construction company called Credit Mobilier Stock holders agreed to give this company a contract to lay RR track at 2-3 times what it would cost with another company. Then, the stock holders pocketed the profit, 20 shares of stock in this company were donated to 20 representatives in Congress Investigation of this said that officers of the UP RR had taken up to $23 million in stocks, bonds and cash.

What is happening in this cartoon? How does it relate to the Credit Mobilier scandal?

The Grange and Railroads RR Abuses Farmers were angry with RR b/c Misuse of land RR price fixing Inconsistent charging for moving goods (hauls) Granger Laws: Farmers POL action group Sponsor candidates for office Try to establish rules for hauling freight Munn v. Illinois: RR vs. Grangers. Supreme Court upholds Granger laws

How does this ad represent each profession depicted? Who does this ad seem most likely to support? How do you know?

The Grange and Railroads….continues Interstate Commerce Act: 1887 SC rules that states cannot set rates on RR traffic; only Fed Gov can do this.