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The Big Four:
Collis Huntington, Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker and Mark
Hopkins, better known to history as the "Big Four," were
instrumental in building the Central Pacific Railroad and developing
California's railroad system in the years between 1861 and 1900. Of
modest origins, all were born or had lived in upstate New York prior
to being drawn West by the Gold Rush. Huntington and Hopkins were
partners in a hardware company; Stanford operated a grocery business
with his brothers; and Crocker was a dry goods merchant. Prosperous
by 1860, they all supported the presidential candidacy of Abraham
Lincoln and the new Republican Party when called together by
Theodore Judah to hear his idea for a railroad to the East. The
start of the Civil War prompted their active involvement, and they
invested every energy in building the western part of the first
transcontinental railroad.
The greatest historical event in transportation on the continent
occurred at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869, as the Union Pacific
tracks joined those of the Central Pacific Railroad.
Leland Stanford, Collis P. Huntington, Charles Crocker and Mark
Hopkins were the “Big Four” that conceived this enterprise and
brought it to a successful ending after years of daily struggle that
would have exhausted the patience and spirit of ordinary men.
Huntington looked after the financing of the company. Crocker, with
his tremendous energy, forced the construction of rails over the
snow-crested Sierra and across the burning deserts of Nevada and
Utah. Stanford kept his energies on the main points leading to
success, and Hopkins saw that none of the money was wasted. That
pioneer railroad line of the middle ’60s formed the basis of the
gigantic Southern Pacific system.
The connection of the Central Pacific and the Union
Pacific bridged the 2000 miles to the Missouri River, and the four
to six months time taken by the overland pioneers was reduced to six
days. At once the Pacific States were transformed, and Western life
gradually caught up with the life and aspirations of the East.
A transcontinental railroad had been dreamed of as early as 1836.
From time to time it was suggested by visionaries and discussed by
the orators and newspapers of the ’40s and ’50s. In 1853 Congress
expended $150,000 in hunting a feasible route. Surveys were made
from time to time. The California Legislature took a hand in the
issue in 1855-6, fearing that Congress might relax its energies, and
urged a speedy construction of a railroad, but the jealousy of
politicians delayed the initiative. Meanwhile short line railroads
were developing in the Middle West. Some of these united, and
systems began to develop.
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IR -
Environmental Issues
A concern, which is greatly affecting the worlds society is that
of the abuse of thee ecosystem and the environment at a global
level.
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P: May
28, 06
Special
Needs for Special Populations
According to the Education Act 1993 and the Code of Practice it
has been acknowledged that at any one time a possible 20 per cent
of children may experience special educational needs during their
school career.
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P:
May
28, 06
Classroom Management Plan
When developing classroom plans and teaching methods, many
teachers use collaborative learning techniques.
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P: May
28, 06
THE 2500-YEAR-OLD PYTHAGOREAN
THEOREM
Pythagoras of Samos was a Greek
philosopher
responsible for important developments in mathematics, astronomy and
the theory of music. He left Samos because of the tyrant who ruled
there and went to southern Italy about 532 BC. He founded a
philosophical and religious school in Croton that had many
followers.
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P:
May 28, 06
Computing In Learning
Computing power has become more available and affordable than
ever before. Satellite transmission can beam instructional
material to sites thousands of miles away. Computer graphics
can create "virtual environments" in which the user sees and
interacts with an artificial three-dimensional world.
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P:
May 28, 06
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