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Arthur Keddie's First passenger train through the Feather River Canyon, August 21, 1910. A Publication of the Plumas County Museum Association, Inc. Volume 45 • Number 4 www.plumasmuseum.org Nov 2019 ARTHUR KEDDIE’S RAILROAD DREAM THE WESTERN jobs that came Keddie’s way is best, the Indian Valley people PACIFIC AND ITS was that of exploring the will get out of the mountains by North Fork of the Feather coming down to the junction of LAST SPIKE Spanish and Indian Creeks, then River for the newly-organized down the river to Oroville. If the Men had dreamed of a Oroville and Beckwourth Middle Fork is best, they will transcontinental railroad Pass Wagon Road Company. have to go to Quincy and Nelson through the Feather River Beckwourth Pass, a Sierra Point and then down the river, Canyon since at least the crossing more than 2,000 though the two points that the early 1860s. For one man in feet lower in elevation than road must connect are Oroville and Beckwourth Pass. particular, Arthur W. Keddie, Donner Pass, had been used this was almost an obsession. for centuries as a Native In his report of March 1867, Born in Scotland in 1842, American thoroughfare, but Keddie advised for the first Keddie had come to California was “discovered” by and named route, condemning the Middle from Canada via Panama for mountain man, scout, and Fork as impassible. In his in 1863 and then to Plumas explorer James Beckwourth choice of the North Fork route, County in 1864, where he made in 1850 and was a popular Keddie believed he had found a his home in Quincy – living gateway into California for course with grades too easy to there until his death in 1924. covered wagon trains. waste on a wagon road and felt sure he had discovered what Keddie was trained as Making his canyon would prove to be the best a surveyor and was closely reconnaissance in the dead of route for a transcontinental associated with the early winter, Keddie was impressed railroad. Thrilled at the history of Plumas County, by the scarcity of snow he prospect of having a part in doing much of the early encountered along the North this dream, Keddie devoted the surveying, laying out every Fork of the Feather River, and rest of his life to the fulfillment township in the county, and in his diary and letters Keddie of this project. priding himself on providing wrote: accurate, carefully prepared Our job is to explore the North The young surveyor reports and maps – many of Fork to Oroville, then go to the managed to interest several which are still being used by Middle Fork past Nelson Point important men in his idea, researchers today. as far as Beckwourth Pass, and including Asbury Harpending report as to which is the best for One of the first professional of diamond hoax fame, eminent a winter road. If the North Fork lawyer, and later State Senator Western Pacific’s last spike at Spanish Creek bridge, November 1, 1909. Creed Haymond, and Civil War wayside, but during the 1890s, Mountains via Beckwourth General William S. Rosecrans. the idea was revived when, Pass. One night, as he went Companies were formed, and through a series of actions over Keddie’s early surveys, one, the Oroville and Virginia and events, George Gould (the Bogue noted that between City Railroad Company – eldest son of railroad magnate Oroville and Beckwourth Pass formed in 1867 – actually and financier Jay Gould) who there was only a difference in started construction near owned the Denver and Rio elevation of 50 feet per mile. Oroville in 1869. However, Grande Railroad, sought to This suggested to him the the builders of the Central build a new line connecting idea of a uniform 1% grade. Pacific Railroad were adept Salt Lake City and San Investigation proved this at applying pressure, and Francisco. Once again, Keddie’s feasible and that the job could they put plenty of pressure on early surveys of the Feather be done without climbing too Harpending to abandon the River Canyon came into play high above the river. venture. Collis P. Huntington, when the route was brought to With a $50,000,000.00 bond one of the Big Four promoting George Gould’s attention. guaranteed by Gould if the rail the Central Pacific, laughed On March 3, 1903, the line stayed within the 1% grade Keddie out of his office with the Western Pacific Railway and didn’t exceed 10 degrees remark, “No man will ever be Company was incorporated, on its curves, construction fool enough to build a railroad and Gould sent his new Chief on the Western Pacific got through that canyon.” Engineer, Virgil Bogue, to underway in the fall of 1905 Through the 1870s and choose the best route for the with the first rail laying and 1880s, the idea of a rail line new rail line to run up the first spike driven in at Third through the Feather River North Fork of the Feather and Union Streets in Oakland Canyon simply fell by the River and cross the Sierra on January 2, 1906. Two 2 years and 10 months later at along its route. Wherever escorted the passengers and milepost 280.15, the east and it went along the line, large railroad officials to a banquet westbound track gangs met on crowds turned out, towns at the Claremont Country the steel Spanish Creek bridge were decorated, salutes were Club. near Keddie, on November 1, fired, brass bands played, and A PROPER 1909, and without any fanfare, parades were staged. Children ceremony, or audience save his decked out in their Sunday CELEBRATION workmen, two women and two best waved flags and tossed In 1909 the occasion of the little girls, foreman Leonard flower garlands, while their driving of the last spike in the Tomasso drove the final spike elders pressed local gifts of Western Pacific Railroad had completing the Western Pacific grapes or watermelons on the little meaning other than that Railway. astounded passengers. of a job well done. Although Informal operation of In Quincy, 68-year old Oroville photographer J. the railroad began almost Arthur Keddie, almost wept H. Hogan had haunted the immediately, but formal as he spoke in welcome from construction camps for weeks operation of the line only the courthouse steps in the resolved not to let the last commenced when the first realization that his nearly spike go unrecorded and did, through passenger train, lifelong dream of a railroad in the end, manage to get the a press special from Salt through the Feather River workmen to pose for a photo at Lake City, arrived to a great Canyon was finally fulfilled, the event, nothing much more welcome in Oakland on August while in Oakland, the occurred, save perhaps a round 22, 1910. immense, exuberant crowd of handshakes or a simple “Congratulations,” or “Hurrah!” This train saw one amazing celebrated with a four mile welcome after another all long parade of welcome that Years later, the Western Arthur Keddie giving welcome speech on courthouse steps, August 1910. 3 Leonard Tomasso reenacts his driving of the last spike, November 1, 1949. Pacific Railroad realized out at Keddie and the party maul which had been recently that that auspicious moment awakened the next morning presented to him on Western deserved to be properly by a 6:30 call. Local guests Pacific Day at the Chicago celebrated, so for the 40th invited to attend the unusual Railroad Fair. anniversary of the event, under ceremony arrived and joined Crowds gathered at the motto of “Life begins at the visitors in boarding the various locations around the forty,” the company sent a coach drawn by old “94,” – the bridge (now known as the five car Ruby Jubilee Special, original locomotive that had Keddie Wye) particularly attached to the regular Royal pulled the first passenger on the overlooking highway Gorge run, back to Plumas train across these same tracks which had been roped off by County. Filling those cars and now restored to her the Highway Patrol to serve were distinguished guests, original appearance for this as a grandstand. In the including Senator William F. special occasion – while Mr. canyon directly below stood Knowland, representatives of Tomasso quietly remained in the massed bands of Quincy, the press, railroad top brass, his bedroom aboard the train Portola, and Greenville High and 70-year old Leonard putting a last minute polish Schools, smartly decked out Tomasso. on one of his most prized in white uniforms, brilliant The special train was cut possessions - the silver spike capes, and huge plumed 4 helmets. At Keddie Station Tomasso was introduced and through the Feather River old “94” belched forth a huge while President Whitman Canyon had finally been cloud of white smoke and kneeled and carefully placed properly celebrated, and as steam and began to back her the spike in position, Tomasso the banquets, speeches, and coachload of passengers onto brandished his silver maul and celebrations continued at a the bridge. On the north leg the announcer moved forward special breakfast in Quincy, of the bridge the wood burner with his microphone to capture Mrs. M. J. Hogan and her “Jupiter” just back from the the sound. Tomasso swung, daughter Ida E. Hogan, meeting of the rails scene at and the sound, amplified by Plumas County Recorder, the Chicago Railroad Fair, the huge loudspeakers, carried dressed in finery of almost a awaited with steam up for far and wide, and was followed half-century ago, renewed their the arrival of the California by long blasts from the engine acquaintance with Leonard Zephyr which was the cue for whistles.
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