Railroad Problems from Outside

In building the railroad there was one thing more uncontrollable than the weather - Indians.  The Plains tribes were becoming increasingly hostile as the "iron horse" approached.  Sioux and Cheyenne had every reason to fear the white man.  He was destroying their food supply for feeding the railroad workers, taking over their lands for the rails. 

The Indians attacked the railroad with increasing frequency - the grading crews and surveying crews, even locomotives as they approached.  At one time they spread a rawhide rope across the tracks thinking they could stop the approaching locomotive.  Without any concept of the impact of a moving train, they stood holding the rope taut in the face of the oncoming train and were swept under the wheels.

In August of 1867 the Cheyenne carried out a more serious attack near Plum Creek, Nebraska.  They tore down telegraph lines, ripped up the rails and used them as a barricade and waited in ambush.  A handcar of six telegraph repairmen were attacked and scalped.  A freight train then approached and not seeing the barricade of rails, collided against them seriously injuring the engineer and fireman.  The Indians attacked the wounded and killed them, then ripped open cars of supplies.

Even though the Indians were generally no match for the mighty "iron horse" other problems plagued the railroad.  Armies of prostitutes, gamblers, and thugs followed the railroad.  In towns along the line, they were a threat.  Jack Casement knew of these threats, he knew the railroad life was tough and the men needed diversions to keep the railroad progressing westward.

After several men were killed in these "diversions", Casement decided to get tough himself.  In Julesburg, Nebraska, he armed a group of iron men, seized some of the more serious gamblers, and hung them.  When Dodge asked him if his men were behaving and quiet,  Casement allegedly replied, "You bet, General.  They are out there in the graveyard."

Next time...Problems from Within
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This Day in Pioneer History:  "On May 3, 1469 the Italian philosopher and write Niccolo Machiavelli was born.  A lifelong patriot and proponent of a unified Italy, he became one of the fathers of modern political theory.