Francisco. During the long voyage we became quite intimate and he explained to me the railroad situation. He went East to aid the securing of the land grant from Sacramento to the Oregon line, and as his company was interested in having a through route to the Columbia, they had also worked for the land grant through Oregon.
At Elliot's suggestion I remained a few days in San Francisco to interview with him one of the leading lawyers of that city—Mr. C. Temple Emmet—who was counsel for the California company. After consultation with its leading members he prepared and they signed a proposition, that, if an Oregon company would incorporate to build a railroad from the California line north, they would do all in their power to finance the company and assist in the construction of the road. I remember as signers of that document Mr. Ralston, then one of the magnates of finance of San Francisco, Messrs. Gallagher, Bell Brothers, and others of the leading men of that time.
Whatever railroad schemes may have been on hand before that in Oregon had died out, for there was nothing in sight. Elliot had surveyed from Marysville to Jacksonville and commanded the respect of high class business men. As ours was no scheme for mere personal aggrandizement, it was natural to infer that success would repay us in honorable ways.
When I reached Salem this proposition was presented to gentlemen of standing, who received it favorably, and agreed to incorporate as the Oregon Central Railroad Company, to build from Portland south to the California line. I am far from home and my papers are at Salem, Oregon, so this statement is made from recollection of what occurred a generation gone, but the main facts are correct.
Several of those interested with me alluded to Joseph Gaston as having tried to work up something of the kind in the past, and wished to include him in the new organ-
