Executive Order Setting Gauge of Track on Pacific Railroad
1/21/1863
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Whereas, by the 12th Section of an act of Congress, entitled “An act to aid in the construction“ of a Rail Road and Telegraph line from the Missouri “River to the Pacific Ocean and to secure to the Government the use of the same, for postal, military, and “other purposes,” approved July 1st 1862, it is made the duty of the President of the United States to determine the Uniform width of the track of the entire line of the said Rail Road and the branches of the same; And, whereas application has been made to me, by the Leavenworth, Pawnee and Western Rail Road Company, (a company authorized by the Act of Congress above mentioned, to construct a branch of said Rail Road) to fix the gauge thereof.
Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, do determine that the Uniform width of the track of said Rail Road and all its branches which are provided for in the aforesaid Act of Congress shall be Five (5) feet, and that this order be filed in the Office of the Secretary of the Interior for the information and guidance of all concerned.
Done at the City of Washington, this 21st day of January in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight Hundred and Sixty three.
[signed] Abraham Lincoln
1863
Large R
The President of the U.S.
January 21st 1863
Orders that the gauge of the track of the entire Line of the Pacific Rail
Road shall be 5 feet: The 12th Sec: of the Act of Congress approved July 1st 1862 making it his
Duty to determine the Uniform width of track of said road and its Branches-
[check mark]
Filed
L & RR Package 237
(Union Pacific RR)This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior.
National Archives Identifier:
302002Full Citation: Executive Order Setting Gauge of Track on Pacific Railroad; 1/21/1863; Records of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, Record Group 48. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/executive-order-setting-gauge-of-track-on-pacific-railroad, April 29, 2024]