richardMdBorn wrote:There may have been a slight difficulty with building the transcontinental (or according to Obama, the intercontinental) railroad through Texas when it was part of the Confederacy.sock puppet wrote:Another one I forgot to mention is that prior to Lincoln's presidency, the U.S. made the Gadsden Purchase in 1854--the southern most parts of what is now New Mexico and Arizona. The Gadsden Purchase was for the purpose of the US's construction of a transcontinental railroad along a deep southern route.
After Lincoln was elected, the northern route was chosen by him. I am sure it was no minor coincidence that Lincoln owned land in Nebraska that had to be purchased from him for the transcontinental railroad to be built on that norther route. (Lincoln had represented railroads in his law practice, and acquired that land as a consequence.)
Was the northern route (connecting fewer cities) chosen for the good of the Nation, or for maximizing Lincoln's profits from his Nebraska property?
Lincoln had decided in 1859, before being but if elected president, on the Council Bluffs to Sacramento route. Texas seceded and joined the confederacy on 2/1/1861. Seems Lincoln's route decision was made when Texas was not yet part of the Confederacy. Unless Lincoln also had a crystal ball and could predict the future.