Chapter 303: Pacific Railway
After watching Nobel's experiment in Auburn Village, Liang Yao set off for Sacramento.
Shareholders of Fremont and California Railway Company and representatives of the engineering team were waiting for Liang Yao in Sacramento City to discuss the construction of the Pacific Railway.
When Liang Yao was waiting for the train at the Auburn Village train station, a train to Nevada arrived at the station. Connie touched Liang Yao's elbow and said to Liang Yao.
"Boss, your cousin."
Liang Yao looked in the direction Connie pointed, and it was indeed his cousin Deng Ying.
"What is she doing here?" Liang Yao asked puzzledly.
Deng Ying worked at Bank of America as a vice president. Bank of America has not yet opened a branch in Auburn Village, a small place. What is Deng Ying doing here?
"I'm here to deliver food to Nobel." Connie said with a smile, "Maybe it won't be long before I can have their wedding banquet."
"Doesn't this little girl like Robinson?" Liang Yao was still a little confused, not knowing how the two got together.
"Robinson, the old widower, is only interested in politics now, not women or starting a family." Connie knew a lot. "It's good this way. Nobel is a simple boy, and I don't have to worry about my sister being bullied if she marries him."
"Your sister?" Liang Yao frowned. His brain circuit couldn't keep up with Connie's rhythm, and his thoughts were a little confused.
"You know that I pursued Deng Ying, but Deng Ying was not interested in a frivolous person like me, so I recognized her as my sister." Connie said with some sadness, "Lovers eventually become siblings."
"I'm not interested in the love between you two." Liang Yao said to Connie, "Let Pinkerton send a few CIA people to protect her. My second uncle has only this one daughter. If something goes wrong with her, I can't explain to my second uncle."
It was already three o'clock in the afternoon when Liang Yao returned to Sacramento. Fremont, the shareholders of the California Railway Company and the representatives of the engineering team were waiting for him in his old house in Sacramento to discuss the Pacific Railway.
"My team and I have been investigating this line for more than a year. After our investigation, we have concluded that it is theoretically feasible to build the Pacific Railway." Fremont spoke first and gave a concise opening statement.
"It is indeed theoretically feasible to build the Pacific Railway." Ward, chief engineer of the California Railway Company, followed closely and gave a high-emotional-quotient speech.
"But in terms of engineering technology, this project is full of challenges. If it can be built, it will be a miracle in the history of railway engineering, and the Pacific Railway will also become the world's first transcontinental railway. Unfortunately, among all the railway companies in the world, no railway company has the ability to create this miracle."
As the leader of the Pioneer locomotive development team, Ward now has a high voice in the American railway industry, and it is not an exaggeration to say that he is an authority in the industry.
Of course, before developing the Pioneer locomotive, Ward from Belgium was a well-known railway engineer.
This is his technical evaluation of the Pacific Railway from a technical level based on his many years of work experience.
Ward has worked in railway companies in Britain and Belgium, and has a full understanding of this industry.
"The difficulties in engineering and technology are only one aspect. The biggest difficulty in building the Pacific Railway is funding. Although the railway network in the United States is dense, there is no existing railway to use west of the Mississippi River except in California.
If we want to build the Pacific Railway, the railway mileage of this railway will be more than 3,000 kilometers, which is three times the total mileage of the current California Railway! The cost of this railway must be more than 100 million US dollars! And our California Railway Company is currently in a loss-making state."
As a shareholder, Sutter has no confidence in building the Pacific Railway.
This project is really too big. It is a national project. Even a wealthy man like Liang Yao cannot afford this huge project.
"To start this project, we need a lot of start-up funds, and in addition, we need the support of the federal government." California Senator Gwen, a shareholder of the California Railway Company, spoke immediately after Sutter.
"It is unrealistic for us, the California Railway Company, to take on such a large project alone. We need to share this project with our peers in the industry."
The California Railway Company has been going smoothly in the past few years since its establishment. This is inseparable from the fact that the projects undertaken by the California Railway Company are all projects within the state.
From the first railway built by the California Railway Company, the San Francisco-Sacramento Railway, to the San Francisco-Los Angeles Railway, the longest railway in California, to the unfinished Sacramento-Reno and Carson Railways.
These railways have one thing in common, that is, they are all in California. The California Railway Company has the state government to escort it, and there are almost no external interference factors. The California Railway Company only needs to focus on building the railway.
Except for the small section in the Nevada Administrative District, the rest of the sections of the Taiping Railway are outside California, or more precisely, the quasi-state area.
The territory is currently under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The construction of the Pacific Railway requires the support of the federal government, and it is relatively strong support.
“Currently, the fastest transportation method between California and the eastern region is the Nicaragua route. This route takes 2 months one way. However, due to the navigation capacity of the Nicaragua Canal, the capacity of this route is very limited, which is far from meeting California’s current passenger transportation and transportation needs. Freight needs.
Of course, there is also the option of going around Cape Horn, but going around Cape Horn from the eastern states to California by the fastest ship will take 6 months, or half a year. "
Liang Yao stood up and looked at the engineering map behind him. On the map, the Pacific Railway was like a thin black line, connecting California to the eastern United States.
Liang Yao pointed his index finger at the black line and continued.
“If this railway is built, it will only take a week to get from New York to San Francisco, whereas before, it would have taken half a year under the best circumstances to travel by land from New York to San Francisco.
By then, with our new gravity in California, we will attract more high-quality eastern immigrants, and our goods will also be transported to the east at the fastest speed through this railway, so that the shelves in the stores in major cities in the east will be filled with us. Quality product made in California!
In modern business competition, time and efficiency are tt
In order for the future development of California to reach a higher level and become more competitive, for the future of California, this railway must be built no matter what! "
After finishing his speech, Liang Yao sat down and added.
"I am sure that this railway will be the most commercially valuable railway in the United States. It will also be a business card of our California Railway Company and even the United States, a business card that has created a miracle of railway engineering! And we are this miracle. The founder has become the object of admiration for future generations.
Everyone, there are not many opportunities like this. I hope you can cherish this opportunity. "
Liang Yao's words made the participants present feel excited. It is indeed very difficult to build the Pacific Railway, but once it is completed, it will be a matter of fame and fortune.
"If you want to start this project, the support of the federal government is essential. Now that the presidential election is approaching, this is a very unstable factor. The relationship between the Democratic Party and us is very tense. Once the Democratic candidate comes to power, it will We're very disadvantaged." Fremont raises a very real issue.
"So we must spare no effort to support President Fillmore's re-election and strive to complete this railway during President Fillmore's last term." Liang Yao said.
"According to recent polls, President Fillmore has reversed his decline due to his victory in the Japanese expedition, and his support rate has been rising all the way, surpassing his most powerful rival, Democrat Pierce. I think as long as
Not surprisingly, President Fillmore still has a very good chance of being re-elected. "
This is why Liang Yao invested in Fillmore very early and even went to Japan to fight for Fillmore's re-election.
California's development has just started, and it needs a federal government that is friendly to California.
"As long as there are enough new explosives, enough workers, and a reasonable construction plan, it will be difficult to complete this project in four years, but it is not impossible." Ward said bravely.
Being able to win the support of the federal government gave Ward a great confidence. Of course, if this project could be completed under his leadership, he would also become famous around the world. Even his European colleagues would look high on him, and the project was still very attractive to DeVoe.
"What about the funding issue?" Sartre was most worried about the funding issue. For such a huge project, the funds required for the project are undoubtedly astronomical. "At least we have to raise start-up funds."
"Leave the funding matters to me. You only need to do your part. You don't have to worry about the money." Liang Yao said, "Building the Pacific Railway is not a lonely effort for California Railroad Company."
Liang Yao can find a way to raise funds on Wall Street. With his current reputation and America Group as guarantee, he can still raise some money.
"Are there other railway companies involved in this project?" Ward couldn't help but ask.
"As Mr. Gervin said, it is difficult for California Railroad to complete such a huge project alone." Liang Yao said.
“I have called Mr. Vanderbilt, the former shipping king and today’s railroad king, and we will work together with Mr. Vanderbilt to complete this project.
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The California Railroad Company was responsible for the construction of the western section, from Reno to Promontory, and Mr. Vanderbilt was responsible for the construction of the eastern section, from Omaha to Promontory. Don’t forget, the American Group also has an Atlantic Railway Company in the east, and the Atlantic Railway Company will also participate in this great project. "
Although Liang Yao has focused on California's local railway construction since he got involved in the railway industry, Liang Yao has not given up on the railway market in the east. During his trip to the east the year before last, he acquired some high-quality railway companies in the east and established Atlantic Railway Company.
This company was, in a way, an insurance policy for the eastern section of the Pacific Railroad.
Liang Yao believed in Vanderbilt, but he was a cautious man and would not pin all his hopes on Vanderbilt, especially for a major project like the Pacific Railway that was related to the future of California. It was unwise to pin all his hopes on others.
This was the significance of the existence of the Atlantic Railway Company. Once Vanderbilt backed out, at least the Atlantic Railway could take over and clean up the mess.
"In this case, we are still responsible for the most difficult section, and Mr. Vanderbilt can be said to have picked up a bargain." Ward said.
The reason why the Pacific Railway project is difficult is mainly referring to the Reno to Promontory section, which needs to pass through the Nevada Mountains, and needs to open roads when encountering mountains and build bridges when encountering valleys.
Of course, there is also good news. The railway mileage of the Reno to Promontory section is much shorter than that of the Omaha to Promontory section.
"There is no such thing as who is taking advantage of whom. Although the terrain of the Omaha to Promontory section is flatter than the western section we are responsible for, it is also a barren land. We will work together to share technology, funds and personnel in this cooperation." Liang Yao said.
Liang Yao certainly cannot build the Pacific Railway on his own. He needs the support of Eastern capital. At present, the most reliable and courageous partner he can find is Vanderbilt.
Other railroad tycoons may not have the courage to take on such a huge project even if they have money.
"If we can win the support of the federal government and Eastern Railway Capital, I think this project is feasible." The hesitant Sartre quickly expressed his attitude.
Liang Yao rested his hands on the conference table and looked around at everyone with a bright look. "Whether to build the Pacific Railway or not, let's vote by raising our hands."
After speaking, Liang Yao was the first to raise his hand, and soon, everyone present also raised their hands, all in favor of building the Pacific Railway.
The internal opinions of the California Railway Company have reached a consensus, and the next task is to win the support of external forces.
Liang Yao was naturally responsible for lobbying Vanderbilt, and the federal government and Congress also needed to seek supporters, after all, this was an American feature.
Without the support of the federal government, it would be difficult to move forward, but even with the support of the federal government, it might not be possible.
For such a major project, the federal government must come forward to propose a bill for Congress to vote on. Only after Congress votes and passes it can the project proceed.
"Fremont, my good brother, you have worked hard. Without you, there would be no draft of the Pacific Railway."
After the meeting, Liang Yao said to Fremont with great gratitude.
"I really don't know how to thank you."
Fremont couldn't help laughing. "I am the first American to arrive in California. I have deep feelings for this land. You don't need to say such corny words to me.
You just hope that our family and my father-in-law's family can support the proposal of the Pacific Railway in Congress. Don't worry, even if you don't mention it, I will do it."
Fremont had seen through Liang Yao's mind long ago. He was born in a wealthy family and is now a shareholder of the California Railway Company and the United Mining Company. Money doesn't mean much to him anymore. He has higher-level pursuits.
This pursuit is California, a prosperous and wealthy California.
"As long as they are willing to support us in Congress, I can sell them 20% of the shares of the Atlantic Railway Company at a preferential price. The Atlantic Railway Company is a high-quality railway company. At present, the shares of high-quality railway companies cannot be bought with money." Liang Yao said.
If you want to get the support of these people, you can't do it without giving them some big sweets. Liang Yao also hopes to become a long-term partner with these American families through interest sharing. Of course, it would be great if he could get back some working capital by selling shares, after all, Liang Yao's current cash flow is also tight.
After the signing of the Land Grant Act in 1850, the American railway ushered in its golden age of wild growth. The railway industry in the United States in the mid-19th century was as hot as the real estate industry in China in the first decade of the 21st century.
Railways and gold, two powerful economic weapons, made the United States the first Western capitalist country to emerge from the global economic crisis in the 1840s.
Atlantic Railway Company is now a large railway company with assets of more than 3 million US dollars. The sweetness of 20% of Atlantic Railway Company's shares is not small, even for the wealthy families with a net worth of millions, it is tempting enough.
"You are really willing to spend a lot of money." Fremont said with emotion.
"For California, I'm willing to give up everything." Liang Yao smiled, then turned to look at Ge Wen, "Ge Wen, I'm afraid you'll have to go to Ohio this time."
"Our family is just a small family, and we have no influence in Congress." Ge Wen spread his hands helplessly.
Compared with Fremont's prominent family background, Ge Wen's family influence is much less.
"But many steel tycoons in Ohio have a good relationship with you." Liang Yao said.
"That's also thanks to you." Ge Wen replied.
"Building a railway requires a large number of qualified rails. Go to Ohio and tell the steel tycoons there that as long as they are willing to support the Pacific Railway proposal in Congress, we will give priority to purchasing the rails they produce after the construction of the Pacific Railway begins." Liang Yao said to Ge Wen, "This is a win-win deal."
Ge Wen nodded, "Leave this to me. I am also a member of California, and I know what to do."