Union Pacific Railway Act of 1862

E11064

The Union Pacific Railway Act of 1862 was a landmark U.S. federal law that authorized construction of the first transcontinental railroad and provided government support through land grants and bonds.

All labels observed (3)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal statute
railroad legislation
amendedBy Pacific Railway Act of 1864
authorizedConstructionOf Central Pacific Railroad connection
Union Pacific Railroad main line
first transcontinental railroad in the United States
beneficiary Central Pacific Railroad Company of California
Union Pacific Railroad Company
bondAmountPerMile $16,000 per mile on level grade
$32,000 per mile in the high plains
$48,000 per mile in the mountains
citationStyleName 12 Stat. 489
country United States
enactedBy United States Congress
financingMechanism 30-year government bonds
historicalEra American Civil War era
impact accelerated settlement and economic development of the American West
established a model for federal land-grant support of railroads
strengthened federal control over transcontinental transportation and communication
jurisdiction United States federal government
language English
legalStatus public law
obligatedRailroadsTo carry government mails
give government priority in use of the line in time of war
transport government troops and munitions
presidentDuringEnactment Abraham Lincoln
providedSupportThrough government bonds
land grants
purpose to promote construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean
to secure government use of the railroad and telegraph for postal, military, and other purposes
regionAffected Great Plains
Pacific Coast
Rocky Mountains
relatedTo Homestead Act of 1862
Pacific Railway Acts
requiredGauge standard gauge track
requiredTelegraphLine construction of a telegraph line along the railroad route
routeEndPoint Pacific Ocean
routeStartPoint Missouri River
sectionWidthGranted 10 alternate sections of public land per mile on each side of the track
shortDescription Law authorizing construction of a transcontinental railroad with federal support
signedBy Abraham Lincoln
signingDate 1862-07-01
subjectMatter federal subsidies
public lands
railroad construction
telegraph lines
title Pacific Railway Act of 1862
year 1862

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Union Pacific Railroad foundedBy Union Pacific Railway Act of 1862
Union Pacific Railway Act of 1862 title Pacific Railway Act of 1862
linked to: Union Pacific Railway Act of 1862
First Transcontinental Railroad authorizedBy Pacific Railroad Act of 1862
linked to: Union Pacific Railway Act of 1862
Presidency of Abraham Lincoln significantEvent Pacific Railway Act of 1862
linked to: Union Pacific Railway Act of 1862
Pacific Railway Act of 1864 follows Pacific Railway Act of 1862
linked to: Union Pacific Railway Act of 1862