Dale Creek Trestle, 1869, A.J. Russell As discussed below the Dale Creek trestle was the highest bridge on the Union Pacific. A. J. Russell was employed during the Civil War by Matthew Brady with some of the photographs commonly attributed to Brady being, in fact, taken by Russell. Following the war Russell served the Federal Government on some of the surveying expeditions in the west before being employed by the Union Pacific. For additional view of trestle see below right. Plans and discussion for a transcontinental railroad linking California to the east date prior to 1853. Surveying for possible routes by the military as discussed with regard to G. K. Warren on Photos IV began at the impetus of Secretary of War Jefferson Davis. The necessity for construction of the railroad was clearly demonstrated during the Civil War. At the beginning of the war, Washington had serious concern that the military commander of California, Albert Sidney Johnston, might turn California over to the Confederacy. If such were to have happened the Union had no ability to transport troops to the West. Johnston, however, did not turn California over to the Confederacy. Instead he resigned, remained loyally on his post until his successor arrived and then returned to the South to accept a commission with CSA forces. Additionally, after the Trent Affair, British garrisons along the border between British North America and the United States were strengthened, raising the specter of a war with Great Britain at a time when the United States was otherwise preoccupied and the American west coast was practically defenseless. The lack of a supply line that a railroad would have provided, resulted in the inability of the Confederacy to support its forces in New Mexico and present day Arizona, leading, in part, to Confederate withdrawal from the west. Lincoln strongly supported the construction of the transcontinental railroad and the northern Congress took action making the building of the railroad following the war possible. Ironically, while fear of war with Britain may have spurred on the transcontinental railroad, the end of the Civil War and the construction of the railroad, resulted in a fear of annexation in Canada. This, in turn, was an impetus for the formation of the Canadian Confederation and the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Canadian fears were not without foundation. In 1866, the House of Representatives passed a bill providing for the admission to the United States of the "States" of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada East, Canada West, and the ultimate admission to the Union of the States of "Saskathewan," Selkirk, and Columbia. Early view of Railroad Yards, Laramie Interior, UPRR Paymaster's Tent, Laramie, 1868, A. J. Russell Similar windmills to that depicted above were located at other stations including Cheyenne and Sherman. The windmills had a diameter of 20 feet. The tank would hold 50,000 gallons and would take approximately 10 hours to fill. The tank was equipped with a float connected to the windmill by cable which, when the tank was full, would automatically shut down the vanes. Another float would automatically start the windmill when the tank neared empty. In the background is a twenty-stall roundhouse and the machine shop.