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Show Viewpoints The A-17 Park Record. Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, May 4-7, 2019 editorial Piece of our past will return as Big Boy steams through Echo A guest editorial Story told in railroad photo, but not the one you’re thinking of MAX CHANG Golden Spike Foundation board When I first saw the original print of Andrew J. Russell’s “East and West Shaking Hands at Laying of the Last Rail” from the Union Pacific’s Historical Collection at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, I found it surprisingly ... small. I had always imagined this iconic photograph, also known as the “Champagne Photo,” to be grandiose, superlative and towering compared to its hundreds of counterparts in the collection. Over the course of a century and a half, this photo has been framed by historians, scholars and educators to encapsulate the entire narrative of the construction of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad. Yet, there it was before me, a standard imperial print measuring 10 inches by 13 inches like most of the other photographs. The Champagne Photo is both a source of pride of accomplishment and a painful reminder of exclusion. While the old adage says a picture is worth a thousand words, it may not always tell us the entire story. As a member of the organizing entity to celebrate the sesquicentennial of the greatest engineering feat of the 19th century, I and my colleagues hope The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Ben Ramsey Carolyn Webber Alder Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Jay Meehan Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Copy Editor ............................ James Hoyt Engagement Editor..Christopher Samuels Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Accounting Manager ......... Jennifer Snow ADVERTISING Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Erin Donnelly Lindsay Lane Sharon Bush Events Manager ................. Julie Bernhard Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ........................Chelsea Babbitt to widen the lens of history to truly understand the magnificence of this project. In Russell’s “Chinese laying the last rail on May 10, 1869,” eight Chinese railroad workers are placing a ceremonious rail just moments prior to the driving of a golden spike into a polished laurel tie. Same day. Same photographer. Different story. While teaching professional development to fourth-grade teachers across the Wasatch Front as part of the new Utah history curriculum, I learned nearly all the teachers recognized the Champagne Photo and nearly none have seen the photograph with the Chinese workers. One teacher even confessed to me she was surprised to learn the Chinese even worked on the railroad in Utah. Not only did the Chinese work in Utah, they were part of a more than Herculean effort to lay an unfathomable 10 miles of track from sunup to sundown on April 28, 1869, to help settle a wager between Charles Crocker of the Central Pacific and Doc Durant of the Union Pacific. On that day, an estimated 4,000 Chinese workers along with a handful of Irishmen lifted more than 4.4 million pounds of materials including 25,800 ties, 55,000 spikes and 3,520 30-foot rails each weighing 560 pounds. These railroad workers were asked to do the impossible and they delivered the impossible. The construction of the combined 1,776 miles by the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads gave America its independence to move into the modern era of industrialization and to rise as a global power. On the other hand, there was undoubtedly collateral damage. In just a half century, the bison population declined from an estimated 30-50 million to just a few hundred. The way of life for the Native Americans was irrevocably altered. The Chinese became scapegoats for economic and labor woes and eventually became the first and only race to be excluded from immigrating to the United States with the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. The stories behind the construction of the transcontinental railroad are exponentially greater than an image of a single photograph. In order to navigate our country’s present and future, we need to have a comprehensive understanding of our past. Flaunting the celebratory while flouting the dolorous is a disservice when it comes to fully recognizing and honoring the perseverance, resilience and fortitude of all those involved in the building of not just a transcontinental railroad but of Utah and America. For the record Big Boy is rumbling toward Summit County once again. On Wednesday, the last functioning member of the famed steam locomotive class manufactured in the early 1940s — one of the largest ever built, each weighing approximately 1.2 million pounds — is on track to barrell into Echo as part of Spike 150, a statewide commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. The one-time opportunity to experience a majestic relic in celebration of such an important moment in our state’s history is something Summit County residents shouldn’t pass up. The festivities, which include live music and food trucks, are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., with the locomotive arriving at 9:20 a.m. before continuing to Morgan. Though the Golden Spike was driven into the earth in Promontory, Echo played an important role in the history of the Transcontinental Railroad. According to Sandra Morrison, executive director of the Park City Museum, the railroad reached Echo in January of 1869, just months before its completion, and transformed the town into a critical hub that supplied Summit County with goods and refueled locomotives headed in either direction. The importance of trains has waned over time, of course, but the image of a locomotive chugging along the track, whistle screaming, steam billowing from the chimney, remains iconic. The era of the steam engine continues to fascinate Americans and evoke a sense of grandeur, and the event in Echo allows us to tap into that history and wander, if only for a few hours, into a part of our county’s past. The celebration is one of a handful of Spike 150 events that have taken place in Summit County ahead of a May 10 bash in Promontory on the exact anniversary of the railroad’s completion. Notably, residents have had the opportunity to educate themselves about the role Chinese workers played in building the railroad, an oft-overlooked element vital to understanding the true history of the feat, with a pair of ongoing exhibits at the Park City Library and Kimball Art Center. Checking out one or both is a great way to prepare for Wednesday’s event, a celebration a century and a half in the making that residents won’t want to miss. For more information on Wednesday’s event in Echo, visit summitcounty.org. Information about Spike 150, including a schedule of statewide events, is available at spike150.org. letter to the editor Chasing a chimera Editor: With the arrival of the Green New Deal (GRD) in Congress and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s contention that we have “12 years to save the planet,” some perspective is in order. From the website of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) we learn that the United States, on an annual basis, produces 15.7% of worldwide CO2 emissions. If we implement the GRD, it will have a huge economic impact on the U.S. economy and have, effectively, no impact on CO2 emissions worldwide. So here’s the question: Is it worth it? Do we disrupt our economy chasing a chimera? I think not. Thomas Hurd Park City guest editorial Summit County’s recent efforts to inform residents is example of democracy in action BEV HARRISON Kimball Junction Recently I had a great 24 hours engaging with my elected county representatives and county officials in ways that were respectful, cooperative and, ultimately, productive. Thank you to Summit County Councilors and officials for hosting a series of “Conversations with Council” on the east and west sides of the County. The event at the Sheldon Richins Building on Thursday morning from 7-9 a.m. was lively and educational. You couldn’t attend without learning something important about one, more or all the projects the county folks came to show and tell us about. I learned more about transportation, fire safety, the Jeremy Ranch interchange, the Kimball Junction Master Plan and Basin Rec trails. There were drawings, maps, handouts and a large screen video to look at — all interesting stuff. I asked questions galore; many times I said, “I didn’t know that.” And then, I got answers. Specific “thank yous” to attending County Councilors Roger Armstrong and Kim Carson; County Manager Tom Fisher and Deputy County Manager Janna White; Community Development Planners Pat Putt and Peter Barnes; Transportation Planning Director Caroline Rodriquez; Public Works Manager Derrick Radke; Fire Warden Bryce Boyer; Finance Manager Matt Levitt; Economic Development Director Jeff Jones; and Solid Waste Supervisor Tim Loveday. A special thanks to Krachel Greenwood, the county’s public information officer, for her part in getting the word out about scheduled county public events via KPCW, The Park Record, Next Door and Facebook, as well as flyers hung in popular spots throughout the community. To do a good job communicating with the public, you have to keep at it; you need to get the word out in any way you can think of. Thank you to Basin Rec staffers Melissa O’Brien, Ben Liegert and Randy Kadziel who also attended the gathering. I shared my thoughts with the Basin’s board last night. I know, because of the Basin’s efforts, we will have a safer stretch of Swaner Trail moving people immediately past the very dense communities of Newpark Townhomes and Foxpoint Condominiums. A special thanks to Ben for walking this stretch of trail with me, listening to my safety concerns and, subsequently, discussing installation of stricter speed limit signs with his Basin colleagues. The signs arrive next week; look for them and ... obey the speed limit! And again, thank you to the Basin Trails and county transportation folks for collaborating and coming up with a way to automatically slow the speed of county e-bikes on this high-use stretch through the use of virtual technology. Thank you for putting stricter signs at e-bike stations which emphasize bikes are for riders over 18 years old PERIOD. I request county representatives and officials increase their focus on public education and engagement through well-publicized open houses and other gatherings, like this week’s Conversations event. I request that they share their plans and projects with us well in advance of making their final decisions. Public complaints based upon incorrect or lack of information are worthless. It takes a real willingness to engage from both “parties” — county officials and county residents — in order to create an informed public whose input is respectful, cooperative and, ultimately, productive. I’m looking forward to three additional events the Council has scheduled to educate and engage the public in planning the future Kimball Junction. These will be held on the morning of Wednesday, May 22, at Park City Roasters; the evening of Wednesday, May 29, at the Kimball Junction transit center, and the evening of Wednesday, June 5, at Ecker Hill Middle School immediately before a regularly scheduled Council meeting. Kimball Junction is the really big gateway to everything Park City. It’s where some of us live and work; it’s where all of us play, eat and shop. Stay tuned, agree, disagree, compromise. Don’t expect to get all you want all the time. This is the way democracy is supposed to work. Photos by Christopher Samuels Asked in Prospector What is your favorite mud season activity? Jessica Wilcox Millcreek “I go hiking. I’m headed to the desert this weekend, but mostly I hike on the other side along the Wasatch Front. Anything city-side is decent (this time of year).” Libby Ellis Salt Lake City “I go mountain biking. Right now, just in the (Salt Lake) foothills, it’s all really nice right now and mostly dry.” Olivia Tabah Snyderville “I like to get out of Park City during mud season, down to Moab. I usually try to get back on my mountain bike or road bike and stay active while it’s nice out.” Tim Eaton Big Bear Lake, California “Going to Main Street and finding parking. I did that this morning, I went to Atticus and parked right there for free and the first spot was open. Pulled this (car) right in there.” Chris Peters Prospector “I’m a cyclist so a bunch of road cycling, and waiting for the trails to open. Round Valley’s been good lately. (Road cycling) is better this early in the season with less traffic.” See these photos and more by following The Park Record on Facebook.com/parkrecord and Instagram.com/parkrecord |