Talk:Henry Villard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, now in the public domain.

This article is within the scope of the following WikiProjects:

WikiProject Biography     (Rated Start-Class) This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography. For more information, visit the project page. Biography Portal Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the project's quality scale. [FAQ] WikiProject Illinois (Rated Start-Class) This article is part of WikiProject Illinois, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to Illinois on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, you can edit this article, or visit the project page to join the project and/or contribute to the discussion. Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the quality scale. Low This article has been rated as Low-importance on the importance scale. WikiProject Chicago      (Rated Start-Class) Chicago Portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Chicago, which aims to improve all articles related to Chicago. Start This article has been rated as Start-class on the quality scale. Low This article has been rated as Low-importance on the importance scale. WikiProject Trains (Rated Start-Class) Trains Portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Trains, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to rail transport on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, you can visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion. See also: WikiProject Trains to do list Start This article has been rated as start-Class on the quality scale. (assessment comments) ??? This article has not yet received a rating on the importance scale within the Trains WikiProject. WikiProject Oregon      (Rated Start-Class) Oregon Portal This page is part of WikiProject Oregon, a WikiProject dedicated to articles related to the U.S. state of Oregon. To participate: join (or just read up) at the project page, or contribute to the project discussion. PSU stuff & Applegate Trail are the current Collaborations of the week. Start This page is rated as Start-Class on the quality scale. Low This article is rated as Low-importance on the importance scale.

Henry Villard, after his career in journalism, became a railroad promoter in the West, particularly in Oregon where he eventually came to control a good portion of the state's transportation system. This led him to the idea of developing the country's second transcontinental railroad. In 1880, through bold and deft financial maneuvering in which he was able to raise $8 million for unspecified purposes (it was dubbed a "blind pool"), he was able to finance his plans, which included purchase of control of the struggling Northern Pacific Railroad. Within three years (Sept. 9, 1883), Villard and others drove the spike that completed the Northern Pacific near Gold Creek, Montana.